Braised Chicken all Arrabbiata

Drescription

Chef Way: All'Arrabbiata means "in an angry style" in Italian. At the new Marzano in Oakland, California, chef Robert Holt braises his chicken with five kinds of peppers in a wood-fired oven. Easy Way: Spice the chicken with poblano and chile flakes, then braise it. For extra kick, toss in some hot pickled cherry peppers.

Ingredients

• 6 whole chicken legs, split into drumsticks and thighs
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 6 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 large yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 small poblano, diced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped and juices reserved
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 marjoram sprigs, plus 1 tablespoon chopped marjoram leaves

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chicken skin side down and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned, 7 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter skin side up.
2. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet. Add the onion, garlic, crushed red pepper and bay leaf and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the onion is softened. Add the bell pepper and poblano and cook until softened. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and boil for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the vinegar and marjoram sprigs and bring to a simmer.
3. Set the chicken legs in the skillet skin side up. Bake in the upper third of the oven for 35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Discard the marjoram and season the sauce with salt and pepper. Garnish with the chopped marjoram and serve.