Published January 1, 2002.
We solve the problems of this Chicago chicken and potatoes classic: dull meat, soggy skin, tasteless potatoes, and a bitter sauce.
Bad versions of this Chicago dish feature bland chicken, flabby skin, and mealy potatoes. The sauce can disappoint too-it should have a robust garlic flavor but often turns out bitter.
Perfect Chicken Vesuvio combines crisp-skinned, flavorful chicken and golden brown potatoes napped in an assertive garlic sauce.
Brown the chicken until its skin is crisp, then brown the potatoes.
Make a gutsy broth with wine, lemon, spices, and plenty of garlic, then bake the dish with the potatoes resting in the broth and the chicken on top of the potatoes, which keeps the skin crisp and meat moist and flavorful. For brightness, stir in a teaspoon of garlic and a spoonful of lemon juice just before serving.
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