Try this Italian-American specialty from Chicago. Chicken Vesuvio is a one-pan recipe of crispy chicken thighs, potato wedges, and peas in a lemony garlic sauce.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs, excess fat and skin trimmed (about 1 3/4 pounds)
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning the potatoes
2 large russet potatoes, skin on, cut into 1/2-to-3/4-inch wedges
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Cloves from 1 head garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
3/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup frozen peas (not defrosted)
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
About 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Method
Put the oven rack in the middle and preheat the oven to 400°F.
Season the chicken:
Sprinkle the chicken with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Cook the chicken
Heat a 12-inch cast-iron pan gradually over medium-low heat until it’s good and hot, about 10 minutes. (This may seem like a long time, but the pan is over medium-low during this time, and the payoff is nice and crispy golden-brown skin.)
Then turn the heat up to medium-high and add the oil. Place the chicken in the pan, skin-side down. Cook without moving until the skin develops a nice brown crust (you’ll have to peek from time to time, gently lifting the chicken without tearing the skin, until it releases from the pan), 8-10 minutes.
Remove to a plate. The chicken isn’t cooked through yet, so don’t worry. It goes in the oven with the potatoes later on.
Cook the potato wedges
If there isn’t about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan, add a little more oil. Otherwise, add the potato wedges and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper.
Stir to coat with and arrange in the skillet flat side down. Cook until they turn light to golden brown. Flip as they brown, about 8 minutes total. Remove to another plate. The potatoes will also finish cooking when they go in the oven with the chicken.
Turn the heat to medium-low and add the butter, garlic, and dried oregano or Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant but doesn’t turn brown, about 30 seconds.
Add the wine and frozen peas and bring to a simmer, about 20 seconds.
Place the pan in the oven and bake until the potatoes and chicken are cooked through, with the chicken reaching an internal temperature of 180 to 185°F, about 30-35 minutes, depending on the size of the thighs. The chicken will deepen in color and the potatoes will be tender.
