The scent of peonies puts me back on my old bed in my old room at my parents’ house in early June. It’s warm, but not yet so hot that the the buzz of the AC drowns out the buzz of the bugs, and I’ve slipped away unnoticed while the clean-up commotion goes on downstairs. That pink blossom scent hung in the air while the sun refused to set and I can remember what it feels like when time stands still. 

In the same way that scent and sound can take us back to a specific moment, a particular feeling or a certain realization, so too can taste. 

Whenever I cook from Tasting Rome, I can so easily envision my sister and I navigating the Eternal City’s cobblestoned streets desperately trying to avoid the inevitable “glistening” effect of summer in Rome. I remember the gelatos melting quickly in the Piazza del Popolo, negroni sbagliatos sipped Tiber-side and the brick red color of Coda alla Vacchinara from the taverna in Trastevere. I can get lost in a daydream, retracing our steps from one site to another, from one spritz to the next, recalling every detail save our conversation. 

This dish which falls somewhere between a stew and a braise is one of my favorites from that gorgeous Katie Parla and Kristina Gill book. I’ve adapted it here slightly to avoid starting with a whole bird. Once the chicken has been seared to give it a nice golden crust and onions and peppers are softly sautéed, wine and crushed tomatoes are added to the pot and the mix simmers for half an hour. 

Once you get the hang of searing, this one comes together quickly. And when it comes to searing—I add this because I so badly missed the mark the last time I made pollo alla romana—be sure that the pot and oil within it are hot before you begin otherwise the meat will stick. Also, do use skin-on chicken thighs because without the buffer, the meat will overcook at the edges and become tougher than you would—ideally—like by the time it’s ready to eat.  

That said, even if I botch the chicken, this dish is still good because the flavor is so delicious;  takeaway being that with such a generous margin for error, don’t be intimidated to give it a try! 

Pollo alla Romana
Serves 4

3 T olive oil
8 bone-in or boneless chicken thighs, skin-on
2 yellow onions, finely sliced
4 bell peppers, sliced
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 cup white wine
1 T fresh oregano, or 1tsp dried oregano
1 14-ounce can tomatoes

Heat oil in a Dutch oven, or heavy-bottomed pot, over medium-high heat. Rinse and pat dry thighs, and then season with salt and pepper. When oil is shimmering, lay thighs into the pan. You may need to work in batches to prevent overcrowding. Once there’s a nice brown color—even a crust is good—flip thighs until other side reaches a similar color. This should take 3-5 minutes per side and the first side will usually take longer than the second. 

Once thighs are browned, pull them out of the pot and lay on a paper towel to drain. Add onions to the pot and stir for a few minutes to coat slices in remaining oil. Then add peppers and garlic and sauté until softened, about 10 minutes. 

Add the wine and scrape any brown bits up from the bottom of the pan. Then add oregano and canned tomatoes and finally the chicken. Add water to nearly submerge the chicken. Stir to combine, bring to a bit of a boil and cook uncovered for 30 minutes. The water will evaporate. 

When chicken is fork tender and easy to shred, pull out of the pot and shred—like you would for pulled chicken or pulled pork—using two forks. Return meat to the pot, stir to combine and season with salt and pepper. 

This can be served stand-alone, with rice, inside of a roll, or any other way you can conceive. Perhaps as a savory crepe filling!