Chicken Scarparielli

Serves 4 to 6 as an Entrée

1½      Pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Halves
½         Cup Flour for Dredging Chicken
1          Pound Sweet or Hot Italian Sausage Links
4          Tablespoons XVOO
2          Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
6          Garlic Cloves, Finely Minced
1          Medium Onion, Thinly Sliced Lengthwise
6          Large Carrots, Sliced ¼” On the Diagonal
3          Red, Yellow or Orange Sweet Peppers, Thinly Sliced (Use 1 Of Each Color If You Like)
1½      Pounds Small Redskin Potatoes or Yukon Gold Potatoes, Cut into Quarters
1          Cup Marinara Sauce (Homemade or Good Quality Store Bought)
1          Cups Fresh or Frozen Peas (Thaw if Frozen)
2          Teaspoons Coarse Sea Salt
1          Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
¼         Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper

Preheat oven to 425ºF.

Sprinkle the chicken breasts with a bit of the salt and pepper and dredge in the flour to coat.

In a skillet large enough to hold all of the ingredients heat the XVOO and butter over medium heat. Once the butter stops sizzling add the chicken breasts and sauté the chicken until nicely browned on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. (You want the chicken almost cooked but not quite.) Remove the chicken from the pan and add the Italian sausage and brown the sausage on all sides. Remove the sausage from the pan and add the garlic, onion, carrots, peppers and potatoes. Sauté the vegetables for 10 minutes or until the onions begin to look transparent. Add the marinara, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. Toss everything together to combine. Lay the chicken breasts and sausage links on top of the vegetables and place pan in the preheated oven. Cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes remove the chicken and sausage from the pan and set aside. (Let the chicken and sausage rest for 20 minutes then cut each chicken breast into 3 pieces and the sausage links in half.)

Continue cooking the vegetables in the oven for 30 minutes or until the potatoes and carrots are cooked through. Add the peas, the cut-up chicken and the Italian sausage to the pan and toss to combine with the vegetables. Return the pan to the oven with the peas, chicken and sausage and cook for 15 minutes.

Transfer the Scarparielli to a serving dish and serve immediately.

Hints and Tips: I like to serve this with a side dish of Pasta tossed with XVOO and Roasted Garlic.