Chicken Marbella

(also known as chicken mirabella...or just plain delicious).

Last made in January of 2008 for a crew of hungry college students...notice the fancy wine glasses.  And the sitting at the table, backs up straight (instead of eating in the living room watching Boy Meets World).

On a bed of wild rice, too, just like I'll be making tomorrow.  So good.  And don't let the green olives/prunes/capers scare you.  They mellow out overnight, promise.

Chicken Marbella

adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook

Ingredients  (this is for 10 pounds of chicken; reduce as necessary)

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup pitted prunes
1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives
1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice
6 bay leaves
1 head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed
1/4 cup dried oregano
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 chickens (2 1/2 pounds each), quartered
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup Italian (flat-leaf) parsley or cilantro, finely chopped

Instructions

1.  Combine the olive oil, vinegar, prunes, olives, capers and juice, bay leaves, garlic, oregano and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2.  Preheat oven to 350ºF.
3.  Arrange chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon the marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with the brown sugar and pour the white wine around them.
4.  Bake, basting frequently with the pan juices, for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the thigh pieces yield clear yellow juices (rather than pink) when pricked.
5.  With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with some of the pan juices, sprinkle with parsley or cilantro and serve with the remaining juices on the side.