Italian Farmhouse Chicken with Potatoes and Peas

Simple vegetables, tender chicken, and slow heat come together to create a dish that feels like it has always been on the table.

By Giovanni Siracusa

@unpezzoditalia

November 20, 2025

By Giovanni Siracusa

Ingredients

8

chicken legs
2

lbs potatoes, cubed
1

onion, diced
3

carrots, diced
3

celery stalks, diced
2

garlic cloves, crushed
1

cup water
1

cup peas
2

tbsp tomato paste
1

knob of butter
Olive oil
Fresh basil, to finish
Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

TOTAL TIME

1,5 hour

4-6 servings

This is the kind of chicken and potatoes you would smell in an Italian farmhouse. Nothing fancy and nothing forced, just honest cooking that fills the room with the comfort of home.

This dish starts and ends with olive oil — use our guide on cooking vs. finishing olive oil to know which one goes in the pan and which one goes on top. For another Italian one-pot dinner, try Mama's baked ziti, and learn about single-origin vs. blended olive oil to understand why the bottle you reach for matters.

A wooden table with raw chicken drumsticks, diced potatoes, chopped carrots and onions, basil leaves, green peas, tomato paste, butter, olive oil, salt in a jar, and a pepper grinder arranged in bowls and containers.

Sear the Chicken

Warm a generous drizzle of olive oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Sear the chicken legs on all sides until golden.

Sauté the Vegetables

Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and a knob of butter. Sauté until the vegetables soften and pick up the flavor from the chicken.

Two bowls on a wooden surface: one filled with cubed potatoes, the other with a mixture of chopped carrots, celery, and onions.

A pan with browned chicken drumsticks, topped with chopped carrots, celery, onions, and a pat of butter, ready to be cooked.

A man wearing an apron cooks stuffed rolls in a skillet on an induction stove. Behind him are festive holiday decorations, including a Christmas tree, a large star, and greenery. A drink labeled GRATSI sits nearby.

Add Tomato Paste and Broth

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the tomato paste and 1 cup of water, stirring to dissolve the paste into the broth.

A skillet filled with chicken drumsticks simmering in a tomato-based sauce with chopped carrots and celery pieces. The chicken is cooked and coated with the sauce, surrounded by vegetables in the pan.

Cover and Slow Cook

Cover and cook on low heat for 30 minutes.

Add Potatoes and Peas

Add the cubed potatoes and peas. Stir gently, cover again, and cook for another 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is falling off the bone.