For this simple bake of chicken, potatoes and tomatoes, I borrowed a technique from the Italian island of Ischia, where rosemary, fennel and other herbs grow wild in the hills.

Because the island was formed by volcanic activity (Pompeii is just under 20 miles away), it has natural hot springs, and the sand on some of its beaches is as hot as 350 degrees. When cooking fuel was scarce and expensive, the islanders learned to use the sand as a heat source for cooking. Wrapping the ingredients tightly and subjecting them to steady heat produces a succulent, aromatic dish. If you prefer to brown the ingredients, take the final step of uncovering the pan.

Ingredients

  • 1 3- to 4-pound chicken, cut up, or 3 to 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves (from about 2 sprigs)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 small dried red chiles, crumbled, or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 to 3 pounds large Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered
  • 12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 1 large yellow onion, quartered and thickly sliced
  • ¼ cup dry white wine
  • 4 to 6 sprigs fresh basil, plus 2 tablespoons finely shredded leaves for garnish
  • Nutritional Information
    • Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

      1230 calories; 73 grams fat; 19 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 34 grams monounsaturated fat; 14 grams polyunsaturated fat; 56 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 80 grams protein; 297 milligrams cholesterol; 301 milligrams sodium

    • Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.

4 servings

Preparation

  1. Pull any lumps of fat off the chicken pieces and discard. In a bowl or a sealable plastic bag, combine the chicken pieces, 1/8 cup of the olive oil, 1/2 tablespoon of the rosemary, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and the chiles. Mix well and set aside to marinate, at least 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 8 hours in the refrigerator.
  2. Heat oven to 450 degrees. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or a large ovenproof skillet with a lid, combine remaining olive oil and rosemary with the potatoes, tomatoes, onion and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Toss together and spread out evenly in the pan. Arrange chicken pieces on top, skin side up. Add the wine, pouring around the edges of the pan, and place the basil sprigs on top. Cover tightly with aluminum foil or a lid and bake 30 minutes.
  3. Remove chicken from the oven and turn the oven temperature to 475 degrees. (Use the convection feature if you have it.) Or heat the broiler and arrange oven rack about 8 inches from the heat. Return uncovered pan to oven and cook until chicken skin is browned, cooking liquid is reduced and vegetables are very soft, 10 to 15 minutes more.
  4. Remove and discard basil sprigs. Garnish with shredded basil and serve immediately.
  • AND TO DRINK … Few dishes are more versatile with wine than roasted or baked chicken. The addition of fresh tomatoes here suggests starting with a dry white wine. The choices are many: perhaps a St.-Aubin from Burgundy, or a fairly restrained American chardonnay. You could circumnavigate the Mediterranean, picking out bottles from Corsica, Sardinia, Campania, Liguria, Sicily, Greece and so on. Or if you wanted a rosé, you could take the same geographical journey, adding the south of France to the itinerary. You could try a crisp California rosé, or a pinot gris from Oregon. If you did want a red, I’d start in Beaujolais, which has a special affinity for chicken. I would also consider easygoing Burgundies or American pinot noirs, as well as some unusual Loire reds like gamay or pineau d’Aunis. ERIC ASIMOV

1 hour 15 minutes

Dining and Cooking