Vesuvio refers to a style of Italian-American preparation, most often applied to chicken but also steak or pork chops, in which bone-in pieces are browned and then baked or braised with potato wedges, garlic, oregano, white wine, and olive oil until the potatoes are crisp and the meat is tender. It is a Chicago Italian-American creation, named for Mount Vesuvius near Naples, rather than a dish carried over from the Campania region of Italy.
The exact origins of Vesuvio-style dishes are disputed. Some accounts trace it to the Vesuvio Restaurant, which operated on Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago in the 1930s; others point to Taylor Street eateries in the city's Italian-American neighborhoods around the same era. The name is generally thought to reference the volcano, either directly or as a nod to the smoking skillet the dish is cooked in, rather than any specific recipe imported from Italy.
The traditional method starts with bone-in chicken pieces seared skin-side down, then finished in the oven alongside potato wedges that have been sautéed in the same pan drippings with garlic and white wine. Fresh or dried oregano is essential to the dish's flavor, and green peas are a common garnish added toward the end of cooking for color.
In terms of flavor profile, Vesuvio-style dishes are savory and garlicky, with the acidity of the wine balancing the richness of the olive oil and pan juices. The dish is typically served as a main course straight from the skillet or baking dish it was cooked in, with crusty bread to soak up the juices.
Variations swap the chicken for steak or pork chops, and some cooks add mushrooms or extra herbs. While the name evokes the Naples area, Vesuvio-style cooking is best understood as a Chicago Italian-American classic rather than a dish with a documented Campanian pedigree; it remains closely tied to the city's Italian steakhouses and red-sauce restaurants.