Chicken Spezzatino is a delicious and savory Italian chicken stew. Bone-in chicken pieces are cooked in a rich sauce made with loads of onions, white wine and herbs. The addition of potatoes thickens the sauce and turns this amazing stew into a hearty rustic meal.
I love to have hearty recipes like this my Chicken Cacciatore or Chicken Rollatini that I can count on for amazingly great taste.
Growing up my mother often made this spezzatino di pollo and she would serve the scrumptious broth over pasta to make a hearty meal. As a bonus the whole house was filled with the wonderful smells from wine and herbs simmering in the stew.
Unlike stews made of beef or other proteins, chicken stew is ready in about an hour. The chicken cooks quickly and tenderizes in the stew broth much faster than tougher cuts of meat, so it is not unheard of for me to make this dish on a weeknight. This is just one of those great recipes that you will turn to over and over again.
What you need to make Chicken Spezzatino
- Chicken pieces with the bone in will provide the most flavor. I leave the skin on, but you can remove the skin if you prefer. Chicken thighs and drumsticks are the most popular with my family. Bone in chicken breasts can also be used, but I would recommend cutting them in half so they fit in the pot and cook more evenly.
- Onions cut into chunks. You will use a lot them! Any type of onion such as a white or yellow onion will work. I have not made this with red onions, so I can’t recommend them in this dish.
- Roughly chopped garlic.
- White wine will flavor the broth in this Italian stew. Any white wine you like is fine. I typically use chardonnay because I like to serve it with dinner.
- Chicken stock or chicken broth, whatever you have on hand.
- Fresh thyme and sage tied together with a little kitchen twine will create a bouquet that is easy to fish out of the stew when it is done.
- Potatoes peeled and cut into chunks.
Step by Step Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan or Dutch oven. Season the chicken pieces with salt and ground black pepper. Brown the chicken on both sides and remove to a plate.
- Add the onions to the pan and cook until tender then add the garlic and cook about one minute.
- Stir in the white wine and herbs and simmer until the wine is almost completely absorbed. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any of the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the chicken back into the pan along with the chicken stock, and potatoes. Season with a teaspoon of salt and some fresh ground pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the flame to medium heat and cook for 45 additional minutes.
Cooking Tips For The Best Spezzatino
- Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels before you brown them. This will remove moisture from the meat so it crisps and browns nicely, creating rich flavors in the stew.
- Don’t over crowd your pan while browning the chicken or it will steam the chicken rather then browning it.
- Keep an eye on the stew as it cooks because the liquid may evaporate. If it reduces too much, add a little more stock or water so that you create the stew consistency that you like.
Storing and Freezing Leftover Chicken Stew
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days The chicken stew reheats beautifully in the microwave. You can also heat it on the stovetop over medium low heat.
You can freeze stew that has been placed in an airtight freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
Chicken Spezzatino
Ingredients
- 8 Chicken pieces bone in
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 3 Onions large, cut into chunks
- 2 cloves Garlic chopped
- 3/4 cups White wine
- 2½ cups Chicken stock or broth
- 4 sprigs Thyme
- 2 stems Sage
- 3 Potatoes large, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Ground Black pepper
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan or Dutch oven.
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season the chicken pieces with salt and ground black pepper. Brown the chicken on both sides and remove to a plate.
- Add the onions to the pan and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook about one minute.
- Stir in the white wine and herbs and simmer until the wine is almost completely absorbed. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any of the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the chicken back into the pan along with the chicken stock, and potatoes. Season with salt and ground pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the flame to medium heat and cook for 45 additional minutes.
Notes
- Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels before you brown them. This will remove moisture from the meat so it crisps and browns nicely, creating rich flavors in the stew.
- Don’t over crowd your pan while browning the chicken or it will steam the chicken rather then browning it.
- Keep an eye on the stew as it cooks because the liquid may evaporate. If it reduces too much, add a little more stock or water so that you create the stew consistency that you like.
Incredible! Can’t wait to try your other recipes.
Thank you David! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I made this last night for dinner. Really tasty and with the sage and thyme reminded me of Thanksgiving dinner. This recipe was hearty and filling without being heavy. I did take most of the skin off the chicken but left a bit on it while browning . Thank you Enza for your yummy recipes! 🥰
Wende I am so happy that you liked this chicken recipe! It is one of my favorite childhood dishes.
This dish looked amazing so I had to give it a try. It ended up tasting even better! Bravo!
Alex
Thank you so much for letting me know that you loved the chicken!