Chicken Vesuvio
Serves 4-6
This is a Chicago-land restaurant classic. But the version below is also an easy and exceptionally delicious single-dish chicken dinner. If you use 4 thighs and half the rest of the recipe, this is a perfect dinner for 2.
Ingredients #
- 6 bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, 2-3" in diameter, halved crosswise
- Olive oil
- 14 garlic cloves, peeled (2 whole, 12 halved lengthwise)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 1/2 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
- 2 tbsp minced parsley
Equipment:* #
- A roasting pan or a very large skillet — you need to be able to arrange the chicken pieces and potatoes without them touching each other. If you use a roasting pan, use two burners and move the food around as you cook it to compensate for the uneven heat.
Instructions #
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle on both sides with 1½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Mince 2 whole garlic cloves and immediately combine with lemon juice in small bowl; set aside.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large oven-proof skillet or roasting pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place chicken, skin side down, in single layer in pan and cook, without moving it, until chicken has rendered about 2 tablespoons of fat, 2 to 3 minutes.
Place potatoes cut side down in chicken fat, arranging so that cut sides are in complete contact with surface of pan. Sprinkle chicken and potatoes with oregano and thyme. Continue to cook until chicken and potatoes are deeply browned and crisp, 8 to 12 minutes longer, moving chicken and potatoes to ensure even browning and flipping pieces when fully browned.
When all pieces have been flipped, tuck halved garlic cloves among chicken and potatoes. Remove pan from heat and pour wine into pan (do not pour over chicken or potatoes). Return pan to heat and bring to boil. Transfer pan to oven and roast until potatoes are tender when pierced with tip of paring knife and chicken registers 185 to 190 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes.
Transfer chicken and potatoes to deep platter, browned sides up.
Place pan over medium heat (handle will be hot) and stir to incorporate any browned bits. Using slotted spoon, transfer garlic cloves to cutting board. Chop coarse, then mash to smooth paste with side of knife. Whisk garlic paste into sauce.
Continue to cook until sauce coats back of spoon, 3 to 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat and whisk in reserved lemon juice mixture and 1 tablespoon parsley. Pour sauce around chicken and potatoes. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley and serve.