Chicago Style Chicken Vesuvio

on Thursday, March 12, 2009

If you're a Chicagoan you know what Chicken Vesuvio is, it's one of Chicago's signature dishes. In fact, many of the restaurants here offer it as "The Specialty of the House".

There are many variations to to this Italian American dish, the mix of herbs you might use, red versus white potatoes, lemon or no lemon, whole garlic or crushed, bone in or boneless chicken, and adding additional veggies such as artichokes or mushrooms. Throughout the years I have made this every way I've mentioned. I even posted the artichoke version way back when I first started my blog. Some things are just worth repeating, and this recipe truely is!

This is homey food, intensely flavored herb roasted chicken and potatoes, swimming in a pool of garlicky white wine sauce, topped off with sweet green peas.
I love to make this on a Sunday afternoon, always making extra so we can have the leftovers during the week. By the way, it tastes even better the next day!

This recipe is one of the more classic ways to make Chicken Vesuvio, and is adapted from Harry Caray's Restaurant, Chicago
INGREDIENT'S :
** One Bone In Whole Chicken
** Potato Wedges, about 4 Russet or 6 smaller Red
** Equal Parts White Wine and Chicken Stock 1 1/2 Cups each
** 10 to 12 Whole Garlic Cloves
** Frozen Peas
HERES WHAT YOU DO
1. Season your chicken pieces on both sides with salt, pepper, dried oregano and granulated
garlic.
2. Take a large heavy skillet, coat with olive oil, and brown your potato wedge's and chicken
pieces till nicely browned, then remove and place in a roasting pan.
3. Now throw in all your garlic cloves in the skillet and cook till golden.
4. Deglaze your pan with the wine, I used Pinot Grigio, and add your chicken broth.
5. After it cooks down for a couple minutes pour everything into the roasting pan with the
chicken and potatoes. The last 15 minutes throw in some frozen pea's.
6. Bake at 375F till chicken is cooked through, about an hour and 15 min's.

Make sure you smear that soft sweet garlic all over your chicken as you're eating this!

Buon Appetito
!!