Arrabbiata is traditionally a pasta sauce. And it’s not one of those sauces that has been around for millenia. Chili is not traditional in Italian cooking, after all. Were it not for a cook’s attempt to add his own spin on Amatriciana sauce.

Amatriciana sauce is old. The earliest documentation dates back to 1790 so it had been around before that year. It originated in the town of Amatrice in the Lazio region. The sauce has been so culturally significant that it is protected by law.

Story has it that sometime between the 1950s and 1960s, there was a trattoria owner in Rome who wanted to add something non-traditional to the menu. So, he added more garlic and even more chilies to Amatriciana sauce and Arrabiata sauce was born.

Innovation, you see. If no cook ever modified existing recipes, new ones will never be invented. So, although arrabbiata is meant to go with pasta, I dare cook chicken in the spicy sauce. Innovation.

Chicken Arrabbiata

This chicken arrabbiata packs a bit of heat but without overwhelming. Non-traditional ingredients olives and capers add delightful boldness to the flavor of the sauce.

In this recipe, the chicken is browned in the oven instead of the stovetop. But you may choose to brown the chicken on a frying pan, of course. Pour off the oil, make the sauce in the same pan then add the browned chicken when the sauce is ready.

Chicken arrabbiata on oval serving plate

Prep: 10

Cook: 40

Total: 50

Servings: 2 people

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Label: Spicy, Tomato Sauce

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Ingredients

½ kilogram chicken drumsticks or thighs or a combination
salt
pepper
¼ cup flour

Arrabbiata sauce

olive oil
2 tablespoons garlic minced
¼ cup onion finely chopped
¼ teaspoon chili flakes
1 pinch oregano dried
2 tablespoons sliced black olives drained
1 tablespoon capers drained
1 ½ cups chopped tomatoes
salt
pepper
½ teaspoon sugar

To garnish

chopped parsley

Instructions

Brown the chicken

Preheat the oven to 475F.
Wipe the chicken with paper towels. Sprinkle with a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of pepper. Mix well working the salt and pepper into the meat.
Line a baking pan with non-stick paper. Spray or brush the paper lightly with oil.
Dredge each piece of chicken in flour (make sure to coat completely) and arrange on the prepared tray.
Drizzle each piece of chicken with about half a teaspoon of olive oil.
Brown the chicken at 475F for 20 minutes.

Make the arrabbiata sauce

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. Add the garlic, onion, chili flakes and oregano. Saute until fragrant.
Throw in the olives and capers. Cook for another minute.
Pour in the chopped tomatoes. Sprinkle in salt, pepper and a little sugar. How much salt pepper and sugar? To taste. Simmer, covered, until reduced by a quarter, about 10 minutes.