I love boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They're cheap, easy to prepare, versatile, and hard to mess up. I also like recipes that have all those characteristics. So, I decided to adapt a recipe for Chicken Vesuvio to my needs. Chicken Vesuvio is chicken that's been floured, browned, and cooked with potatoes, broth, a little white wine, and peas. It cooks in a skillet on the top of the stove for low clean up. The version I'm posting here is especially easy. I have little patience for fussy meals, particularly on weeknights. So this version has no weird ingredients that are hard to find or that people won't eat (okay, maybe some people are pea haters--let them pick them out!). The dish looks elegant and tastes good enough for company but can be ready in less than an hour.
Chicken Vesuvio Re-imagined -- Serves 4
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 1/4- 1 1/2
pounds), trimmed of excess fat
3-4 tablespoons of canola oil
1/2 cup of flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
16-20 small potatoes (red, white, or a mixture), scrubbed and
halved
1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon of thyme
1/2 teaspoon of lemon pepper
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 1/2 cups of chicken broth (or reconstituted chicken reduced
sodium Better Than Bullion)
1/2 cup of white wine
1 cup of frozen peas
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
Heat a large skillet or chef's pan over medium high heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Put the flour in a large plastic bag, add the salt and chicken thighs, close the bag, and shake it to coat the thighs with the flour. Place two or three of the thighs in the hot pan and brown them for a few minutes on each side. Remove the thighs to a plate and repeat the process with the remaining thighs, adding a little more oil to the pan before adding the second batch of thighs. After browning the second batch, remove the thighs to the plate with the first batch. Add the remaining oil to the pan and then add the potatoes. Cook the potatoes for about 10 minutes until they are brown and a little crispy. Add the garlic powder, rosemary, oregano, thyme, and lemon pepper and stir them into the potatoes. Add the broth and wine to the pan, stirring them into the potatoes. Return the chicken to the pan. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cover the pan. Let the chicken and potatoes cook for about 15 minutes (or until the chicken registers 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer). While the chicken is cooking, mix the milk and cornstarch together. When the chicken is cooked through, add the cornstarch mixture to the pan and stir it in gently to thicken the sauce. Turn off the heat and stir in the peas and lemon juice. Let the pan sit for a few minutes before serving the chicken with the potatoes, peas, and sauce.
