Chicken Marbella
Chicken Marbella
This post is sponsored by the California Dried Plums. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
So many goals and resolutions this time of year are all about taking away - "lose weight", "cut out sugar", "eat less junk". All of these only serve to demonize food and larger bodies. To me, part of healing our relationship with food and our bodies is about recognizing the nourishing power of all foods, and that food is much more than health. So what does that look like? It might mean trying new foods, flavours, and recipes, or finding out more about the different foods that we eat.
For example, did you know that prunes are not only good for digestive health, but bone health as well? One study showed that eating a serving of about five prunes (40 g) a day can prevent bone loss. Prunes are not your grandmother's food anymore! Try them in this Mediterranean-inspired chicken recipe that combines savoury and sweet. This recipe freezes well, or can be halved for feeding a smaller group.
Author: Adapted from Simply Recipes
Recipe type: Main, Chicken
Cuisine: Spanish, Mediterranean
Makes: 8 servings
Ingredients
5 oz (150 g) pitted prunes, about 20
¼ cup (60 mL) red wine vinegar
¼ cup (60 mL) olive oil
¼ cup (60 mL) capers with a bit of juice
8 large pitted Spanish green olives, cut in half
Cloves from ½ head garlic, peeled and finely grated or puréed
2 Tbsp (30 mL) dried oregano
3 bay leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste
5 lb (2.2 kg) chicken thighs and/or drumsticks, bone-in, skin-on or 2 chickens, 2½ lb (1.1 kg) each, quartered, bone-in and skin-on
¼ cup (60 mL) brown sugar
½ cup (125 mL) dry white wine
2 Tbsp (30 mL) fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped, for garnish
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine first eight ingredients (prunes to bay leaves). Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the chicken pieces and coat completely with the marinade. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, several hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer in one or two shallow baking pans and spoon remaining marinade over the chicken evenly. Sprinkle brown sugar over the chicken pieces and pour dry white wine around them.
Bake in preheated oven until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C), about 50-60 minutes, basting frequently with pan juices throughout. Serve with pan juices and parsley for garnish.