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Chicken Vesuvio always reminds me of the years I lived in the Chicago area. It was one of those dishes you'd see on restaurant menus everywhere, but it also showed up at family dinners, graduation parties, and other celebrations.
Chicken Vesuvio is a classic Chicago Italian-American dish made with bone-in chicken, roasted potatoes, peas, garlic, white wine, butter, parsley, and fresh lemon. Although the exact origin is debated, it's widely considered one of Chicago's signature Italian-American dishes and is found on menus throughout the city.
Everything cooks together in one skillet, allowing the potatoes to soak up the buttery pan sauce while the chicken becomes perfectly crispy. It's the kind of meal that's just as perfect for a Sunday dinner as it is for a busy weeknight.
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Ingredients for Chicken Vesuvio
One of my favorite things about Chicken Vesuvio is all of the different textures and flavors. Every bite is a little different, with crispy chicken skin, creamy potatoes, sweet peas, and a buttery, garlic white wine sauce. The ingredients are simple, but together they create a dish that's so much more than the sum of its parts.
- Chicken - Traditional Chicken Vesuvio is almost always made with bone-in chicken. While boneless chicken can be used, the bones add flavor to the sauce and help keep the meat juicy during baking. I usually buy a whole chicken and break it down into pieces, but you can also use a mix of bone-in thighs and breasts or whichever pieces your family prefers.
- Potatoes - Yukon Gold potatoes are my favorite because they stay creamy on the inside while getting crispy, golden edges in the oven. Red potatoes or russets will also work if that's what you have on hand.
- White wine - A dry white wine, such as Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio, adds acidity and depth to the buttery garlic sauce. If you prefer not to cook with wine, simply replace it with additional chicken broth or stock.
- Peas - Sweet green peas are a classic part of Chicken Vesuvio. They add a pop of color and just enough sweetness to balance the rich chicken, potatoes, and sauce. Although some restaurants leave them out, sweet green peas are considered part of the classic Chicago version.
- Lemon and parsley - Don't skip these at the end! Fresh lemon juice brightens the rich sauce, while chopped parsley adds freshness and ties everything together. For a little bit of extra spice, you can also add crushed red pepper flakes!
How to Make Chicken Vesuvio
Roast the potatoes
Start by cutting the Yukon Gold potatoes into wedges. Toss them with olive oil, oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper until they're evenly coated. Spread them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast at 425°F for about 20 minutes. Giving the potatoes a head start helps them become creamy on the inside while developing crispy, golden edges.
Brown the Chicken
While the potatoes roast, heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season the chicken generously with kosher salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning before placing it skin-side down in the hot pan. Let it cook undisturbed for 3 to 5 minutes so the skin has time to get golden and crispy before flipping and browning the second side.
Make the Garlic White Wine Sauce
Transfer the chicken to a plate and melt the butter in the same skillet. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Pour in the chicken broth and white wine, scraping up all of the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Those browned bits are packed with flavor and help create the rich sauce that's a signature of Chicken Vesuvio. Stir in the peas and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce reduces slightly.
Put it All Together
Add the roasted potatoes to the bottom of the skillet and nestle the browned chicken pieces on top. Pour any juices from the chicken back into the pan along with the sauce. Those juices add even more flavor, so don't skip them.
Bake and finish
Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165°F. Finish the dish under the broiler for 3 to 4 minutes to crisp the chicken skin and deepen the color of the potatoes. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top and sprinkle with chopped parsley just before serving.
Amanda's Secret Tip
If your skillet isn't large enough to comfortably fit all of the chicken pieces, brown them in batches. Crowding the pan traps steam instead of allowing the skin to crisp, and that crispy skin is one of the best parts of Chicken Vesuvio.
Making Chicken Vesuvio for a Crowd
Chicken Vesuvio is perfect to serve for family gatherings because most of the work can be done ahead of time. This makes it a great option for holidays, graduation parties, or Sunday family dinners because you can spend more time with your guests instead of standing in the kitchen.
Roast the potatoes, brown the chicken, and make the sauce earlier in the day. When you're ready to eat, assemble everything into a skillet or disposable foil pans and bake until the chicken is cooked through.
The Best Cast Iron Skillet for Chicken Vesuvio
After making this recipe several times, I found that a 12-inch cast-iron skillet is the perfect size for fitting all of the chicken without overcrowding the pan.
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What to Serve with Chicken Vesuvio
Since Chicken Vesuvio already includes chicken, potatoes, and peas, I like to keep the rest of the meal simple with an appetizer, fresh salad, or easy dessert.
Classic Chicago Recipes
Make sure to check out these other Chicago classics for your next family gathering!
Recipe
Classic Chicken Vesuvio
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 stock or 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˚F 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 stock 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˚F.
- 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˚F.
- 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.
Linda scanzano
Question…I
Made this ahead of time. When I cook it do I leave the cover on? Thanks
Amanda
Hi Linda! You can do the final cooking in the oven without the foil on. Enjoy!