Chicken Vesuvio is a classic Italian-American dish where tender chicken thighs and crisp potato wedges roast together in a bright lemon-garlic white wine sauce, while green peas stirred in at the end add pops of sweetness and color. It’s cozy, easy to make, and bound to become your new weeknight favorite.
Table of Contents
If you’re from Chicago, you already know Chicken Vesuvio! This signature dish is an Italian-American classic that comes in countless variations: different herb blends, red or white potatoes, lemon or no lemon, whole versus crushed garlic, bone-in or boneless chicken, plus optional add-ins like artichokes or mushrooms.
At its heart, though, it’s pure, soulful comfort food with roasted chicken and potatoes swimming in a garlicky white wine sauce, finished with sweet green peas. And don’t forget the crusty bread to soak up all that delicious pan sauce!
Ingredient notes
- Lemons: You’ll need two lemons for this recipe.
- Potatoes: I’ve used large yukon gold potatoes. Once scrubbed, halve them lengthwise and cut into long 1-inch-wide wedges. Make sure they are uniform in size so that they bake evenly.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Divided for baking the potatoes and browning the chicken.
- Chicken: Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. Bone-in thighs offer a rich and moist result while the skin crisps in the skillet for added texture and caramelization.
- Dried oregano: Divided
- Butter: I prefer unsalted butter for greater control over the seasoning of this dish.
- Aromatics: Minced shallot and thinly sliced garlic cloves add the perfect aromatic depth for this chicken dish.
- Flour: Thickens the sauce.
- Chicken stock: Use a low-sodium chicken stock. Vegetable stock can be used instead, if needed.
- Wine: Dry white wine works the best, cutting through the richness of this dish with its acidity. Always use a wine that you’d be happy to drink.
- Frozen peas: Added towards the end of the recipe cooking time to preserve texture.
- Parsley: Use flat leaf parsley, finely chopped. This adds an additional boost of brightness to the dish.
- Crusty bread: For serving, soaking up all the rich juices and sauce.
How to make it
Step 1
Bake the potatoes
- Juice 1 lemon into a small bowl and slice the other one.
- Heat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- On a large baking sheet (lined with foil for easy cleanup) toss the potato wedges with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and ½ teaspoon oregano. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spread the potatoes out in an even layer and tuck in the lemon slices. Bake for 30 minutes.
Step 2
Brown the chicken
- Meanwhile, season the chicken generously with salt, pepper and the remaining 1 teaspoon of oregano.
- In a large oven-safe skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Once hot, add the chicken, and sear both sides until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes per side (work in batches if necessary so that you don’t overcrowd your skillet).
- Transfer the browned chicken to a plate.
Step 3
Make the sauce
- Reduce the skillet heat to medium-low and add the butter. Once melted, add the shallot and garlic and cook until fragrant and beginning to soften, 2-3 minutes.
- Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
- Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes.
Step 4
Assemble and serve
- Add the peas to the skillet and return the chicken, skin side up. Drizzle any chicken juices over the top.
- Once the potatoes have baked for 30 minutes, add the skillet of chicken to the oven as well and bake alongside the potatoes until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 175 degrees F) and the potatoes are tender, 15-25 minutes.
- Return the chicken to the skillet and stir with the peas and lemon juice. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.
- Serve immediately with the pan juices spooned over the chicken and potatoes, and crusty bread on the side.
More ways to cook chicken thighs
If you love this Chicken Vesuvio for its juicy, bone-in thighs and crispy, golden skin, you’ll appreciate how versatile chicken thighs can be across other cooking methods. Whether you’re looking for speed, smoky flavor, or a hands-off sheet pan dinner, these three cooking methods deliver the same satisfying balance of tender meat and crisp exterior:
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs: Crispy, juicy, and perfectly seasoned, this recipe works with bone-in or boneless, skin-on or skinless.
- Smoked Traeger Chicken Thighs: Smoky, succulent BBQ chicken that works on any pellet grill, with bone-in or boneless thighs.
- Oven-Baked Chicken Thighs: Juicy chicken, golden potatoes, and a lemon-garlic marinade come together on one sheet pan for minimal effort and maximum flavor.
Tips and tricks
- Don’t crowd the skillet. Arrange the chicken in a single layer with space between each piece so that they brown without steaming. Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to brown the pieces of chicken in batches.
- Serve this chicken Vesuvio immediately. The juicy and browned chicken is best enjoyed as soon as that sauce is ready to be drizzled over.
- Chicken is perfectly cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Be careful that you don’t overcook them and end up with dry pieces of chicken!
- Be sure not to overcook your garlic or it can become bitter and affect the taste of the sauce.
- Let your skillet cool down a bit after browning the chicken. You don’t want the skillet scorching hot when it comes to making the sauce. Instead, it should only be reduced to medium-low.
- For extra crispy potato edges, flip the wedges halfway through the 30-minute bake before adding the chicken.
- Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels before seasoning to help the skin sear to a golden, crackling finish.
- Don’t forget to add chicken juices from the plate back into the skillet – they’re packed with flavor.
Variations
Looking to change things up? Try these easy variations:
- Dairy-free chicken Vesuvio – Use extra olive oil or dairy-free butter instead of butter. Your sauce will lose some richness, but the final dish will still be delicious.
- Gluten-free – Make the sauce with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Skip anything too dense (like coconut flour).
- Alcohol-free cooking: Ditch the dry white wine and replace it with more chicken stock and an extra splash of lemon juice.
Serving suggestions
Enjoy this easy chicken Vesuvio as an elegant dinner with these perfect side dishes for chicken. Here are a couple more of my favorite side dish pairings:
- Mashed Potatoes or Mashed Cauliflower (for a low-carb option)
Storing
- Store leftover chicken Vesuvio in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I like to store the chicken and potatoes with any leftover sauce together to keep the meat moist and flavorful.
- Reheat in a pan over moderate heat or in the microwave. You can also add a splash of stock or water to loosen the sauce and keep the chicken from drying out.
Erin’s wine pairings for chicken Vesuvio
Looking for the perfect wine to complement your Chicken Vesuvio? The dish’s bright lemon, savory pan sauce, and crispy-yet-tender potatoes call for wines with both crisp acidity and enough body to stand up to the rich, buttery finish. Here are five great options to get you started:
- The hints of lemon and its creamy finish make a Chardonnay a great choice for the rich sauce and juicy thighs.
- Sauvignon Blanc has bright citrus and herbal notes that pair nicely with the lemon and parsley found in this dish.
- Pinot Grigio and Pinot Blanc are a nice match with their crisp minerality and citrus notes.
- For something unexpected, and budget friendly, try a Vinho Verde.
- MORE → the 8 BEST Chicken Wine Pairings.
More saucy chicken dishes
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Full Recipe
Chicken Vesuvio
Chicken Vesuvio is a classic Italian-American dish where tender chicken thighs and crisp potato wedges roast together in a bright lemon-garlic white wine sauce, while green peas stirred in at the end add pops of sweetness and color. It’s cozy, easy to make, and bound to become your new weeknight favorite.
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Serves 4 people
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lemons
- 2 large yukon gold potatoes (scrubbed, halved lengthwise, then cut into long 1-inch-wide wedges)
- 5 Tablespoons olive oil (extra virgin, divided)
- 3 pounds chicken thighs (bone-in, skin on)
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano (divided)
- 4 Tablespoons butter (unsalted)
- 1 shallot (minced)
- 4 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
- 1 Tablespoon flour
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen )
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley (finely chopped)
- Crusty bread (for serving)
Instructions
- Juice 1 lemon into a small bowl and slice the other one.
- Heat oven to 450 degrees. On a large baking sheet (lined with foil for easy cleanup) toss the potato wedges with 3 TBSP olive oil and ½ teaspoon oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the potatoes out in an even layer and tuck in the lemon slices. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the chicken. Season the chicken generously with salt, pepper and the remaining 1 teaspoon oregano. In a large oven-safe skillet, heat the remaining 2 TBSP olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken, and sear both sides until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes per side (work in batches if necessary so that you don’t overcrowd your skillet). Transfer the browned chicken to a plate.
- Reduce the skillet heat to medium-low and add the butter. Once melted, add the shallot and garlic and cook until fragrant and beginning to soften, 2-3 minutes. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
- Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Add the peas. Return chicken to the skillet, skin side up. Drizzle any chicken juices over the top.
- Once the potatoes have baked for 30 minutes, add the skillet of chicken to the oven as well and bake alongside the potatoes until the chicken is cooked through (175-degrees) and the potatoes are tender, 15-25 minutes. Stir the peas and lemon juice into the skillet with the chicken and sprinkle with the fresh parsley.
- Serve immediately, with the pan juices spooned over the chicken and potatoes, and crusty bread on the side.
Notes
Storing
- Store leftover chicken Vesuvio in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I like to store the chicken and potatoes with any leftover sauce together to keep the meat moist and flavorful.
- Reheat in a pan over moderate heat or in the microwave. You can also add a splash of stock or water to loosen the sauce and keep the chicken from drying out.
- Don’t crowd the skillet. Arrange the chicken in a single layer with space between each piece so that they brown without steaming. Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to brown the pieces of chicken in batches.
- Serve this chicken Vesuvio immediately. The juicy and browned chicken is best enjoyed as soon as that sauce is ready to be drizzled over.
- Chicken is perfectly cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Be careful that you don’t overcook them and end up with dry pieces of chicken!
- Be sure not to overcook your garlic or it can become bitter and affect the taste of the sauce.
- Let your skillet cool down a bit after browning the chicken. You don’t want the skillet scorching hot when it comes to making the sauce. Instead, it should only be reduced to medium-low.
- For extra crispy potato edges, flip the wedges halfway through the 30-minute bake before adding the chicken.
- Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels before seasoning to help the skin sear to a golden, crackling finish.
- Don’t forget to add chicken juices from the plate back into the skillet – they’re packed with flavor.
- Dairy-free chicken Vesuvio – Use extra olive oil or dairy-free butter instead of butter. Your sauce will lose some richness, but the final dish will still be delicious.
- Gluten-free – Make the sauce with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Skip anything too dense (like coconut flour).
- Alcohol-free cooking: Ditch the dry white wine and replace it with more chicken stock and an extra splash of lemon juice.
Nutrition
Calories: 1174kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 62g | Fat: 87g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 40g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 365mg | Sodium: 451mg | Potassium: 1362mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1224IU | Vitamin C: 66mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 5mg
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