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Parmesan-Crusted Chicken with Vinegar Jus

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken with Vinegar Jus

By Felisia TanMarch 26, 2025

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    1 hour
  • Rating

Cheesy-crispy chicken and a vinegar jus. Need we say more? This recipe is loosely inspired by chicken savoy, the signature dish of New Jersey’s Belmont Tavern, but it is a delicious marriage of cheese-crusted chicken and vinegary, garlicky sauce. We usually prefer grating Parmesan or pecorino ourselves, but here pre-grated works fine. You will need a 12-inch skillet that’s oven-safe at high temperatures. Serve with crusty bread for soaking up the sauce.

Tip

Don’t position the rack in the middle of the oven. Place it in the upper-middle position, which helps with crisping and browning. Also, be sure to pour off and discard the fat after searing the chicken. This prevents greasiness in the sauce.

Ingredients
  • 2

    ounces Parmesan or pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated (1 cup)

  • 1

    teaspoon dried oregano

  • ½

    teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, plus more to serve

  • ½

    teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 4

    large bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters (about 3 pounds), patted dry

  • 1

    tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • 3

    medium garlic cloves, minced

  • 2

    tablespoons white wine vinegar

  • 1¼

    cups low-sodium chicken broth

Step 1

Heat the oven to 500°F with a rack in the upper-middle position. In a small bowl, stir together the cheese, oregano, thyme, pepper flakes and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chicken skin side down, reduce to medium and cook without disturbing until deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken skin side up to a large plate. Pour off and discard the fat in the pan, then return the chicken skin side up to it. Sprinkle the cheese mixture onto the chicken.

Step 2

Place the skillet in the oven and cook until the cheese has crisped and the thickest part of the legs reaches 175°F to 180°F, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven (the handle will be hot). Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter.

Step 3

Set the skillet over medium-high and bring the contents to a simmer. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the vinegar and broth, then reduce to medium and cook, stirring, until the liquid is thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Off heat, taste and season with salt and black pepper. Spoon the sauce around the chicken and sprinkle with thyme.

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