Chicken Vesuvio

Chicken Vesuvio is an iconic Italian-American dish with Chicago roots. The rich dish, created at the Vesuvio Restaurant, consists of crispy chicken, white wine, and potatoes braised in a garlic-wine sauce with lemon. The brightness of the wine and lemon balance the richness of the chicken thighs. The peas offer a subtle sweetness and a little pop of texture, while the blend of the herbs keeps this stew-like dish bright.

What type of white wine is best for this dish?

Because this dish calls for a butter sauce, we suggest using an oaky Chardonnay to get toasty vanilla and buttery undertones from the wine. 

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Starting chicken thighs in a cold pan allows for the fat to render slowly and completely, resulting in chicken skin that is thinner and crispier. This also will help to avoid  getting hit with splattering oil when you’re arranging the chicken in the pan.

Slowly whisking butter into the pan sauce ensures that it properly emulsifies with the wine and broth. Do not bring the butter sauce to a boil, as high temperatures can make the sauce break. 

Make ahead

Butter-based pan sauces don’t do well with a lot of fluctuations in temperature, meaning they don’t make great leftovers. We suggest eating this dish right away.