Chicken Marbella

While prunes and capers might seem like an odd combination, when cooked together with chicken they create a delectable sweet and sour, savoury flavour. You can use whatever piece of chicken you like, but I tend to prefer chicken thighs or breasts. 

Ingredients:
Serves 4 

• 4 chicken thighs
• Cloves from 1/4 head of garlic, peeled and finely minced 
• 1 tbsp dried oregano 
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 
• 1/8 cup red wine vinegar 
• 1/8 cup olive oil 
• 1/4 cup pitted prunes 
• 8 large pitted Spanish green olives, cut in half 
• 1/8 cup capers with a bit of juice 
• 2 bay leaves 
• 1/8 cup brown sugar 
• 1/4 cup white wine 
• 1 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

Directions:
In a large bowl combine garlic, oregano, salt and pepper to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers with caper juice, and bay leaves. Add the chicken pieces and coat completely with the marinade. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, several hours or overnight. 

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Arrange chicken in a single layer in a shallow baking pan and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle brown sugar over the chicken pieces and pour white wine around them. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with the pan juices. Chicken is done when a sharp knife inserted into the thigh pieces, at their thickest point, run with clear yellow juices (not pink). 

With a slotted spoon, move the chicken, prunes, olives, and capers to a serving platter. Pour some of the pan juices over the chicken and sprinkle generously with parsley. Serve remaining juices in a gravy boat. 

Adapted from Original Recipe