Each month the Italian Tribune has featured reviews of area restaurants highlighting the specialties of the house. Many readers have not only raved about their experiences at the restaurants, but have requested recipes that could be prepared at home. As a monthly feature, we are spotlighting dishes and recipes that executive chefs and owners of the restaurants have selected especially for the readers of the Italian Tribune. This month we visit Angeloni’s Restaurant & Pizzeria in Caldwell, New Jersey and feature their extraordinary Hot Vinegar Chicken.
This special recipe is Angeloni’s own, based on the classic flavors the come from chicken, sausage, vinegar, onions and peppers that combine to a tangy, rich dish that is both spicy and sweet, tender and crunchy.
The refined Italian menu was created by the numerous generations of the Conforti family who own Angeloni’s Restaurant, which has been a staple of the Caldwell community since 2012. Well-known for their famous crispy and delicious “Thinny Thin” Pizza, patrons appreciate the enticing menu and dining in a warm, family atmosphere.
Angeloni’s Restaurant & Pizzeria is located at 6 Brookside Avenue in Caldwell, New Jersey. In these restricted times, look for their menu online at www.angelonispizzeria.com and call 973-226-1234 for takeout.
Hot Vinegar Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lb boneless breasts, cut crosswise in half
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb Italian sausage hot and sweet
- 2 bell peppers (red and yellow), seeded and cut into thin strips
- 1 onion, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp dried oregano leaves
- 6 hot vinegar cherry peppers, whole
- 6 small potatoes, roasted
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
Preparation
Heat the oven to 400°F. Roast the potatoes for 20 minutes, while preparing the chicken. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over a medium-high flame. In batches, brown the chicken for about 4 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken to a plate. Add the sausage and sauté until brown, about 4-5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, cut into 1-inch slices and set aside.
Remove all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the skillet and sauté the bell peppers, onion and garlic until soft and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the oven in preparation for the next step.
Return the sausage to skillet, add the cherry peppers, roasted potatoes, chicken broth, wine, vinegar, oregano and season with salt and pepper. Gently mix together, then transfer to a roasting pan. Nestle the chicken in the vegetables and sausage and roast in the oven until chicken is cooked through and sauce has reduced slightly, about 25 minutes. Serve with crusty Italian bread.
