Spicy Mediterranean Chicken with Sausage-Stuffed Cherry Peppers

This is an intense food experience, not for the bland palates of the world: succulent chicken thighs, artichoke hearts, olive, pepperoncini, and sausage-stuffed cherry peppers!

• Preparation Time: 35 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 20 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 55 mins
• Calories: 389 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 onion, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram
• ½ cup pitted kalamata olives
• 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
• 6 (4 ounce) bone-in chicken thighs with skin
• 18 cherry peppers in brine (such as Peppadew®)
• 6 ounces fresh Italian sausage
• 1 cup sliced pepperoncini peppers, with liquid

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Place chicken thighs in a large bowl; season with black pepper, cumin, and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

Step 3

Stuff each cherry pepper generously with Italian sausage. Set aside.

Step 4

Heat olive oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place chicken thighs, skin-side down, in pan and brown, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken over and brown other side, about 1 minute. Remove chicken from pan.

Step 5

Cook onion in the Dutch oven with pinch of salt over medium-high heat; cook and stir until caramelized, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; stir in garlic, herbes de Provence, and crushed red pepper.

Step 6

Stir in pepperoncini and juices; cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Step 7

Place chicken, skin-side up, in a single layer on top of the onions and pepperoncinis in the Dutch oven. Pour stock into the pan until almost covering the chicken.

Step 8

Sprinkle artichoke hearts, olives, and stuffed cherry peppers over top of chicken.

Step 9

Return to medium-high heat and bring to a simmer.

Step 10

Cover and roast in preheated oven until sausage is cooked through and liquid is bubbling, about 1 hour.

Step 11

Garnish with chopped basil, oregano, and marjoram.