Welcome to our test kitchen! Today we’re diving into a classic Mediterranean dish – Chicken Vesuvio! This delectable Italian dish is bursting with flavour, perfectly embodying the fragrant and bright flavours of southern Italy.
Using fresh, quality ingredients and a few simple steps, we’ll have you cooking like a pro in no time! Read on to learn more about the secret to this incredibly tasty dish.
What is Chicken Vesuvio?
Chicken Vesuvio is a fragrant, flavourful oven-baked dish which originated in Southern Italy. At its heart, this dish involves marinating chicken pieces in olive oil, oregano, garlic, parsley and lemon before baking the chicken in a light tomato sauce. The result is an incredibly tender chicken dish exploding with flavour, leaving your taste buds deliciously perplexed!
The Recipe
Ingredients:
- 4 chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. In a bowl, mix together the olive oil, garlic, oregano, parsley and plenty of salt and freshly ground pepper.
3. Place chicken thighs in the bowl and coat each piece with the marinade.
4. Place the chicken in a baking dish and add the white wine, tomatoes and lemon juice.
5. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
6. Remove foil, increase the heat to 400°F and bake uncovered for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
And voilà, you’re all done!
Unique Aspects of Chicken Vesuvio
Chicken Vesuvio is a wonderful example of a classic Italian dish that truly stands out. The marinated chicken is fragrant and flavourful, perfectly balanced with the light tomato sauce. The burst of bright, lemony flavours and tender, succulent chicken make this dish an absolute delight that is sure to impress.
It’s also not difficult at all to customize this dish to your tastes! Feel free to add more lemon juice, garlic or oregano to give the marinade more kick. You can also replace the chicken thighs with breast meat if you prefer.
Closing Thoughts
Chicken Vesuvio is a perfect example of how ingredients used in traditional Italian cooking can combine to create something spectacular. This simple, yet flavourful dish is a great way to sweeten up a regular weeknight.
Don’t forget to also explore other classic Italian dishes like Parmigiana di melanzane, or eggplant parmesan, or Pasta cacio e pepe! There’s a wealth of Italian flavours and dishes just waiting to be explored!
Happy Cooking!
