Chicken with Calabrian peppers makes for an easy dinner! You will love this spicy Calabrian chicken with mozzarella recipe.
Following up on my Calabrian shrimp and scallops recipe from a few days ago, I decided to use up the rest of my Calabrian peppers on chicken!
This spicy Calabrian chicken recipe is wonderfully easy to prepare and loaded with flavor. Marinate the chicken quickly and before you know it, dinner will be on the table. For this spicy chicken and mozzarella dish, Calabrian peppers add a unique flavor profile that goes beyond just spicy. Look for tangy, fruity, smoky notes in this dish.
How to Make this Calabrian Chicken with Mozzarella:
Ready to cook? First, prepare the marinade. Simply transfer the marinade ingredients to a food processor and pulse until puréed. For the marinade you need:
- Calabrian peppers in oil
- 8 garlic cloves
- 1 shallot
- 2 tablespoons freshly minced parsley
- 1 teaspoon dry thyme
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Next, pour the marinade over the chicken and let it sit in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Marinate the chicken all day, if you like, but 30 minutes is a great place to start.
Next, simply sear the chicken in hot oil and transfer it to a baking dish. Deglaze the skillet with a little white wine or chicken stock and pour the sauce over the chicken. Place a slice of fresh mozzarella on each piece of chicken and bake until an instant-read thermometer reaches 165ºF. Broil the cheese for a couple of minutes at the end to develop nice browning. That’s it!
What kind of chicken do I use for this recipe?
I used thinly sliced chicken breasts because of how quickly they cook up. Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, or whole chicken breasts. Adjust the cook time as necessary.
Looking for more chicken recipes? Browse my archives!
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Easy Calabrian Chicken with Mozzarella
Equipment
- Wide skillet
- Baking dish or sheet pan
Ingredients
Marinade:
- ¼ cup Calabrian peppers in oil more or less depending on heat tolerance
- 8 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 shallot peeled
- 2 tablespoons freshly minced parsley
- 1 teaspoon dry thyme
- 1 lemon juiced
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Calabrian Chicken:
- 2 pounds thinly sliced chicken breasts
- Calabrian marinade
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil for searing
- ¼ cup dry white wine, sweet vermouth, or chicken stock
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese sliced into rounds
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh minced parsley for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the Marinade:
- Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a food processor and pulse until blended. Taste and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Marinate the Chicken:
- Transfer the chicken to storage bag or large bowl and season all over with salt and pepper. Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss to coat. Transfer to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Cook the Chicken:
- Preheat oven to 400ºF.
- Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once very hot, add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes per side until well-seared. Transfer to the baking dish or sheet pan and set aside.
- Turn the heat to high on the skillet for 30 seconds. Pour in the wine or stock and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken in the baking dish.
Bake the Chicken:
- Place a mozzarella round on top of each piece of chicken. Transfer to the oven for 10-12 minutes if using thinly sliced breasts or 20-25 minutes for whole breasts or thighs. Bake a little longer for bone-in chicken.
- Once the chicken reaches about 160ºF, turn on the broiler and cook until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown. Turn off the heat and rest for 5 minutes.
To Serve:
- Sprinkle the baked chicken with minced parsley. Serve with risotto, rice, or cooked, buttered noodles. Enjoy!
