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.

Makes 4 Servings

Preparation time: 15 min
Cooking time: 1 hr
Total time: 1 hr 15 minDifficulty: easy

INGREDIENTS:
4 Grass Roots’ pasture-raised chicken leg quarters, drumsticks and thighs separated
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 large shallots, peeled and sliced
1 stalk celery, washed, trimmed, and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tbsp fresh sage
1 cup whole green olives, pitted
2 peperoni cruschi (Italian fried dried peppers)*, cut into bite size pieces
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock

*If you can't find these peppers, you can substitute roasted red peppers or sundried tomatoes.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
   
   
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. 
   
   
3. 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 chicken to a plate to rest. 
   
   
4. Add the shallots and celery to the skillet and sauté for about 3-4 minutes until shallots are soft and translucent. Add in the garlic, sage, olives, and peperoni cruschi, and continue to sauté for another 1-2 minutes. 
   
   
5. Pour in the wine and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has reduced. 
   
   
6. 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.  

Nutrition facts:
Amount per serving
Calories: 422
Total Fat: 29.1g
Saturated Fat: 6.2g
Cholesterol: 95mg
Sodium: 3099mg
Total Carbohydrate: 8g
Dietary Fiber: 0.7g
Total Sugars: 0.3g
Protein: 27.9g