Pollo Alla Romana (Chicken with Tomatoes and Bell Peppers)

This Pollo Alla Romana dish is adapted from "Tasting Rome: Fresh Flavors and Forgotten Recipes from an Ancient City."

By | January 01, 2017

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 whole chicken, salted in advance and cut into 8 pieces
  • 2 yellow onions, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
  • 3 bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch slices
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 1 tablespoon fresh marjoram
  • 1 can (14 ounces) whole or crushed tomatoes

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the chicken, skin side down, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until it is browned on all sides, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning. Reduce the heat to low, remove the chicken and set aside.

Add the onions, bell peppers and garlic to the same pan and cook until the onions and peppers have softened, about 10 minutes. Add the wine, increase the heat to medium and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Once the alcohol aroma dissipates (about a minute), add the marjoram and tomatoes.

Return the chicken to the pan and add enough water to submerge it halfway. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes more, until the chicken is tender and nearly falling away from the bone and the sauce is thick and deep red but not dry. If the sauce becomes too dry, add a bit more water.

Serve immediately as a standalone dish. You can also reheat deboned leftovers to serve with crusty bread.

Serves 4

Recipe adapted from Tasting Rome: Fresh Flavors and Forgotten Recipes from an Ancient City (Clarkson Potter)

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 whole chicken, salted in advance and cut into 8 pieces
  • 2 yellow onions, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
  • 3 bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch slices
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 1 tablespoon fresh marjoram
  • 1 can (14 ounces) whole or crushed tomatoes