Braised Chicken Scarpariello with Creamy Polenta

Prepare the vegetables: Wash and slice 2 red bell peppers and 1 yellow bell pepper into 1.5 cm strips. Peel and thinly slice 1 large yellow onion. Peel and thinly slice 6 garlic cloves. Roughly chop 100g pickled cherry peppers. Finely grate 50g Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Pat dry 1.2 kg raw boneless skinless chicken thighs with paper towels and season generously on both sides with salt and black pepper. Slice 300g raw chicken sweet Italian sausage into 2 cm thick rounds.

In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear the chicken thighs until deeply browned, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Add the 300g sliced sausage to the same skillet and brown for 4 minutes, then transfer to the plate with the chicken.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil to the pan. Add the sliced bell peppers and sliced onion. Sauté for 6 to 8 minutes, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan, until the vegetables are softened and lightly caramelized. Stir in the sliced garlic and 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Pour in 100g chopped pickled cherry peppers, 60ml pickled cherry pepper brine, 120ml dry white wine, and 350ml chicken stock. Bring to a boil, scraping up any remaining fond. Return the seared chicken thighs, sliced sausage, and any accumulated juices back into the pan. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer/braise for 20 minutes until the chicken is tender and registers 74°C.

While the chicken is braising, prepare the polenta. In a medium saucepan, combine 500ml whole milk, 500ml water, and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Slowly whisk in 150g coarse yellow cornmeal in a steady stream to prevent lumps. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 25 minutes, stirring vigorously every 5 minutes to prevent sticking, until the polenta is thick and creamy. Remove from heat and stir in 45g unsalted butter and 50g grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Cover to keep warm.

Uncover the chicken skillet. Transfer the chicken thighs and sausage pieces back to a clean plate. Increase the heat to high and boil the sauce for 5 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly, allowing the pan fats to emulsify into a glossy glaze. Season the sauce with salt and black pepper to taste.

RESERVATION STEP: Divide the cooked chicken thighs, sausage, and pepper-onion mixture into two equal portions. Set aside one portion (approximately 600g of meat plus half the sauce and peppers), let it cool completely, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for the Day 7 paninis.

To serve tonight's meal, plate the warm, creamy polenta and spoon the remaining hot chicken thighs, sausage, peppers, and rich pan sauce over the top.