Chicken Marbella

Even if you don't love one of of these ingredients, the sum is greater than the parts and I promise this is what you want to eat!  My family really liked it and I liked how easy it was to put together and how I could refrigerate it a day or so before and pop it in the oven on the night that we were going to eat it.  You don't need much by way of side dishes . . . maybe some bread to soak up the marinade and a green vegetable?  Let me know in the comments if you liked it and if you have any favorite Ottolenghi recipes that I should try next.

Chicken Marbella (serves 6)

from Ottolenghi Simple

2 dozen chicken drumsticks skin on and scored 3 or 4 times to the bone 

5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

2T fresh oregano, picked, plus extra to serve

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

3 tbsp olive oil

1 can pitted green olives

1/4 cup capers, plus 2 tbsp of their juices

10 Medjool dates, pitted and quartered lengthways

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 tbsp date molasses

salt and black pepper

Place the chicken in a large bowl and add all the remaining ingredients, except for the wine and date molasses.  Add 1 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Gently mix everything together, cover the bowl and leave in the fridge to marinate for 1-2 days, stirring the ingredients a few times during the process.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.Spread the chicken drumsticks out on a high-sided medium baking tray, along with all the marinade ingredients. Whisk together the wine and molasses and pour over the meat. Place in the oven and cook for 50 minutes, basting two or three times, until the meat is golden-brown on top and cooked through.

Remove from the oven, transfer everything to a large platter, sprinkle over some thinly sliced oregano leaves and serve.