This chicken vesuvio recipe is a Chicago classic. Chicken pieces are seared until golden brown and baked with roasted potato wedges and green peas in a lemon garlic and white wine sauce. A delicious meal the whole family will love!
Chicken vesuvio is a specialty of Chicago and served in many Italian restaurants in the area. This Italian-American dish is said to be named after Mount Vesuvias near Naples and was made popular by a restaurant called Vesuvio's in the early 1930's.
This Chicago style chicken vesuvio recipe makes a great weeknight dinner or Sunday family meal. It would be great served with tiramisu cups, freshly filled cannolis or lemon ricotta cake.
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🍋 Ingredient notes
- Chicken - Bone-in chicken pieces are typically used for chicken vesuvio. I buy a whole chicken and break it down into pieces. You can also buy chicken pieces that have been already broken down for you. Alternatively, bone-in skin-on chicken thighs or chicken breasts can also be used.
- Potatoes - Yukon gold potatoes make a super creamy potato that pairs perfectly with the chicken. Red potatoes or russet potatoes can be used as a substitute.
- Wine - A dry, white wine such as chardonnay or pinot grigio works best for this recipe. If you don't have any, or prefer not to cook with alcohol, it can be substituted with extra chicken broth.
📋 Substitutions and variations
- Spicy - Add crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce to create a zestier dish.
- Dairy Free - Substitute the butter with a non dairy butter substitute.
🔪 Step by step instructions
First, cut the potatoes into wedges and toss them in a bowl with olive oil, dried oregano, kosher salt and black pepper. Then, arrange them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or foil and roast them in the oven at 425˚ for about 20 minutes.
While the potatoes are roasting, heat a large cast iron skillet or dutch oven on the stovetop with the olive oil over medium heat.
Season the chicken with kosher salt, black pepper and Italian seasoning and then place them skin side down in the hot skillet. Let them cook for 3-5 minutes and then flip and cook another few minutes so they are nicely browned on both sides.
Take the chicken out of the pan and put on a plate off to the side. Melt the butter in the skillet and then add the sliced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds.
Pour in the chicken stock or broth along with the white wine and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any stuck on bits. Add the peas and let the liquid simmer until the peas are heated through and the sauce is reduced. Pour the sauce out of the pan and into a bowl and set aside.
Add the roasted potato wedges to the bottom of the skillet and then place the chicken pieces on top. Pour any of the collected juices from the chicken on top, along with the reserved sauce.
Return the skillet to the oven to bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
Turn the broiler on high and broil for 3-4 minutes until everything is nicely browned and slightly crispy. Squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the top and sprinkle with the fresh parsley.
If you ever don't recognize a tool or skill that I mention, be sure to look it up in the Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information.
⭐ Expert tips
- Flip the potatoes half way through cooking so they are nicely browned on all sides.
- Make sure your skillet is hot when you add the chicken pieces to get the best sear.
- Don't forget to scrape off the stuck on bits from the bottom of the skillet, they have a ton of flavor!
- Always cook chicken to a minimum internal temperature of 165˚ when checked with a reliable kitchen thermometer.
- Don't skip on broiling the dish for the last few minutes, it gives the chicken extra crispy skin!
⏲️ Make ahead instructions
Assemble the dish up until the final oven cooking time and then store in the refrigerator up to 24 hours ahead of time. Let it cool completely first before covering it with foil. When it's time to cook, take it out of the refrigerator while the oven preheats. Cooking times will be closer to 45 minutes.
🥡 Storage suggestions
Cooled leftover chicken vesuvio will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.
🥘 More classic Chicago recipes
If you loved this chicken vesuvio recipe, check out these other chicago classics that I know you will love too!
📖 Recipe
Chicken Vesuvio Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds yukon gold potatoes cut into wedges
- 6 Tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper divided
- 3-4 pound whole chicken broken down into pieces, see note
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 10 cloves garlic sliced thinly
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup dry white wine chardonnay or pinot grigio
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 medium lemon juice only
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425˚ and line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil.
- Add the potato wedges to a large bowl with 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil, the dried oregano, 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper.
- Toss to combine and then lay in an even layer on the prepared sheet pan.
- Roast the potatoes in the oven for 20 minutes, tossing them halfway through cooking so they are lightly browned and just cooked through.
- While the potatoes are roasting, heat a large cast iron skillet or dutch oven over medium heat on the stovetop with the remaining 4 Tablespoons of olive oil.
- Season the chicken pieces with the Italian seasoning and the remaining 2 teaspoons of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper.
- Place the chicken, skin side down in the hot skillet and let it cook for 3-5 minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes until nicely browned.
- Remove the chicken pieces out of the skillet and let them rest on a plate off to the side.
- Melt the butter in the skillet and then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until it just becomes fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth and white wine and scrape the bottom of the skillet to remove any stuck on bits.
- Stir in the peas and let the sauce simmer for 3-4 minutes until the peas are heated through and the liquid is reduced by about half.
- Turn off the heat and pour the sauce out of the skillet into a bowl.
- When the potatoes are done roasting, remove them from the oven and reduce the temperature to 375˚.
- Place the roasted potato wedges in the skillet and then top with the chicken pieces. Pour any juices that collected on the plate from the chicken in the pan along with the reserved sauce.
- Bake the chicken and potatoes in the oven for about 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165˚.
- Turn on the broiler onto high and let the dish cook under the broiler for 3-4 minutes until everything is nicely browned and slightly crispy.
- Squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the finished dish and sprinkle with the fresh parsley.
Notes
- Make sure the skillet it hot when the chicken is added to get the best sear.
- Always cook chicken to a minimum internal temperature of 165˚ when checked with a reliable kitchen thermometer.
- Don't skip on broiling the dish for the last few minutes, it gives the chicken extra crispy skin!
Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken - Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs or chicken breasts can also be used.
- Potatoes - Red potatoes or russet potatoes can be used as a substitute.
- Wine - Extra chicken broth can be substituted for the wine, if needed.
- Spicy - Add crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- Dairy Free - Substitute the butter with a non dairy butter substitute.
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