CHICKEN MARBELLA - NEEDS MARINATE OVERNIGHT

This recipe from the cookbook 'Simple' by Yotam Ottolenghi is super simple and delicious. I didn't have time to marinate the chicken, so I followed the recipe below without the marination, but I can see that the flavours would be even better if I had done so. The leftovers eaten the following day were scrumptious.

INGREDIENTS

2kg chicken drumsticks or drumstick and thigh attached

5 garlic cloves, crushed

15g fresh oregano, picked, plus extra to serve

3 Tbsp red wine vinegar

3 Tbsp olive oil

100g pitted olives (green or black)

60g capers

120g Medjool dates, pitted and quartered lengthways

2 bay leaves

120ml white wine

1 Tbsp date molasses / syrup (or treacle)

salt and black pepper

METHOD:

Place the chicken in a large, non-reactive bowl and add all of the remaining ingredients, apart from the wine and date molasses, along with 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.

📣⚠ The chicken loves long marination but it can also be cooked straight away, if you don't have the time. If you are going to do this, just season the chicken with the salt and pepper (which would otherwise go into the marinade), before combining it with the rest of the marinade ingredients (without the salt and pepper) and bake according to the recipe.

Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan.

Spread the chicken legs 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 50-60 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 freshly picked oregano leaves and serve.

Here it was served with 'Confetti Rice', a delicious combination. To see the recipe, click here.

Serves 4-6