Chicken Vesuvio

Dr. Sweetpea is a HUGE fan of Chicken Vesuvio. It's one of the dishes that he will regularly order when we're home in Chicago and eating at our favorite Italian restaurants. Most people outside Chicago have never heard of Chicken Vesuvio because it's rarely found on menus outside of the Chicago metropolitan area. Anyway, when Dr. Sweetpea said he is craving this dish, I went online to find several recipes and tweaked Giada's recipe to our liking. Needless to say, I was told that this was one of the best meals that he's had. Definitely a keeper in our household!

Chicken Vesuvio

(Source: Giada De Laurentiis) 

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 chicken thighs with skin and bones

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 pounds small red-skinned potatoes, halved

4 large garlic cloves, minced

3/4 cup dry white wine

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

8 ounces frozen artichoke hearts (I used 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms)

1 cup frozen sweet peas (my addition)

1/4 lemon juice (my addition)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Heat the oil in large ovenproof pot over high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Working in 2 batches if necessary, cook the chicken in the pot until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl. Carefully add the potatoes and mushroom to the same pot and cook until they are golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the wine and stir to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the broth, lemon juice, oregano, and thyme. Return the chicken to the pot. Add in sweet peas and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover and bake in the oven until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Arrange the potatoes around chicken. Turn heat to low and place pot with sauce back on stovetop. Stir in the butter. Pour the sauce over chicken and potatoes, and serve.