Chicken Meatball Scarpariello

Sausage and peppers get a bold, punchy makeover.

Inspired by chicken scarpariello—an Italian-American classic, pairing chicken with sweet peppers in a lemony, vinegary, sweet-and-sour sauce—this dish starts with my go-to meatball shortcut: Store-bought Italian sausage. Lemon zest and parsley bring pops of sunny brightness. And, soaking the panko bread crumbs with beaten eggs and a few splashes of milk for 5 minutes (a kind of cheat panade, if you will) ensures a never-dry meatball.

The sauce is chock-full of vim and vigor, swapping in whole pepperoncini for the sweet peppers, plus a hearty pour of their brine, lemon juice, garlic, Calabrian chilies, tomato paste, and a drizzle of honey for a fleeting kiss of sweetness. My favorite part of the whole skillet? The potatoes. Baby Yukon golds are halved, browned on one side, and then roasted in that zesty-zippity sauce, soaking up all that spicy, punchy flavor. Yes, please!

This recipe is for paid subscribers only. But, if you’re looking for some free, yet flavorful meatball recipes, here’s a few to try: Meatless Merguez Meatballs, Grandma Rose’s Meatballs, and Sausage Meatballs with Caramelized Cabbage and Farro.

THIS’LL BECOME A DINNER REGULAR, I PROMISE.