Peperonata is an Italian side dish of stewy sweet peppers, onion, and garlic, often flavored with oregano and basil. Here it becomes the base of a speedy weeknight-friendly dinner with the help of a couple jars of roasted red peppers—as opposed to the traditional fresh bell peppers. The swap is beneficial in terms of both timing and flavor: Because the jarred peppers are already cooked, they don’t need nearly as long to become a tender, softened heap, and they add an extra layer of smokiness that the fresh bell peppers don’t provide. By nestling in sliced seared chicken breasts and topping the skillet with Parmesan and basil, you’ll create a full meal that can go straight from the oven to the table. Do seek out whole roasted peppers rather than the presliced strips if you can find them; the latter are usually quite skinny and inclined to melt away in the pan. For a rustic peperonata, you’ll want to cut the peppers into larger pieces yourself.
For more whoa-worthy dinners you can get on the table like *snaps fingers* that, follow Kendra’s monthly column, Speedy Does It.
