Roman Chicken with Peppers and Onions – Tender chicken breasts, sweet peppers, salty capers, and prosciutto are seared in one skillet for a quick and easy weeknight dinner that happens to be low carb!

top view of roman chicken breasts in a cast iron skillet with peppers, onions, capers, and prosciutto

Why We Love Roman Chicken

We all love (and need) a robust roster of quick and easy dinner recipes to get us through the week. Those dishes that are on the table in 30-ish minutes are must-haves if you have a busy family and/or hectic work schedule. Because, hey – a household has to eat!

But just because a meal is fast to make doesn’t mean it has to lack flavor. With a combo of fresh produce and pantry staples, plus a cast-iron skillet, there is an endless number of bold and delicious dinners to create in a snap.

This Roman chicken recipe is a prime example of the bright flavors you can get in half an hour with just a handful of ingredients!

Chicken Breast with Peppers and Onions - side view capers and peppers with parsley on top of skillet seared chicken

Chicken Breast with Peppers and Onions

Roman chicken is a fabulous midweek meal you can serve as a low carb dinner with healthy sides, or carb it up for a super comforting dish.

It features prosciutto and capers mixed into seared peppers and onions, so you’ve got a salty savory topping that really elevates basic pan-seared chicken.

Everything is quickly cooked in one cast-iron skillet, which makes cooking and cleaning a breeze. Go ahead and add this recipe to your cache of weeknight meals… I’m sure it will quickly make its way to the top of the list!

Roman chicken breast with peppers and onions on mashed potatoes on black plate, with bite removed from piece

Ingredients You Need

  • Olive oil – or other preferred neutral-flavored high heat oil
  • Chicken breasts – boneless and skinless
  • Prosciutto – can sub with cooked diced ham, bacon, or pancetta
  • Bell peppers – three different colors, seeded and sliced
  • Onion – sliced
  • Garlic – minced
  • Canned diced tomatoes – low or no sodium
  • Chicken broth – low or no sodium
  • Balsamic vinegar – for a great tanginess to balance the salty and sweet flavors
  • Italian seasoning – store-bought or homemade
  • Capers – drained
  • Parsley – fresh, chopped
  • Red pepper – crushed
  • Salt and pepper
recipe ingredients: chicken, red bell pepper, prosciutto, and pantry staples

How to Make Chicken with Peppers and Onions

First, set a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet.

Salt and pepper the chicken on both sides.

Note: Don’t over salt. The prosciutto and capers add a lot of saltiness to this dish, so take it easy when salting the chicken breasts.

skinless boneless breasts seasoned and browned in a cast iron skillet

Once the oil is hot, place the chicken in the skillet and pan-fry for 5 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, cut (or tear) the prosciutto into pieces. Then seed the bell peppers and cut them into long half-inch strips. Slice the onions and mince the garlic.

sliced prosciutto, bell peppers, aromatics on a wood cutting board

Once the chicken breasts have cooked for a total of 10 minutes, move them to a holding plate. 

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet. Then place the prosciutto in the skillet and sauté for one minute. Add in the sliced peppers, onions, and garlic. Sauté for 3-5 minutes to soften.

caramelizing peppers and onions in a cast iron skillet with tongs

Once the onions are soft, pour in the diced tomatoes with juices, chicken broth, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, capers, and crushed red pepper.

Get the Complete (Printable) Roman Chicken with Peppers and Onions Recipe Below. Enjoy!

adding canned diced tomatoes to the skillet

Bring to a simmer. 

Now place the chicken breasts back in the pan sauce. Simmer another 2 to 3 minutes to warm the chicken.

Then turn off the heat and sprinkle with fresh parsley.

And that’s it! The dish is done and ready to serve warm in about 30 minutes.

side view seared skinless chicken breasts in a skillet with pepper and onions, capers and prosciutto

Recipe Variations

  • Chicken: Substitute chicken breast for boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead!
  • Prosciutto: Instead of prosciutto, you can use pancetta or chopped bacon!
  • Capers: If you don’t have capers on hand, you can chop up some olives and add them with a little brine!
  • Vegetables: Switch up the veggies! Use any color of bell pepper that you want. Feel free to add zucchini or mushrooms, too!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Roman chicken gluten-free?

Yes, it is! There is no breading needed to make this cast iron skillet chicken breast recipe, so it’s naturally GF-friendly and low carb.

What side dishes go well with chicken with peppers and onions?

Keep things low carb by serving with roasted broccoli, broccoli rice, or mashed cauliflower. For a carb-a-licious meal enjoy it with fluffy mashed potatoes or steamed white rice.

How long do leftovers last?

Leftovers will keep well for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. But be aware that the peppers will soften more when reheated.

What makes this chicken recipe “Roman”?

This Roman-style chicken is an Italian way to prepare chicken. Also called Polla alla Romana, it is chicken that is made in a tomato sauce with prosciutto, peppers and capers!

top view down roman chicken with peppers and onions on a black plate with mashed potatoes

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side close view roman chicken with onions and peppers, capers, prosciutto and parsley on a black plate with mashed potatoes
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Chicken with Peppers and Onions

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Roman chicken features tender chicken breasts, sweet peppers, onions, salty capers and prosciutto cooked in one cast iron skillet. It's a quick, easy, and delicious weeknight dinner that happens to be low carb!
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Set a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet. Salt and pepper the chicken on both sides. Once the oil is hot, placed the chicken in the skillet and pan-fry for 5 minutes per side.
  • Meanwhile, cut (or tear) the prosciutto into pieces. Then seed the bell peppers and cut them into long half-inch strips. Slice the onions and mince the garlic.
  • Once the chicken breasts have cooked for a total of 10 minutes, move them to a holding plate.
  • Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet. Then place the prosciutto in the skillet and sauté for one minute. Add in the sliced peppers, onions, and garlic. Sauté for 3-5 minutes to soften.
  • Once the onions are soft, pour in the diced tomatoes with juices, chicken broth, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, capers, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a simmer.
  • Place the chicken breasts back in the pan sauce. Simmer another 2 to 3 minutes to warm the chicken. Then turn off the heat and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve warm.

Video

Notes

Don’t over salt. The prosciutto and capers add a lot of saltiness to this dish, so take it easy when salting the chicken breasts.
Leftovers will keep well for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stovetop or microwave. But be aware that the peppers will soften more when reheated.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pc, Calories: 389kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 15g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 86mg, Sodium: 812mg, Potassium: 900mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 733IU, Vitamin C: 90mg, Calcium: 79mg, Iron: 3mg
Course: Main, Main Course
Cuisine: American, southwest
Author: Sommer Collier
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