Chicken Vesuvio Dinosaur-Style
The last time I was in Chi-Town, I got the history of my favorite Chicago dish. It seems that the Italian immigrants who grew up in the shadow of Mount Vesuvio and then came to settle in Chicago developed this chicken and potato dish to celebrate the abundance of meat available in their new country, as well as their Neapolitan roots. We’ve given it a Dinosaur twist to get Vesuvio really smokin’.
Recipe information
Yield
feeds 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°. Scrub the potatoes and cut each one lengthwise into 8 wedges, leaving the skin on. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Step 2
Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high. Cook the chicken for about 4 minutes on each side, and transfer to the biggest roasting pan you own.
Step 3
Throw the potato wedges into the oil left in the skillet and cook them for 1 minute on each side. Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the potatoes to the roasting pan with the chicken. If they don’t all fit in a single layer, oil up another roasting pan and put the rest of the wedges in there.
Step 4
Dump all but 2 tablespoons of the oil out of the skillet. Put it back on the heat and add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute and then stir in the marsala, lemon juice, Mutha Sauce, oregano, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1 minute. Pour half of the sauce over the chicken and potatoes, saving the rest. Cover the roasting pan(s) with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and flip over the chicken and potatoes. Bake, uncovered, another 15 minutes. Flip the pieces again and pour the rest of the sauce over everything. Bake for 10 minutes more, til the chicken and potatoes are tender and glazed with the sauce.
Step 5
Mound the chicken pieces in the center of a large platter. Then pile a ring of potato wedges around them, and scatter the peas over the top. Serve it hot and smokin’—just like a volcano.
