Chicken Vesuvio: a make-tonight method

Chicken Vesuvio with peas and potatoes in white wine sauce.

This chicken Vesuvio is tender chicken thighs and potato wedges that are roasted until golden brown, then served with peas and a white wine sauce. A quick and straightforward dinner recipe that’s straightforward to make but looks like it came from a fancy restaurant.

I like to turn ordinary chicken into an exciting meal with dishes such as chicken adobo, one pan maple dijon chicken, cider glazed chicken, savory Moroccan chicken, rich and silky chicken fricassee and this classic version of chicken Vesuvio.

You simply can’t go wrong with a one pot chicken meal. They’re straightforward to make, and clean up is a breeze! This Chicken Vesuvio is the reliable dinner option for those busy weeknights. For more straightforward chicken dinner ideas, check out my list of 20 one pot chicken recipes!

Chicken Vesuvio Ingredients

When you make this chicken Vesuvio you will need olive oil, chicken thighs, salt, black pepper, potatoes, butter, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, white wine, chicken broth, frozen peas, lemon juice and parsley. See the recipe card below for amounts and details.

Bowls of poultry, potatoes, peas and sauce ingredients.

How Do You Make Chicken Vesuvio?

Start your chicken Vesuvio by seasoning your chicken thighs with salt and pepper and preheating your oven. Then heat a little olive oil in an oven safe pan or skillet and cook your chicken thighs on both sides until they’re golden brown. Remove the chicken and add potato wedges to the pan. Cook the potatoes until they form a brown crust. Remove the potatoes and add butter, onions and garlic and cook until tender.

Next, make a sauce with white wine, chicken broth and seasonings, then place the chicken and potatoes in the sauce. Put the pan in the oven, and bake until everything is browned and the chicken and potatoes are cooked through. Add peas to the pan and stir them into the sauce. Finally, add a squeeze of lemon juice and sprinkle of parsley, then serve and enjoy.

Tips For The Reliable Dish

Chicken Vesuvio really works finest with bone-in skin-on chicken pieces. I use thighs, but you could use a combination of thighs and drumsticks, or even bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts. Be aware that the chicken breasts may take longer to cook as they are larger in size.
Frozen peas work just fine here, no need to seek out fresh peas. I don’t recommend using canned peas as the flavor and texture is inferior.
Use a white wine that you’d enjoy drinking such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir or Sauvignon Blanc.
You can purchase Italian seasoning at the store or make your own Italian seasoning.
I recommend using a meat thermometer to make sure your chicken heats to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Leftovers will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days, or can go in the freezer for 2 months.

Quick Tip

This dish really stands alone as a one pot meal, but you can add a green salad or loaf of bread as a side dish if you like.

Chicken thighs, potatoes, broth and seasonings in a pan.

Recipe FAQs

What is chicken Vesuvio?

Chicken Vesuvio features bone-in chicken pieces and potatoes that are cooked until golden brown, then served in a white wine and butter sauce with peas.

How did chicken Vesuvio get its name?

It is thought that this dish came from Vesuvio Restaurant, a popular Chicago eatery in the 1930s, which is how it got its name.

Follow Me

A plate of chicken Vesuvio served with green beans.

Flavor Variations

This dish is fabulous as-is, but you can add other flavors to customize it to your tastes.

Protein: Swap out the chicken for pork chops for an untraditional, but still tasty dish.
Vegetables: Instead of peas you can use lima beans or fava beans. You can also add extra vegetables such as sauteed mushrooms or fresh spinach.
Potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes make a nice substitute for Russet potatoes.
Toppings: You can add green olives, capers or lemon zest at the end of the cook time for extra flavor.

I love this dish because it’s straightforward enough to put together on a busy weeknight, but fancy enough to serve to company.

More Chicken Recipes To Try

Garlic Butter Chicken and Mushrooms

30 mins

Blackened Chicken

35 mins

Chicken Thigh Marinade

1 hr 11 mins

Chicken Tetrazzini

1 hr

Jerk Chicken Marinade

11 mins

Chicken Vesuvio Video

Love This Recipe?

Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.

Add as Google preferred source Authorthe Makdob kitchen Chicken Vesuvio with peas and potatoes in white wine sauce.

This chicken Vesuvio is tender chicken thighs and potato wedges that are roasted until golden brown, then served with peas and a white wine sauce. A quick and straightforward dinner recipe that's straightforward to make but looks like it came from a fancy restaurant. Time Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time55 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes

Course Main
Cuisine Italian
Serves 4

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil divided use
2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound Russet potatoes cut into wedges
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup onion diced
4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup white wine
3/4 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup frozen peas thawed
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons parsley chopped

Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large oven safe pan over medium high heat. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
Place the chicken, skin side down, in the pan in a single layer.
Cook for 4-5 minutes per side or until chicken is golden brown.
Remove the chicken from the pan and cover to keep warm.
Add the rest of the olive oil to the pan. Place the potatoes in the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown.
Remove the potatoes from the pan and cover to keep warm.
Add the butter to the pan and melt. Stir in the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes or until softened.
Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then stir in the Italian seasoning.
Add the wine and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the wine has been reduced by half.
Pour in the chicken broth, then season the sauce with salt and pepper.
Add the chicken and potatoes back to the pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Turn the oven to broil (500 degrees F). Cook for 2-3 minutes or until chicken skin is crunchy.
Remove from the oven and stir in the peas. Drizzle the lemon juice over the chicken.
Sprinkle with parsley then serve immediately with the pan juices spooned over the top.

Notes

Chicken Vesuvio really works finest with bone-in skin-on chicken pieces. I use thighs, but you could use a combination of thighs and drumsticks.
Frozen peas work just fine here, no need to seek out fresh peas. I don’t recommend using canned peas as the flavor and texture is inferior.
Use a white wine that you’d enjoy drinking such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir or Sauvignon Blanc.