Our Favorite Chicken Dish

This dish has got to be our absolute favorite chicken dish of all time (maybe even favorite of any dish!). Sure, when you first read the ingredients you see some odd things but it is good! My husband is sort of picky about food and he loves it! The recipe comes from a fantastic cookbook called "The Silver Palate Cookbook" and it is by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins. I have three favorites when it comes to cooking: Ina Garten, Giada De Laurentiis, and this cookbook. There are so many wonderful recipes, you can't go wrong!

Chicken Marbella

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1 cup pitted prunes

1/2 cup pitted spanish green olives (don't worry if the olives have pimento, use as is)

1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice (I use a whole 3.5 oz jar of capers with juice- just dump the whole thing)

6 bay leaves

1 head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed (I use my little food processor to puree, takes no time at all)

1/4 cup dried oregano

coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 chickens (2 1/2 pounds each), quartered (I just get a bunch of chicken pieces, I don't reduce the rest of the recipe if I don't have enough chicken)

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup fresh italian parsley

Combine all ingredients except for the brown sugar, wine and parsley in a large bowl. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350.

Arrange the chicken in a single layer in one or two large shallow baking pans (I don't do this, I use one dish and it usually contains 10-12 drumsticks and thighs and sometimes things overlap and it is fine). Spoon the marinade over the chicken evenly (This is what the book says but the chicken should be covered in it and go into the pan when you put the chicken in).

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with the brown sugar and pour the white wine over the chicken.

Bake, basting frequently with the pan juices, until cooked all the way through (50 mins to an hour).

Take the pan out of the oven and sprinkle the parsley over. Serve.

I like to take to make some rice (tonight I cooked some brown rice) and a veggie and spoon the pan juices over it. It is so good! We have the ingredients on hand all the time to make this so we can have it whenever we want. It is so easy just take 10 mins the night before and put it together. Then when you are ready for dinner, take it out of the fridge, put the sugar and wine on and bake! So yummy!