Pollo alla Lucana (Lucanian Chicken)

Pollo alla Lucana (Lucanian Chicken)

Polla alla Lucana (or Lucanian Chicken) is a traditional braised chicken dish from the mountainous Basilicata region in Southern Italy. During the Greek and Roman ages, Basilicata was known as Lucania and its residents, Lucanas. Peperoni crushi (Italian fried peppers) featured in this recipe grow in this region and are hung from balconies to dry in the summertime. They have a sweet and very mild spicy flavor, just enough to lift the flavors of this dish. This is a great recipe to serve family style with a side of rice or boiled fingerling potatoes.

 

  • total time:
    1 hr 15 min
  • cooking difficulty:
    Easy
  • Tags:

Ingredients

Kosher salt
1 Tbsp
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp
Extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp
Shallots, peeled and sliced
2 large
Celery, washed, trimmed, and chopped
1 stalk
Garlic, peeled and minced
4 cloves
Fresh sage
2 Tbsp
Whole green olives, pitted
1 cup
Peperoni cruschi (Italian fried dried peppers), cut into bite-size pieces (If you can't find these peppers, you can substitute roasted red peppers or sundried tomatoes.)
2
Dry white wine
1/4 cup
Chicken stock
1/2 cup

Nutrition Values

  • Calories::
    422
  • Total Fat::
    29.1g
  • Saturated Fat: :
    6.2g
  • Cholesterol: :
    95mg
  • Sodium::
    3099mg
  • Total Carbohydrate::
    8g
  • Dietary Fiber::
    0.7g
  • Dietary Fiber::
    0.7g
  • Total Sugars::
    0.3g
  • Protein::
    27.9g

Utensils

  • Large cast-iron skillet
  • Oven-proof lid

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. 

Heat olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook for 5 minutes, or until golden brown and seared. Turn the chicken over and cook on the other side for another 4-5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate to rest. 

Add the shallots and celery to the skillet and sauté for about 3-4 minutes until the shallots are soft and translucent. Add in the garlic, sage, olives, and peperoni cruschi, and continue to sauté for another 1-2 minutes. 

Pour in the wine and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has reduced. 

Return the chicken to the skillet, pour in the chicken stock, and cover with an oven-proof lid or foil. Bake for 30-40 minutes until chicken is completely cooked through.  

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