Description
A flavorful and aromatic baked chicken dish inspired by Ottolenghi featuring marinated chicken thighs with olives, capers, and sweet Medjool dates, accompanied by roasted sweet potatoes glazed with a rich date molasses and red wine sauce.
Ingredients
Chicken and Marinade
- 6 chicken thighs, breasts or drumsticks, skin on and bone-in, scored a few times
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- ¾ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped plus more for serving
- 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup pitted green olives
- 5 tablespoon capers plus 2 tablespoon of their brine
- 1 cup Natural Delights Medjool dates, pitted and quartered lengthwise (about 7 dates or 120g)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Additional Ingredients
- ½ cup dry red wine (120ml)
- 2 large sweet potatoes or 4 small, cut into wedges
- 2 tablespoon date molasses (can be replaced with pomegranate molasses, regular molasses or maple syrup)
- 3-4 tablespoon olive oil (for drizzling sweet potatoes)
Instructions
- Prepare Baking Sheet: Cover a large baking pan or baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy clean-up.
- Marinate the Chicken: If time allows, place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and add the crushed garlic, chopped cilantro, red wine vinegar, olive oil, green olives, capers with brine, quartered Medjool dates, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Stir to combine, cover, and let marinate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. If cooking immediately, first rub the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper before adding to the marinade ingredients and mixing well.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C) ensuring it reaches the proper temperature before baking.
- Arrange Sweet Potatoes and Chicken: Spread the sweet potato wedges along the sides of the baking sheet. Arrange the marinated chicken pieces in the center along with all the marinade ingredients, allowing some overlap with the sweet potatoes.
- Prepare Sauce and Season Sweet Potatoes: Whisk together the dry red wine and date molasses in a small bowl, then pour this mixture evenly over the chicken and marinade. Drizzle the sweet potatoes with 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil, then sprinkle them generously with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper for seasoning.
- Bake the Dish: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 50 minutes, basting the chicken and sweet potatoes two to three times to keep them moist and flavorful. The chicken should be golden brown on top and fully cooked through.
- Serve: Remove the tray from the oven and transfer the chicken, sweet potatoes, and all the cooked marinade ingredients to a large serving platter. Sprinkle with additional fresh cilantro leaves for garnish and serve immediately.
Notes
- Marinating the chicken for longer enhances flavor but can be cooked immediately if short on time.
- Use bone-in, skin-on chicken for best flavor and juiciness.
- Medjool dates add natural sweetness that balances the savory and salty elements.
- Date molasses can be substituted with pomegranate molasses, regular molasses, or maple syrup depending on availability and taste preference.
- Basting during baking helps keep the chicken moist and ensures even cooking and browning.
- Serve this dish with a fresh green salad or crusty bread to soak up the flavorful juices.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus 2 hours to 2 days marinating time)
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean