Chicken Lorena

A little twist on the big Silver Palate Cookbook classic.

I set out to make the culinary classic, Chicken Marbella, one night and as I began to gather my mise en place I realized that I didn’t have the requisite ingredients. I had no prunes (only dried apricots), and had mixed olives (not all green). I was out of red wine vinegar, but had sherry vinegar. And I had half a bottle of red wine already open so why bother with a new bottle of white? I was determined to get those Silver Palate Cookbook flavors brewing in my kitchen and ultimately in my mouth, so I persevered with the same principles and ratios albeit on a slightly different path. Chicken “Lorena” was born. The preparation and cooking of this dish is effortless, but the result is sublime!

Equipment: cutting board; chef’s knife; measuring spoons; dry and wet measuring cups; mixing bowl; rubber spatula; plastic wrap or resealable container; casserole Ingredients:

8, bone-in chicken thighs, or 1 chicken quartered

4 cloves garlic, very finely minced

2 tablespoons dried oregano

kosher salt and black pepper to taste

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup sherry vinegar

½ cup dried apricots

½ cup pitted mixed olives

¼ cup capers with the juice

1/3 cup brown sugar

½ cup red wine

chopped parsley (optional)

"You can use skinless or skin-on thighs...you can even use boneless thighs, but bone-in thighs will yield the most moist and juicy meat. It's all about technique, not torture!"

1. In a large bowl combine the garlic, oregano, kosher salt and pepper to taste, vinegar, olive oil, apricots, olives, capers, and juice. Add the chicken and toss well to coat. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

3. Arrange chicken in a single layer in a large, shallow baking pan and spoon the fruit/olives over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour the wine around them.

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4. Bake uncovered for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting every 10 minutes with pan juices.

5. Sprinkle with the optional chopped parsley and serve immediately.

"ILOC tip: Serve the dish warm or cold. It actually improves after a few days in the fridge."

Makes 4-6 servings.