In my early days as a home cook, my favorite Saturday morning tradition was to sleep in, make a warm cup of coffee, and watch Food Network. In these days of hobby cooking, my favorite celebrity chefs to watch were and still are Giada de Laurentiis, Ina Garten and Ree Drummond. I attribute these three ladies for my passion of cooking. After watching a couple of cooking shows feeling very inspired, I would make my meal plan for the week and head to the grocery store!

This Roman-style chicken recipe is modified from Giada. I made a few tweaks to make it paleo and also added some ingredients to convert the tomato, bell pepper and caper sauce to a creamy version. This has quickly become one of our family favorite weeknight dinners. This dish is very similar to a chicken cacciatore recipe but has capers added for those bright briny pops of flavor.

When to Make

While this is on our easy weeknight dinner meals list, this Roman chicken recipe is also on my list of meals to make when company comes over or when taking a friend a meal. This is one of one of those fabulous, easy recipes, and you’re going to get asked for the recipe. This recipe checks so many boxes!

How to Serve

There are a variety of ways to serve this recipe. When I make Roman chicken for weeknight dinners for my family, I like to keep it super simple and serve over zucchini noodles and pasta. If we are having friends over, or I am taking this meal to a friend, I will whip up some mashed potatoes and serve with some crusty bread and a salad. For low another low carb option, you can also serve over my paleo cauliflower mash. One of the best things about this recipe is the delicious sauce and it tastes amazing slathered all over your favorite noodles or mashed vegetable.

Simple Ingredients

Chicken – My family prefers boneless, skinless breast, so that is how the recipe is written. Giada’s original recipe calls for half chicken breasts and half chicken thighs, so you can certainly make that modification. You could even roast a whole chicken or simply pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store and use the remaining ingredients to make the amazing sauce!
Olive oil – While you could certainly substitute the olive oil with ghee or avocado, I prefer the flavor profile of olive oil in this recipe. It’s so important to use a high-quality olive oil. The flavor, healthy benefits and flavor are far superior to lower-grade oils. If you are going the ghee route, be sure it’s actually ghee and not butter. Due to all of the sauteing that occurs in the early steps of this recipe, the butter solids will burn and give your dish a bitter taste.
Bell peppers – You can use any color of bell peppers you like for this recipe. Since two bell peppers are called for in the recipe, I think it’s nice to use one red and one orange bell pepper. But if you only have two of one color on hand, it’s fine to go that route.
Prosciutto – This is one of my favorite ingredients to work with. It has that perfect combo of slight salty and slightly sweet and has such a rich, buttery texture that just melts in your mouth. If you would like to substitute, then bacon is a great option. You can also omit if needed.
Garlic – There is just nothing like the real thing when it comes to garlic. I would recommend using fresh garlic for this recipe over powdered or jarred, which tend to lose their pungency.
Can of diced tomatoes – You could certainly substitute with fresh tomatoes that have the skins peeled. If going that route, Roma tomatoes would be a nice choice. For this recipe, I prefer canned tomatoes as they provide a fresh and bright flavor. It’s also a great time saving tip. I like the recipe as written, but if you want a deeper tomatoey flavor, feel free to add in one tablespoon of tomato paste.
Fresh herbs – Similar to garlic, there is just nothing like the real thing when it comes to fresh herbs. Fresh is always best!
Chicken stock – You can use your favorite chicken broth or stock for this recipe. If you have vegetable broth on hand and prefer to use that instead, that substitution will work well in the recipe too.
Capers – Adding capers to the sauce will give it a nice, salty and briny pop of flavor. While I do think capers are a unique ingredient, you can use olives. However, I think the capers give this dish a unique depth of flavor that really elevates this dish.
Parsley – Topping this recipe with some fresh parsley gives this dish a bright and herbaceous flavor and beautiful pop of color that balances out the rich and heavy ingredients.
White wine (optional) – To keep this recipe paleo, I intentionally left this ingredient out. However, you can add in a 1/4 cup of your favorite dry white wine after sautéing all of the vegetables to deglaze the pan.
Red pepper flakes (optional) – My recipe intentionally leaves this ingredient out. However, you can add 1/2-1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes for some added spice.

Instant Pot Instructions

Make cashew cream by placing cashews in a heat proof bowl and cover with 1 1/4 cup boiling water. Set aside for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the dish. Once softened, puree in a blender for later use in recipe.
Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper.
Set the Instant Pot to “Sauté” mode and add olive oil. When the oil is hot, brown the chicken on both sides in a single layer. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
Add sliced peppers and prosciutto to the Instant Pot. Cook for about 3-5 minutes until the peppers have softened and the prosciutto is cooked. Add garlic, fresh thyme, and oregano, and cook for 30-60 seconds. If using wine, add it and sauté until the liquid has mostly disappeared.
Add the tomatoes and broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Return the chicken to the pot and add the stock.
Close the lid and set the valve to “Sealing.” Cook on “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” mode on high pressure for 12 minutes.
When the cooking time is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.
Open the lid and check that the chicken is cooked to 165 degrees F. Using a large spoon, break into pieces.
To the cashew cream, add arrowroot powder vigorously stirring to fully combine. Pour into remaining dish and stir to fully combine. Allow a few minutes to thicken.
Taste test and adjust seasonings, adding more salt if needed. Also, add more broth if needed to achieve desired consistency of sauce.
If serving immediately, add the capers and parsley, stir to combine, and serve. If making ahead of time, transfer the chicken and sauce to a storage container, cool, and refrigerate. Reheat and add capers and parsley before serving.

Crock-pot Instructions

Make cashew cream by placing cashews in a heat proof bowl and cover with 1 1/4 cup boiling water. Set aside for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the dish. Once softened, puree in a blender for later use in recipe.
Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, brown the chicken on both sides in a single layer. Transfer the browned chicken to the Crock-Pot.
In the same skillet, add sliced peppers and prosciutto. Cook for about 5 minutes until the peppers have browned and the prosciutto is crisp. Add garlic, fresh thyme, and oregano, and cook for 30-60 seconds. If using wine, add it and sauté until the liquid has mostly disappeared.
Add the tomatoes and broth to the skillet and use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Transfer the tomato mixture to the Crock-Pot.
Pour the stock into the Crock-Pot, covering the chicken and vegetables.
Cover the Crock-Pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches 165 degrees F. Using a large spoon, break into pieces.
To the cashew cream, add arrowroot powder vigorously stirring to fully combine. Pour into remaining dish and stir to fully combine. Allow a few minutes to thicken.
Taste test and adjust seasonings, adding more salt if needed. Also, add more broth if needed to achieve desired consistency of sauce.
If serving immediately, add the capers and parsley, stir to combine, and serve. If making ahead of time, transfer the chicken and sauce to a storage container, cool, and refrigerate. Reheat and add capers and parsley before serving.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerator: Allow chicken and sauce to cool to room temperature. Transfer mixture to an airtight container. Roman chicken will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Freezer: Allow chicken and sauce to cool completely to room temperature. Transfer mixture to a freezer-safe, airtight container or a heavy-duty, zip-top freezer bag. Whatever your chosen container, leave space to allow for expansion during freezing. Roman chicken will last for up to 3 months in the freezer.