Roman Chicken Recipe (Pollo alla Romana)
Also known as 'Roman-Style Chicken', Pollo alla Romana is not your normal chicken stew. Adding prosciutto to this dish takes it to a new level! Serve it with a chunk of crusty bread and a glass of wine -- enjoy!
Servings: 6
Calories: 396kcal
Ingredients
- 1 kg chicken, rinsed and chopped (about 2 lbs)
- 3 & 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large red bell pepper, (or two medium)
- 1 large yellow bell pepper, (or two medium)
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped thinly
- 1 small onion, chopped finely
- 3/4 cup prosciutto, cubed
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 12 pcs cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 15 pcs fresh basil leaves, torn into halves (plus more for garnish)
- 1 & 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper, to season
- dash peperoncino, (or chili flakes)
Instructions
Preparing the peppers:
- Preheat oven to 225°C (435°F).
- Place the bell peppers on an ovenproof tray and rub them with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Place the tray in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the skin turns dark.
- Once the peppers are cool enough to handle, remove the skin, membrane and seeds and cut them lengthwise, 1/2 inch wide. Set aside.
- While the peppers are in the oven though, you can proceed with the rest of the steps for pollo alla Romana.
Making Roman chicken:
- Season the chopped chicken with salt and pepper --- generously.
- Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is ready, start browning the chicken. Do this in batches to leave enough space between the pieces of chicken.
- Take the browned chicken out of the pan and set them aside.
- Once you have finished with the chicken, adjust heat to medium. Add garlic and onion.
- Cook until the onion has softened a bit, then add prosciutto and mix.
- Add the chicken back into the pan.
- Add salt, pepper, peperoncino, tomato paste, and tomatoes. Mix to combine.
- Add torn basil leaves and mix.
- Adjust the heat back into medium-high and cover the pan with a lid.
- Bring to a boil. Adjust the heat to medium-low and let your Roman chicken simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the meat is cooked.
- Take the pan out of the heat and add the chopped, roasted peppers.
- Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and mix to combine.
- Serve your Roman chicken, and add more fresh basil, if preferred.
Video
Notes
- Cook's Tip #1: Use red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, but NEVER green. Its slight bitterness does not go well with Roman chicken.
- Cook's Tip#2: Instead of roasting, you can grill the peppers directly on the stovetop or an outside grill (especially during summer).
- Cook's Tip #3: Ensure the peppers are not overcooked. Once added at the end of cooking your Roman chicken, there should still be a bit of bite in them.
- Cook's Tip #4: You can slice the prosciutto thinly if that's what you prefer.
- Cook's Tip #5: Any type of tomato will work, but fresh ones are better than canned for pollo alla Romana.
Nutrition
Calories: 396kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 297mg | Potassium: 414mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1132IU | Vitamin C: 96mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg