Chicken Marbella

 

Being a lover of olives I knew after my first taste of this chicken dish at a wedding that I would one day have to make it myself.  I’ve actually made it a few times now, but just haven’t had a chance to post the recipe – so here goes!

The olives and capers make it a little salty, and the prunes and figs balance it out with a little sweetness. It’s a big recipe, serving 6-8, and it’s a great one to make the night before you’ve got company, then pop in the oven an hour before dinner is served.

The recipe is from the Whitewater cookbook.

What you need:

• 5 lbs chicken pieces (I don’t like to use breasts as they come out  a little dry)
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano or 1 tablespoon dried
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup prunes, chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 cup dried figs, chopped into quarters
• 1/4 cup green olives (I used extra)
• 1/4 cup capers with a bit of juice
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons parsley (garnish)

What you do:

1. Combine all the ingredients except the parsley and marinate the chicken overnight in the fridge.  Turn the chicken pieces once in a while to coat them.

2. Preheat the oven to 350F and bake the chicken with the marinade for 50 minutes.  Baste frequently. It should be a deep golden brown colour when it’s done.

3. Garnish with parsley when serving.

I like to serve it with a nice crusty loaf of bread. And if you don’t have a lot of people eating, it’s great for leftovers.