Discovering a classic chicken Vesuvio to make at home

My friend, who does not live in Illinois, asked me: "What is chicken Vesuvio, and where can I try it?" That question brought long-ago memories flooding back. Here is my story.

The last time I'd been in a restaurant that served chicken Vesuvio was a few decades ago with my parents. When they were alive, my folks loved a little hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant in Northbrook aptly called Francesco's Hole in the Wall that made an excellent chicken Vesuvio.

After a brief internet search, it turned out that Francesco's is still there (francescosholeinthewall.com) and still making chicken Vesuvio.

Since I could not visit Francesco's, I decided to see if I could make chicken Vesuvio at home. I found a chicken Vesuvio recipe on The New York Times cooking website (cooking.nytimes.com) that seemed very similar to Francesco's. Their recipe came from La Scarola in Chicago.

The Times stated the history of chicken Vesuvio is a little murky and may not have originated in Italy but in a now-shuttered Chicago restaurant called Vesuvio.

Using the Times' recipe as my base, I decided to try to make chicken Vesuvio at home. Fortunately, I can source true, free-range chicken thighs at my local farmers market and headed there that Saturday.

During a quick trip to a store, I secured organic baking potatoes, organic Italian flat-leaf parsley and frozen organic baby peas. Fortunately, the remaining ingredients were already in my kitchen.

Honestly, I could not wait to make my version of chicken Vesuvio. While making it, I learned that the possible reason chicken Vesuvio is so popular in restaurants is that it is a multistepped process that is not easily, nor quickly, done at home.

The recipe requires partially baking the potato slices. The New York Times suggested using a baking dish. I went with a skillet instead, along with a generous portion of olive oil, and then dusting them with salt, pepper and dried oregano.

While my potatoes were baked, I prepared my chicken to sear by generously seasoning it with salt, pepper and more dried oregano.

Using what I'd learned from a Jacques Pepin video, chicken thighs, cooked skin side down, provide their own fat, and, therefore, I didn't add as much olive oil to the skillet to sear my thighs. As they seared, I chopped parsley and thinly sliced six large garlic cloves.

As the seared thighs rested on a dinner plate, I added the garlic to the skillet, and since there was plenty of fat remaining in the skillet, I didn't add the four tablespoons of butter the recipe required. Next, chicken broth and white wine went in to provide liquid and flavor, and then baby peas, followed by the potatoes, and finally the thighs. After 25 minutes in the oven and a few minutes under the broiler, followed by a quick dusting of the parsley, my chicken Vesuvio was ready to be served.

No understatement: My kitchen was filled with the aroma of garlic, oregano and olive oil.

How did it taste?

Wow! It tasted as good as any I had in a restaurant. The New York Times recommended serving it with bread to mop up the liquid from the bottom of the pan. They were right about that.

Would I make it again? Absolutely, even though it is a hassle.

When you have the time, give it a try. Or head to a restaurant and appreciate their efforts.

• Don Mauer welcomes questions, comments and recipe makeover requests. Write to him at 1leanwizard@gmail.com.

Don's Chicken Vesuvio

3 organic russet potatoes (about 2 pounds), scrubbed, halved lengthwise, then cut into long 1-inch-wide wedges (about 6 pieces per potato)

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1½ teaspoons dried oregano

3 pounds organic bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 8 thighs)

Kosher salt and black pepper

6 large garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

1¼ cups organic chicken broth

½ cup dry white wine

1 cup frozen organic baby green peas

¼ cup chopped organic Italian parsley

Place the oven rack in the center position and begin heating the oven to 425 degrees.

Add 3 tablespoons olive oil and ½ teaspoon oregano to a large skillet and in it toss the potatoes. Season potatoes with salt and pepper and then spread the potatoes out in an even layer. Bake, turning them over with tongs about halfway through, until the potato's edges begin to lightly brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

While the potatoes bake, prepare the chicken: Season the chicken with salt, pepper and the remaining 1 teaspoon of oregano. In a 12-inch, high-sided skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Place the thighs in the skillet, skin-side down, and cook until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium-low, add the sliced garlic, and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and wine to the skillet; bring it to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Add the peas. Add and evenly distribute the potatoes. Place the chicken, skin-side up, on top of the potatoes. Drizzle any reserved chicken juices overall.

Bake until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, and the potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes. Turn on the oven's broiler and broil until the chicken skin is golden brown and crisp, no more than 2 minutes.

Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and sprinkle the chicken with parsley. Serve immediately, spooning some of the pan's juices over the chicken and potatoes.

Serves 6

Nutrition values per serving: 386 calories (48.5% from fat), 20.8 g fat (4.5 g saturated fat), 27.5 g carbohydrates (22.7 net carbs), 3.1 g sugars, 4.8 g fiber, 17.2 g protein, 64 mg cholesterol, 741 mg sodium.

Serving suggestion: Fresh lemon juice can be squeezed over the chicken and potatoes just before serving.

Based on a recipe from The New York Times and La Scarola