Chicken Vesuvio
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Perfectly juicy chicken, peas and potatoes in THE BEST white wine sauce. Truly the best roast chicken dish there ever was.
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why i love this recipe
- A braised chicken dish like no other. It is truly heaven on a plate, and comfort food at its finest, made with perfectly golden-brown, juicy, chicken thighs, white wine and crisp-tender potato wedges, finished off with green peas and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice – so incredibly flavorful and bright.
- Flexible recipe. Prefer white meat? Use chicken breasts. Not a fan of peas? Swap them out for leafy greens or a different vegetable. Toss in cooked spaghetti or linguine in the leftover sauce. This dish can easily be transformed and adapted to what you have on hand.
what is chicken vesuvio
Chicken Vesuvio is a classic Italian-American dish originating from Chicago, believed to have been named after the volcanic Mount Vesuvius, and includes bone-in chicken, potato wedges, garlic, peas and white wine. Many variations include other proteins, such as steak vesuvio and pork chops vesuvio.
Ingredients
Russet potatoes
Yukon golds would also work very well in this recipe.
Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Whole chicken (cut into pieces) or chicken leg quarters are also popular choices.
Shallots, garlic and oregano
For seasoning and flavor town, of course.
Flour
Serves as a thickening agent.
Chicken stock
Low sodium is ideal, allowing flexibility in seasoning to taste.
White wine
A dry white wine (pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc) is ideal here, deglazing the pan to release all the flavorful, caramelized brown bits at the bottom of the pan.
Peas
Frozen peas is a convenient pantry staple, adding a pop of color and freshness to the dish.
Lemon juice
Add the finishing touches with freshly squeezed lemon juice for those bright, vibrant flavors. Add 1-2 tsps lemon zest for even more added lemony goodness.
how to make this braised chicken dinner
- Roast the potatoes until crisp-tender
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper, searing until the skin is crispy and golden brown (work in batches if needed)
- Make the sauce, adding in shallots, garlic and flour + all the liquids to keep it nice and happy
- Return the chicken to the pot, finishing it off in the oven
- Stir in peas, lemon juice and potato wedges for a one-and-done meal
tips and tricks for success
- Use a heavy pot. A heavy bottom pot, such as a Dutch oven, is ideal here for even heat distribution. A tight fitting lid also traps all the lovely moisture inside, yielding the most tender, juicy chicken.
- Bone-in is ideal. While boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be used with a shorter cooking time, bone-in will be juicier and have extra flavor. Cut up whole chicken can also be used here.
- Brown the chicken first. This will add all the extra, deeper flavors here, sealing all the juices inside, and keeping the chicken nice and crisp while baking.
- Use good-quality stock. The better quality your stock, the better your chicken vesuvio. Many brands love to pack in the salt so always opt for unsalted or a lower-sodium variety. Homemade stock is even better.
- Choose a wine you will drink. A dry white wine (pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc) is great here – it does not have to be anything fancy or overpriced. Just something you don’t mind sipping on since you will have an open bottle.
- Add in leafy greens. This is a great recipe to sneak in leafy greens for those picky eaters. Swap out the peas for spinach, kale, collard greens, swiss chard, or arugula.
- Add freshly squeezed lemon juice. Lemon juice will add fresh, bright flavors, balancing out all the saltiness and richness of the dish.
- Mix it up. Add in different vegetables such as mushrooms, bell peppers, artichoke hearts, carrots or green beans.
- Serve with crusty bread. Serve with all the homemade crusty bread for dipping, sopping and dunking!
what to serve with chicken vesuvio
Chicken Vesuvio: Frequently Asked Questions
Both russet and yukon gold potatoes will work beautifully here.
Additional chicken stock can be used for white wine as a non-alcoholic substitute.
The lemon juice helps balance out the flavors and richness of the chicken and potatoes, adding a refreshing brightness to the dish.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Chicken Vesuvio
Ingredients
- 2 russet potatoes, cut into 8 long wedges
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 large shallots, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- ½ cup dry white wine*
- ⅔ cup frozen peas
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray.
- Place potatoes in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Add olive oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Gently toss to combine.
- Place into oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring halfway. Set aside and keep warm.
- Season chicken thighs with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
- Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, add chicken, skin-side down, and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side; set aside. Drain excess fat, reserving 2 tablespoons in the Dutch oven.
- Add shallot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in garlic and oregano until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
- Stir in chicken stock and wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Return chicken to the skillet.
- Place into oven and bake until chicken has completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 175 degrees F, about 12-15 minutes.
- Stir in peas and lemon juice until heated through, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately with potatoes, garnished with parsley, if desired.
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This one was a little disappointing. If I make it again I will double the oregano and lemon; those were the flavors i expect in chicken vesuvio, and in these amounts (for me at least) they just did not come through.
This site does a nice version of Chicago’s dish. Greek restaurants in the city do fantastic versions
No peas, added Bella mushrooms. Excellent!
I’m actually a descendant of the owner of the restaurant this dish was invented in. While I haven’t made your particular recipe I’ve made this dish with my father on multiple occasions using the original recipe from that restaurant, and it’s absolutely amazing. In fact, I’d argue it’s the epitome of Italian-American fusion cuisine.
To note, there are claims that this dish has its origins in roast chicken dishes in Italy. I do not dispute that the techniques and ingredients used are common in Italian cuisine. It’s just this particular combination that is unique to Chicago.
This was so delicious! The chicken was cooked perfectly, the sauce was delicious, and we loved the added peas. We especially loved the crispy potato wedges served alongside. This is an absolute winner of a recipe. Thank you!
This was so easy to prepare, and it’s super delicious. The recipe went perfectly, and I followed the directions without making any changes. I will definitely make this again, and the only change I’d probably make is to increase the thighs to 8 (because 8 thighs is much easier to divide among 4 people than are 6 thighs). But the recipe as written made quite enough sauce (we even spooned it over the potatoes), so I think it would accommodate the extra 2 thighs quite well. Thank you for sharing your recipe. Northwestgal, 2/7/25
What size Staub did you use for this chicken vesuvio?
Have you made this with chicken breasts in the one?
You can use wine ( for people that want the flavor & none of the alcohol ) by changing the order & making a roux separately.
After you have the shallots and garlic sauteed/sweated add the wine & reduce by 50% then add the stock and reduce a bit to concentrate the flavors, then add some roux (cooked butter flour mixture equal parts)
whisk it in. all the alcohol will be cooked out no worries.
(for those not familiar all alcohol beverages have a bit of bite going down, a reduced sauce will have none of that rawness to it when finished but will retain the lovely flavor of the wine.)
LOVED this recipe. Thank you for reminding me of my Chicago roots.
Delicious! Made exactly as instructed.
This is so, so GOOD! I made a half recipe, and like another reviewer, added some carrots so that I could serve it as a one-dish meal in pasta bowls. Served with a crusty baguette, that we used to sop up every last bit. We wished I had made the entire sauce recipe, even with half the chicken! It’s almost unbelievable that such a good sauce is the result of so few seasonings. This recipe is going to the top of my list of Best of 2024, over at Food Friends & Fun. Thanks for sharing this excellent recipe – yours are always so good!
Easy and delicious….
LOVED THIS!!!!!
This recipe was the absolute Bomb!!!!! And I mean that in a good way. So easy, delicious. The only tweaks I made were I added carrots to the dish in the last 15 mins of cooking. I also added thyme to the potatoes when they were roasting in the oven – plus I added grated fresh parmesan on top of the dish in the last 5 mins of cooking. So darn delicious. Will definitely be making this again. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
So you added carrots, thyme, and parmesan cheese, changing the flavor profile and then you reviewed the recipe? Might be great but it is not the recipe.
This recipe is a keeper! Just as you say damned delicious!
I made this tonight, and while it was tasty, I don’t think it’s worth the hour it takes to make it. I love baked bone-in chicken thighs, and I think you can get just as much if not more flavor from other recipes without having to sear the chicken first in a pan. It’s an extra step that’s not necessary IMO. While this recipe calls for the searing and then deglazing with the other aromatics, it just wasn’t worth the time for me.
Yes,I made the Chicken Visubio and my family loved it. I used all the mentioned ingredients and followed instructions. It was delicious. Thank you for your recipe. J.Molina Naples ,Florida
Wonderful recipe
Good dish! However, I would’ve appreciated if the sauce was thicker though.