The Best Chicken Murphy Recipe – A One-Pot Meal
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If you have ever ordered Chicken Murphy at a New Jersey Italian restaurant, you know the kind of dish this is. It’s bold, saucy, and loaded with chicken, sausage, potatoes, and peppers all cooked together in one pan. It’s the kind of dinner that feels right for a Sunday with salad and a loaf of bread on the table.
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Updated December 2025. Rewritten for clarity with new tips.
Two Common Styles of Chicken Murphy
There are two versions of Chicken Murphy, one made with tomatoes (my version) and one built around wine and broth.
I prefer the tomato version because around here in New Jersey, tomatoes are a big part of the flavor profile in so many Italian-American dishes. And they give this one a bright flavor that balances the heat from the peppers.
If you prefer the brown sauce version, swap the tomatoes for 1 cup white wine + 1 cup chicken broth.
Chicken Murphy Recipe Highlights
Prep Time: 30 Minutes (prep + stovetop cooking)
Cook Time: 35 Minutes (oven cooking)
Serves: 6
✔️Made in one pan = easy clean-up
✔️Adjust heat by replacing hot peppers with milder ones.
✔️Make-ahead friendly, brown meat in advance to save time.
✔️Meal-prep win, leftovers reheat well for lunch or second dinner.
What is Chicken Murphy?
Chicken Murphy is a New Jersey Italian-American restaurant classic you’ll find in old-school red-and-white checkered tablecloth restaurants up and down the shore and in North Jersey. It’s made with chicken, Italian sausage, potatoes, peppers, garlic, and a flavorful sauce that’s either tomato-based or made with wine and broth.
The origin of the name isn’t clear. Some say it was named after a cook or restaurant owner named Murphy. Others think the addition of the potatoes, uncommon in similar dishes, helped give it the name. What is clear is that it has nothing to do with Papa Murphy’s pizza.
What really sets Chicken Murphy apart from similar dishes like Chicken Scarpariello is the potatoes cooked right in the pan. They soak up the sauce and turn it into a full, hearty meal.
Ingredient List
- Olive oil, avocado oil or your favorite cooking oil
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs
- Italian sausage (spicy or mild)
- Potatoes (russet, yukon gold or red)
- Onions
- Garlic
- Red Bell pepper
- Green Bell pepper
- Diced tomatoes
- Pepperoncini and brine
Potato Tip: Russet potatoes will soften and slightly thicken the sauce, Yukon Golds will hold their shape better while Red potatoes will break down the least. Choose whichever texture you prefer and cut them into evenly sized pieces.
Hot Pepper Tip: Pepperoncini are medium heat, for sweeter heat, use peppadew peppers. For a spicier, more classic version use hot cherry peppers, gradually add the brine, and taste. You can always add more at the end.
Missing an ingredient? Find a substitute with the ingredient swap assistant!
You might also want to try Disco Fries and a Jersey Burger or Chicken Savoy for a few more New Jersey favorites.
How to Make the Best Chicken Murphy
Prep
- Chop the potatoes, onions, and peppers, and dice the garlic.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and heat olive oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Brown in Batches
Once the pan is hot, you will be cooking each ingredient separately. If you have a large enough skillet to cook more than one ingredient at a time, you can double them up.
- Sausage: Place the sausage into a heated skillet and cook until it is golden brown on each side. Remove it from the skillet and set it aside.
- Chicken: Add the chicken and cook until golden on the outside, then remove it from the skillet, set it aside with the sausage.
- Aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium, and sauté the onion and garlic just until softened. Transfer them to the plate with the meat.
- Peppers: Cook until they begin to turn tender when pierced with a fork. Remove and set aside with the meat.
- Mushrooms: Cook for a few minutes until they are golden on the edges and tender – about 5 minutes.
- Potatoes: Increase the heat to medium-high, add a little more oil if needed, and place the potatoes in the pan. Cook until they begin to turn golden and remove.
Assemble and Bake
- Assemble. Once the chicken and sausage are cool enough to handle. Slice the sausage into thick pieces and cut the chicken into bite-sized chunks. Return both to the skillet or transfer them to a casserole dish, then layer them with the bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions.
- Bake it. Add the pepperoncini, diced tomatoes, and brine. Cover the pan and place it into the preheated oven and bake.
Stovetop Finish
Instead of baking it in the oven, this dish can also be easily finished on top of the stove. Once all of the ingredients are assembled, cover and place over low heat; simmer for 25 minutes until potatoes are soft and the chicken is cooked through (165°F). Uncover for the last 5 minutes to thicken the sauce.
Time Saving Tips
This recipe takes time to make, here are some time saving tips if you are short on time:
- You can use whole boneless chicken breasts or chicken cutlets without cutting them into chunks to make this recipe; keep in mind the chicken will take longer to cook.
- If you have a large skillet, save time and double up on cooking the ingredients in the skillet. Onions, mushrooms and peppers can be cooked together and the chicken and sausage can be cooked together.
- Chop the vegetables a day or two ahead of time.
- Brown the meat up to a day ahead and store in the fridge.
If you are looking for a less spicy version of Chicken Murphy, try this Chicken Giambotta recipe, a similar, milder tomato-free chicken recipe.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- Don’t crowd the pan – Leave enough space around the ingredients in the skillet when browning so that air circulates around them to prevent steaming.
- Don’t add all of the brine at once – Gradually add the brine and adjust before serving.
- Don’t skip the browning process – This is the most important step for the best flavor.
How to Store Leftovers
- Store leftover Chicken Murphy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
- Reheat in a covered oven-safe dish or gently on the stovetop over low heat.
- For something different, serve leftovers piled into a crusty baguette or a classic hard roll.
Change it up
This is one of those dishes that’s easy to change up. You can go low-carb, leave out the sausage, swap the protein, or adjust the heat. Use the matrix below to build it your way. Pick straight across for a balanced combo or choose one from one column and two from another to shift the flavor and structure.
| Protein | Veggie | Flavor |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken Only | Potatoes + Mushrooms | Extra Garlic + White Wine |
| Pork Chops | Cauliflower + Potatoes | Onions + Tomatoes + Peppadew |
| Shrimp | Zucchini + Potatoes | Garlic + Tomatoes |
| Sausage Only | Peppers + Potatoes | Cherry Peppers + Wine |
| Beans | Zucchini + Eggplant | Garlic Tomatoes + Wine |
Chicken Murphy Serving Suggestions
- With crusty Italian bread – Best for soaking up the sauce.
- Over pasta – Use rigatoni or penne and reduce potatoes slightly if serving both
- On a roll (leftovers) – Slice the chicken thinly and stuff the murphy into a roll.
- Full Sunday dinner – Serve with a salad or green beans with bread.
Chicken Murphy Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken Murphy is an Italian-American chicken and sausage dish that is popular in New Jersey, especially at old-school red and white tablecloth Italian restaurants. It combines browned chicken, Italian sausage, potatoes, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, hot peppers, and tomatoes in a spicy, tangy sauce. While the name suggests Irish roots, it is not an Irish recipe and is not related to Papa Murphy’s Pizza.
Each ingredient is browned separately so the skillet does not get crowded and the food sears instead of steaming. Browning the meat and vegetables in batches builds flavor and helps the potatoes and mushrooms keep a good texture. If you have a large skillet, you can cook some of the vegetables together, as long as they still have room in the pan.
Yes, especially the tomatoes to keep the dish from becoming dry. Depending on the amount of meat added (up to a quarter-pound), you may not need to increase the vegetables.
Yes! You can leave out the brine. However, you will lose some of the tart pickle flavors. Try using half of the amount (1/8 cup) of brine. You can also add 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar (or more to taste) in place of the brine from the peppers.
Yes. To make it ahead, brown the chicken, sausage, potatoes, and vegetables, then store them together in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When you are ready to serve, bring everything to room temperature, add the tomatoes, pepperoncini, and brine, then bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes or cook in a slow cooker on low for about 2 hours. You can also fully assemble everything in a slow cooker after browning and cook on low for about 4 hours.
Traditional Chicken Murphy uses hot cherry peppers, which can make the dish very spicy. This recipe uses pepperoncini instead, which are a bit milder and easier to find. For less heat, you can use peppadew peppers or sweet cherry peppers, or simply reduce the amount of hot peppers. For more heat, use hot cherry peppers or add extra pepperoncini and brine.
Chicken Murphy and Chicken Scarpariello are often confused because both use chicken, sausage, and peppers. The biggest difference is the potatoes. Chicken Murphy includes potatoes cooked right in the pan, making it a one-dish meal. Chicken Murphy often has a tomato-based or briny wine sauce. Chicken Scarpariello is typically made with wine and broth without potatoes and brine.
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Chicken Murphy
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 tablespoons [olive oil]
- 1 pound boneless chicken breasts or chicken tenders.
- 1/2 pound sweet or hot Italian Sausage links about 2
- 1 1/2 pounds potatoes cut into one-inch sized pieces
- 16 ounces cremini mushrooms stems removed and sliced
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- 1 medium onion cut into slices
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green pepper
- 1 cup fresh diced tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chopped [pepperoncini]
- 1/4 cup of brine of pepperoncini
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients by cutting the potatoes, onions, and peppers into large pieces. Dice the garlic and measure the tomatoes, pepperoncini, and brine. Preheat the oven to 350°F and heat olive oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Once the pan is hot, add the sausage and cook until it browns. Remove it from the skillet, and drain off any excess fat from the pan. Set the sausage aside to cool.
- Next, brown the chicken until it turns golden on the outside, and remove it from the skillet.
- Reduce the heat to medium and sauté the onion and garlic just until softened. Transfer them to the plate with the meat.
- Cook the peppers until they begin to turn soft, and remove them from the heat.
- Place the mushrooms in the pan and cook for a few until they begin to turn soft and start to release some liquid. At this point, you can scrape the bottom of the pan to remove the brown bits.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and add a little more oil. Place potatoes in the pan and cook in the hot skillet until they begin to turn golden brown on the outside and, remove them from the heat.
- By this point, the chicken and sausage should be cool enough to handle. Slice the sausage into thick pieces and cut the chicken into bite-sized chunks. Return both to the skillet or transfer them to a casserole dish, then top with the bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions.
- Add the pepperoncini, diced tomatoes, and brine. Cover the pan and place it into the preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes chicken should be at least 165°F.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used
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Here’s what people are saying...
“I’ve eaten this dish many times in NJ. Searched for the best recipe and yours makes the most sense and tastes like the most authentic chicken Murphy recipe. Thanks!” –Bob
“I used half cherry peppers and half pepperoncini ones… mild though lol (I’m a wimp lol). It came out absolutely fantastic!! Thanks for the recipe!” -Catherine
“This is the best chicken Murphy ever. It is addicting. I love this recipe.” -Alice
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I’ve eaten this dish many times in NJ. Searched for the best recipe and yours makes the most sense and tastes the most authentic. Thanks!
Hi Bob, thanks for your comment! I’m glad you like it!
This looks delicious. Do you think it would mess with the flavor too much if I replaced the brine with water? Or do you have another suggestion? My husband is on a low salt diet, and eliminating the brine seems like the easiest way to reduce the salt content in this.
Hi Lisa,
I think you will be okay if you replace the brine with water. You can also try leaving the brine out and adding 1/4 cup more of the tomatoes.
Great, thanks! Looking forward to making this. Chicken Murphy is one of my favorite restaurant dishes 🙂
I made it tonight for dinner. I didn’t use the wine as I can’t drink alcohol for health reasons. I used half cherry peppers and half pepperocini ones… mild though lol (I’m a wimp lol). It came out absolutely fantastic!!
Thanfor the recipe
Thanks for your comment, Cathy, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Where is wine mentioned in the recipe? I added a bit of chicken broth to even the consistency out
Thanks for your comment on my chicken murphy recipe. Wine is not an ingredient in this recipe. The tomatoes and brine from the peppers usually makes enough of a saucy consistency. If you don’t want to use tomatoes, which is how some chicken murphy recipes are written, you can use a cup of white wine or broth in place of tomatoes as mentioned under the variations in my recipe post. I like to use tomatoes, because, well it’s a NJ recipe!
I would have totally guessed this dish by name to be Irish, sad Italian I am! But it came out fabulous and our family loved it!
Excellent! Perfect for a rainy summer Sunday dinner. I didn’t change a thing and will make it again ! Thank you.
This was so good! I used a combination of hot peppers and mild. Everyone loved it! Thank you.
Thank you for your comment, Helen. It’s so nice to hear that it was a hit!
So Good! I always make extra hoping for leftovers but it never happens sadly
The best chicken murphy recipe ever! Authentic and delicious thank you!
You are welcome, Izzy – happy to hear that you enjoyed one of our favorite recipes!
Made this last night, it was so good! Didn’t change a thing, thanks for the recipe.
Thanks Clare! I’m glad it was a hit.