This is an adaptation of recipe for a Roman dish in Alex Guarnaschelli’s cookbook Italian American Forever.  This will make 4-8 servings and will take a bit more than an hour.  Note that we barely fit this into our 12-inch cast iron skillet.

¼ lb. pancetta or bacon cut into lardons (I used bacon

3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil, divided

4 oz. sliced pepperoni

3.5-4 lbs. skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 8 thighs)

Salt and red pepper flakes (~1/4 tsp.)

1 cup dry white wine

28 oz. can peeled whole tomatoes, hand crushed

4 cloves garlic, chopped

3 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded, and cut into strips.

Start by heating 1 Tbs. of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Fry the pancetta or bacon until crispy.  Remove to a plate lined with paper towels.  Fry the pepperoni slices until crispy and add them to the bacon. 

Put the chicken thighs on a half sheet pan and sprinkle both sides with salt and red pepper flakes.

Pour off the grease and wipe out the skillet.  Add the remaining 2 Tbs. of olive oil over medium heat.  Add the chicken thighs in a single layer skin side down and brown for 5-8 minutes without moving them.  Flip them over and brown the other side for 5-8 minutes.  Remove the chicken to a bowl.  Pour off any excess fat.

Add the garlic and cook for a minute, until fragrant.  Add the white wine and deglaze the pan.  Cook over medium heat until the wine has mostly evaporated.  Add the tomatoes and stir well.   Mix the bell pepper strips in to the sauce and nest the chicken thighs in the sauce, skin side up.  Sprinkle the bacon and pepperoni on top.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and cook for 30-35 minutes until the thighs are cooked through (internal temperature 165 degrees F), scraping the bottom occasionally to prevent burning. 

Serve with crusty bread or pasta.