Name: Chicken Vesuvio Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on (5-6 chicken thighs)); 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning; ½ teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoon olive oil; 2 tablespoon butter; 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes (cut into wedges); ½ cup dry white wine; 4 cloves garlic (sliced, smashed, or minced, plus more to taste); 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; teaspoon fresh oregano (minced); ⅓ cup sweet green peas

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Chicken Vesuvio is a comforting one-pan Italian-American recipe from Chicago. The perfect weeknight dinner for the whole family, made with crispy bone-in chicken thighs, potato wedges, and green peas in an irresistible lemony garlic and white wine sauce.

Small white dinner plate filled with a seared and oven-roasted chicken thigh, halved potatoes, and green peas drizzled with a fresh lemon garlic and white wine sauce.

What is Chicken Vesuvio?

Chicken Vesuvio is a classic Italian-American dish, particularly popular in the Italian-American communities of Chicago, Illinois. It features bone-in chicken pieces and potatoes cooked together in a lemony garlic-white wine sauce, often garnished with green peas for texture and color.

The name “Vesuvio” refers to Mount Vesuvius in Italy, but the dish itself is not traditional to Italian cuisine from Italy. Instead, it’s a delicious example of Italian-American fusion made by immigrant communities as they blended their culinary traditions with American ingredients and tastes. The exact origin or individual who first made the dish is not definitively known.

Ingredients

Chicken: Traditional recipes will cut up a whole chicken into smaller pieces; however, for the sake of time, this recipe uses pre-cut bone-in skin-on chicken thighs. Feel free to use chicken drumsticks or a combination of different chicken pieces. I do not recommend using skinless or boneless chicken – the chicken is typically seared until it’s golden brown and then roasted, resulting in crispy skin and tender, succulent meat.
Potatoes: The potatoes are halved or cut into wedges and roasted alongside the chicken, becoming crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Most types of potatoes will work, but waxy potatoes like Yukon gold potatoes, baby potatoes, or red potatoes will have the best flavor.
Garlic Cloves: Fresh cloves of garlic are key in flavoring this dish.
Fresh or Dry Herbs: This particular recipe calls for a combination of poultry seasoning and fresh oregano. Feel free to swap the fresh oregano for dried oregano if that’s all you have available.
Olive oil (and Butter): Used for browning the chicken and making the sauce.
White Wine: The best white wine for chicken Vesuvio is one that is dry and crisp. Look for a neutral Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. If you prefer to cook without alcohol, a low-sodium chicken broth is a great substitute.
Green Peas: Typically added at the very end, some recipes omit the peas altogether. That said, green peas add additional texture, flavor, and a nice pop of color.
Lemon Juice: For a bit of acidity, brightness, and flavor.

Four bone-in skin-on chicken thighs on a white plate seasoned with salt and poultry seasoning.

Four large bone-in skin-on chicken thighs being seared in a large skillet skin-side-down.

Searing four large bone-in skin-on chicken thighs in a large skillet.

How to Make Chicken Vesuvio

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees f.

2. Prepare the Chicken: For extra crispy chicken skin, pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels before seasoning with your favorite poultry seasoning (or Italian seasoning) and salt.

3. Sear the Chicken: In a large oven-safe pan or skillet, sear both sides of the chicken thighs in a little olive oil, skin-side-down first. Remove the chicken to a clean plate.

Browning halved Idaho gold potatoes cut side down in a large pan filled with melted butter.

White wine, garlic, and lemon juice added to browning halved Idaho gold potatoes cut side down in a large pan filled with melted butter.

4. Brown the Potatoes: Reduce the heat to medium heat and melt the butter in the pan. Add the potatoes, cut side down, and cook for approximately 10 minutes or until they are golden and slightly crispy.

5. Deglaze the Pan: Add the white wine, garlic, lemon juice, and oregano. Bring to a simmer, gently scraping off any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet.

Seared chicken thighs placed on top of halved baby potatoes in a lemon garlic white wine sauce cooking in a large pan.

Roasted chicken thighs on top of halved baby potatoes in a lemon garlic white wine sauce cooking in a large pan.

Pan filled with golden brown roasted chicken thighs and potatoes with green peas in a light lemon garlic and white wine sauce.

6. Roast the Chicken: Return the chicken to the skillet, skin side up. Cover with an oven-safe lid and bake for about 20 minutes or until the internal temperature registers 155-160 degrees F.

7. Add the Peas and Broil: Sprinkle the peas around the chicken and set the oven to broil. Broil, uncovered, until the chicken skin is golden brown and crispy, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for five minutes before serving.

Serving Ideas

Chicken Vesuvio is a hearty chicken dish that already includes chicken and potatoes. As such, I like to serve this recipe with warm dinner rolls or crusty bread to sop up the buttery garlic white wine sauce. I’ll also serve a light green salad, Caesar salad, or roasted veggies like zucchini, asparagus, or green beans.

Large oven-safe pan filled with cooked chicken vesuvio recipe made with four bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, halved potatoes, garlic, lemon juice, and green peas.

Storage Tips

For best results, separate the chicken, potatoes, and peas to maintain their texture and crispness. Place them in airtight storage containers in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. Leftovers may also be frozen for up to 2-3 months. Note- this recipe tastes best the same day it’s made.

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