Chicago Food: Italian Chicken Vesuvio Recipe

Chicken Vesuvio is a roast chicken and potato dish in a garlic white wine sauce with lots of oregano added to up the flavor. A Chicago specialty!

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This one-pan chicken Vesuvio recipe is an Italian American dish that’s comforting and super easy to make. 

Imagine a crispy skinned chicken in a garlicky lemon white wine sauce with golden brown potato wedges. 

Garnished with bright green peas this chicken makes for a wholesome dinner. 

I love any Italian chicken recipe, but this chicken Vesuvio recipe is one of my faves.

It only took me 33 years to discover Chicken Vesuvio. Pretty pathetic, I know.

After all, I grew up off of I57, spent numerous years trailing my parents to various restaurants in Chicago, and yet had never had Chicken Vesuvio.

I think they were holding out on me.

It took going back to Chicago for a wedding when the kids were just one year old, to bring it to my attention. And it has held it ever since.

The wedding rehearsal dinner was held at Harry Caray’s in Chicago. I was seated at a table with someone I had been fixed up with on a blind date many years before.

We each introduced our spouses to each other. What fun.

But that fun was quickly replaced with little cast iron pans of – you guessed it- Chicken Vesuvio being placed before us. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.

I’m still not sure if the thought of eating and only feeding myself was contributing to this exhilarating feeling, but whatever it was has never left.

I still love Chicken Vesuvio, even if it leaves my cooktop a giant greasy mess.

And don’t forget to try my bonus recipe of Chicken Vesuvio hash! 

Why I Love Chicken Vesuvio

Chicken Vesuvio is a great dish for Shabbat. You can get it ready ahead of time and throw it in the oven for the final cooking whenever you desire.

It is also perfect as comfort food for a winter’s night or a Sunday supper.

And it makes your home smell warm and inviting. And Italian!

It doesn’t get much better than that!

Tips For Making This Chicken Vesuvio Recipe

Begin by roasting the potatoes in the oven. Less frying, less mess. One doesn’t need to cook them all the way through, as they will finish cooking in the sauce in the oven.

Be liberal with your seasonings. Don’t be afraid to use a lot of garlic powder and oregano. Salt is key to seasoning anything but make this for your preferences. The recipe is a guideline.

The flavorful sauce is made with wine, chicken broth, and garlic. It is enriched with a bit of butter and poured over the potatoes and chicken, where it finishes cooking in the oven. If your chicken is bigger, you will need more liquid.

Do not skip the sprinkle of lemon sauce before serving. And yes, the green peas? I love them for the color they add, but the sweetness of the peas does add to the dish!

Key Ingredients

• 1 3 – 4 lb chicken cut up into 8 pieces: You can remove the skin if you’re watching calories but the skin adds a lot of flavor. 
• Russet potatoes: Halve lengthwise, then cut into 1” wide wedges. Russet potatoes are high in starch content so they bake up with a fluffy center and crispy exterior. 
• Cloves of garlic: You’ll need 7 for this chicken recipe. Reserve 1 for serving. 
• Oregano: This herb brings a slightly sweet, earthy aroma to the dish.
• Garlic powder: Because who doesn’t like garlic
• Olive oil: You can also use other oils such as canola, avocado, or vegetable oil. 
• Butter: Adds richness and flavor
• Dry white wine: You can also use vermouth, which l prefer for the most flavorful sauce. 
• Chicken stock: This forms the base of the sauce. Use homemade chicken broth or your favorite store-bought brand.
• Frozen green peas: They are added at the end for extra flavor, texture, and brightness. Frozen peas do not have to be thawed before adding in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
• Lemon Juice: Adds flavor
• Vermouth or wine: A few tablespoons makes the whole dish complete
• Chopped fresh parsley:  

How To Make This Chicken Vesuvio Recipe

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• In a large zip lock bag, toss the potato wedges with olive oil and dried oregano, salt, and fresh ground black pepper. 
• Spread the potatoes in a single layer in a 13 x 9″ large roasting pan. Don’t crowd the potatoes or they will steam and take longer to turn golden.
• Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake, turning after 15 minutes and cook until the edges begin to brown and the potatoes can be pierced with a fork. They will finish cooking with the chicken.
• While the potatoes roast, pat chicken pieces very dry with a paper towel then season the chicken well with salt, black pepper, garlic powder and oregano.
• On the stovetop, heat olive oil in a 12″ large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Place the chicken in the hot oil and cook the chicken skin side down until golden brown about 8 – 10 minutes. Turn over and brown the other side, too. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
• Add sliced garlic cloves and butter to the skillet and cook until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant and just starting to brown. Add wine and chicken stock to skillet and cook for two minutes while scraping the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Cook about 10 minutes while simmering to reduce liquid by about half.
• Pour the wine mixture over the potatoes and stir to combine. (HOWEVER, if you choose to have more crispy potatoes reserve some for the top of the dish after adding chicken pieces.) Now place chicken on top of the potatoes, skin side up.
• Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender about 20 – 25 minutes. About 5 minutes before the chicken is done, stir in peas.
• Combine lemon juice, parsley, minced clove of garlic, and vermouth or wine. Reserve.
• Using the broiler, broil until chicken has turned golden and crisp, about 1 – 2 minutes. Drizzle with the lemon juice mixture before serving. 
• Transfer to serving platter and serve with accumulated juices and plenty of crusty bread for dunking. 

Notes:

• Chicken Vesuvio can also be made with just chicken thighs, both boneless and bone-in, or even boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Be sure to adjust cooking times.
• Add red pepper flakes if you like some heat.
• Cook the chicken in batches and don’t crowd the pan. It actually browns faster this way.
• The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer reads 160-165 F. 
• Leftovers can be enjoyed the next day. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven.

FAQ’s

Many famous Chicago Italian restaurants feature a similar Chicken Vesuvio recipe. In fact, there are now Vesuvio preparations for fish and steak, and who knows what else?

I’m guessing they all contain lots of garlic, oregano and wine.

This classic Chicago dish, that you’ll absolutely love, makes a perfect dinner.

Need More Chicken Recipes?

Portuguese Chicken Stew

Chicken Riggies

Garlic Braised Chicken Thighs with Cherries

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