Description
Chicken Vesuvio brings Chicago’s classic Italian-American comfort to your dinner table with juicy roasted chicken and crispy potatoes bathed in a fragrant white wine sauce. Packed with herbs and simple ingredients, this hearty dish delivers pure Midwestern charm straight from the Windy City’s kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 4 chicken leg quarters
Starch:
- 2 lbs potatoes
- 1 cup frozen peas
Seasoning and Liquids:
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 cup white wine
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- 2 lemons
Instructions
- Dry 4 chicken leg quarters thoroughly with paper towels. Sprinkle 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and 2 tbsp dried oregano evenly across the surfaces.
- Pour ½ cup olive oil into a large cast-iron skillet. Heat over medium-high until oil shimmers at 375°F.
- Carefully place chicken skin-side down in hot skillet. Cook 8-10 minutes until skin transforms to deep golden brown and becomes wonderfully crispy.
- Rotate chicken pieces and sear alternate side for 5-6 minutes until exterior develops rich color.
- Transfer chicken to a separate plate, keeping skillet’s flavorful remnants intact.
- Chop 2 lbs potatoes into 1-inch chunks. Mince 6 cloves garlic and scatter across skillet.
- Roast potato chunks 10-12 minutes, stirring every 3-4 minutes to ensure even caramelization around edges.
- Deglaze skillet with 1 cup white wine and ¼ cup chicken broth. Scrape accumulated browned bits from bottom using wooden spoon.
- Nestle seared chicken pieces back into skillet, positioning between potato chunks.
- Slide skillet into preheated 375°F oven. Bake 25-30 minutes until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F.
- Sprinkle 1 cup frozen peas across dish during final 5 cooking minutes.
- Remove skillet from oven. Squeeze juice from 2 fresh lemons across entire dish.
- Scatter ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley over top before serving immediately.
Notes
- Work with room temperature chicken to ensure even cooking and crispy skin.
- Salt the chicken generously and let it sit for 15 minutes before cooking to help develop deeper flavor.
- Use a cast-iron skillet for the best heat distribution and to create a beautiful golden-brown crust on the chicken.
- For a gluten-free version, replace white wine with additional chicken broth and ensure all other ingredients are gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 48 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 660 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 950 mg
- Fat: 45 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 33 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 50 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg