Caramelized Chicken with Green Olives and Prunes

Carissa Sims (originally from chocolateandzucchini.com)
Yield: 10-12 servings

This is the recipe that I tried recently from the food blog chocolateandzucchini.com — it turned out delicious. I served it on a bed of mashed sweet potatoes (fluffed with some sour cream and milk). Yummy, yummy, yummy. (Aug 2007)

The recipe has you marinate chicken thighs with green olives and prunes until the next day, when you simply bake the whole thing, basting the meat often, until it is nicely glazed and browned with crusty bits on the outside, but still moist and tender at heart. —chocolateandzucchini.com

8 legs free-range chicken (thigh + drumstick, about 3kg or 6.5 lbs total), cut in two at the joint

3/4 cup green olives

10 oz pitted prunes, roughly chopped (I use kitchen shears)

3 cloves garlic, crushed (I used a rounded tsp organic garlic paste)

4 bay leaves

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup sherry vinegar (vinaigre de xérès in French)

3 rounded Tbsp dried oregano

Fine sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 small bunch fresh cilantro, leaves only (flat-leaf parsley can be substituted)

1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted 

Start the recipe the night before. In a large salad bowl, combine the chicken, olives, prunes, garlic, and bay leaves. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, and oregano. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Pour over the chicken, and combine until the marinade coats the chicken thoroughly; it works immeasurably better if you use your hands. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator an hour before baking. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Place the chicken in a baking dish large enough to accommodate it in a single layer (I had to use two).

Pour the remaining marinade (and any remaining solids) over the chicken, sprinkle with the sugar, and add the white wine. Place in the oven and bake for 1-1 1/2 hours, basting and flipping the thighs every 20 minutes or so, until the juices run clear, the meat is caramelized, and your boyfriend says that really, that chicken smell is torture.

Sprinkle with cilantro and almonds, and serve.