Chicken Vesuvio Recipe
Published August 22, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This delicious Chicken Vesuvio Recipe is the perfect weeknight meal of roasted chicken with browned potatoes and peas in a garlic wine broth. We love this dish and make it often for family and guests.
Repeating the same chicken dishes can be bland for you and your family. Break out of your routine by making my delicious Chicken Saltimbocca or Chicken Shawarma.
Chicken Vesuvio
Chicken Vesuvio is a classic Italian American dish of pan-roasted chicken served with potatoes and peas in a garlic and white wine sauce. It’s a typical one-pan meal with variations and additional ingredients like onions and herbs that can be customized to your liking. Watch the video below to see how I make this in detail.
The origins of chicken Vesuvio are quite contested. Some say it was created in Chicago in the 1930s at the famous Vesuvio’s restaurant off South Water Street, but the Chicago Tribune says it was created by Nick Giannotti of Giannotti’s. Some even say it’s a dish named after the Volcano Mount Vesuvio near Naples, Italy, and when the pan is deglazed with the wine, the dish smokes like a volcano. Regardless, it’s a delicious dish that my family loves.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken — The most economical option for this recipe is a fabricated whole chicken. However, you can use chicken breasts, thighs, drums, or a combination. In addition, skin-on is necessary.
- Potatoes – Russet potatoes are the most traditional, but Yukon gold, red, baby, or fingerling potatoes can also be used.
- Peas – Frozen or fresh peas can be used.
- Onions — This is optional, but I used white pearl onions. You can also use red or yellow pearl onions. Feel free to julienne or large dice a shallot, red, white, yellow, or sweet onion.
- Garlic – Whole garlic cloves are a staple of this dish. You can thinly slice or mince them if you’d like.
- Herbs – Dry oregano and fresh parsley are the classical herbs to use. I also used fresh rosemary. Fresh thyme and Italian Seasoning can also be used.
- Lemon – This dish is made with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Fat – I sear the chicken and potatoes in olive oil, but any neutral-flavored oil can be used. I also finish the dish with whole unsalted butter.
- Wine — Any dry white wine, such as chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, or Pinot Grigio, can be used. If you do not drink wine, skip this and use more stock.
- Stock – Chicken stock, vegetable stock, water, or brodo can be used.
How to Make Chicken Vesuvio
Pat the chicken dry on all sides with paper towels.
Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper and briefly set it to the side,
Heat a large rondeau pot for 2 minutes over medium heat, then add two tablespoons of oil.
Place the seasoned chicken on the skin side down, cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until well browned, and flip to cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
Set the chicken to the side on a large plate.
Add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil to the pan over medium heat. Place the cut side of the potatoes in the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until well browned.
Flip the potatoes over to brown on the other side, add the pearl onions, and sear for an additional 4 to 5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper. Remove the potatoes and onions to the side.
Add three tablespoons of butter and whole garlic cloves to the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, constantly stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned.
Deglaze with the wine, pour in the chicken stock, oregano, salt, and pepper, and continue to cook over medium heat while scraping the fat off the bottom of the pan.
Place the potatoes and onions back in the pan, and then add the chicken. It’s important that the chicken is not submerged in any of the liquid.
Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil on top of the chicken to help crisp up the skin, and optionally, add rosemary leaves.
Bake in the oven at 400° for 20 to 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.
Remove the chicken and finish by adding peas, butter, lemon juice, and optional grated pecorino Romano.
Garnish with minced parsley and serve.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 30 minutes ahead of time. Just keep it covered over low heat.
How to Store: Cover this in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This will freeze covered for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for one day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of chicken Vesuvio to a rondeau pot and cook over low heat while occasionally stirring. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper and serve.
Chef Notes + Tips
- Chicken breasts are done at 165° internally, while thighs and drums are done at 175°.
- Using a large pan or pot is best so the chicken or potatoes aren’t overly crowded and can get a proper sear. You can also use cast iron, non-stick, or carbon steel.
- I optionally add finely grated Pecorino Romano to the dish before I serve it. You can also use Parmigiano Reggiano.
- The peas will easily heat up once added to the food pot.
More Chicken Recipes
Video
Chicken Vesuvio Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 ½ to 4 pound whole chicken fabricated into breasts, thighs, drums, and wings
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 russet potatoes sliced into wedges
- 1 cup peeled white pearl onions
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 12 whole garlic cloves
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon dry oregano
- 25 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1 cup thawed peas
- Juice of ½ lemon about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper
- optional finely grated Pecorino Romano
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry on all sides with paper towels. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper and briefly set it to the side,
- Heat a large rondeau pot for 2 minutes over medium heat and then add in 2 tablespoons of oil. Place the seasoned chicken in skin side down and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until well browned and flip to cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes.
- Set the chicken to the side on a large plate. Don’t worry about it not being all the way cooked at this point.
- Add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil to the pan over medium heat and place in the potatoes cut side down and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until well browned. You may need to adjust the heat and turn it down some.
- Flip the potatoes over to brown on the other side, and then add in the pearl onions and sear for an additional 4 to 5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper, remove the potatoes and onions, and place them right on top of the chicken that was set aside.
- Add 3 tablespoons of butter to the pan and whole garlic cloves and cook for 2 to 3 minutes while constantly stirring until fragrant and lightly browned.
- Deglaze with the wine, pour in the chicken stock, oregano, salt, and pepper, and continue to cook over medium heat while scraping the fond off the bottom of the pan.
- Place the potatoes and onions back in the pan and then place the chicken on top. It’s important the chicken not be submerged in any of the liquid.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil on top of the chicken to help crisp up the skin and add in optional rosemary leaves.
- Bake in the oven at 400° for 20 to 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken and finish by adding in the peas, remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, lemon juice, and optional grated pecorino Romano. Garnish with minced parsley and serve.
Oh, man, this looks so good, and pretty easy as well! I also love the origin story contention — you know it’s one of the best when people argue about who invented the dish 😀
I will be adjusting this to use two thighs. I may try it without the initial oil for the chicken, as Jacques Pepin does for thighs, but we’ll see about the rest when the potatoes go in.
Using whole cloves of garlic sounds amazing, too. Cannot wait!
Appreciate you trying the recipe!
My husband and I REALLY loved this recipe. The sauce is absolutely amazing! I will definitely make it again. Simple ingredients, easy to do, beautiful enough to just set the pan on the table, and it’s so delicious! I am never disappointed in your recipes. Thank you Chef!
Thank you!
Delicious! I used bite size medley potatoes, cut in half . I also substituted a shallot for the pearl onoins..
Excellent!
The whole family loves this. Rosemary is deleted from recipe. I sautéed with garlic.
Thanks for giving it a try!
Thank you for giving it a try!
Made as written, the results were delicious and beautiful!
I have never eaten this dish before, nor have I made it. But it looks so good and worth a shot so I’m going to give it a shot, and make it. Thank you Chef for a really great recipe. I will impress everyone with this one….
Yum! Will definately make again.
Amazing!