Preheat the oven to 350F.

Wash the sweet potatoes and cut them in half lengthwise and place them into a baking dish. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt over the potatoes. Turn them over so they are skin side up in the dish. Wrap the head of garlic in aluminum foil and add it to the pan. Put the potatoes in the oven and cook them for 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes are soft to the touch.

With a sharp butcher or chef’s knife cut the chicken into quarters then cut the drumsticks and wings off at the joint to make 8 separate pieces. Sprinkle each side with salt, black pepper, and dried parsley.

Using a clean chef’s knife on a clean cutting board, cut the onions into quarters or eighths and crush the garlic cloves. Dice the tomatoes and slice the bell pepper into 1 ½ inch long pieces. Rinse the chickpeas under cool water and set aside to drain off any excess water.

Heat half of the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken pieces in a single layer into the hot pan, skin side down. Allow the chicken to brown lightly on each side; about 6-7 minutes on each side. Transfer the browned pieces to a plate and repeat with the rest of the chicken pieces.

In another pan, heat the rest of the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and garlic and allow them to turn a dark brown around the edges. Add the chopped tomato and bell pepper to the pot. Pour the red wine and balsamic vinegar into the pot and stir. Add the capers and pepperoncini to the pan as well and stir. Transfer the chicken pieces to the pan and add the chickpeas. Lastly, add the rosemary, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, and salt to the pot along with just enough water to come up to the chickpeas and place a lid on top.

Bring the chicken to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and shift the lid to allow steam to escape, but still cover the pot. Allow it to cook for approximately 1 hour.

Remove the sweet potatoes and garlic from the oven and allow them to cool down enough to touch. Scrape the flesh out from the skin of the potatoes and place it in a bowl. Unwrap the garlic and squeeze the roasted cloves into the bowl, discarding the skins.

Using a fork or potato masher, mash the garlic and potatoes together and stir well. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.

Turn off the heat for the cacciatore and remove the bay leaves and herb stems from the pot before serving.