Mediterranean Chicken Tonja

This recipe is one I have made for years. The basic recipe called for four cut-up chickens, but I have never served that many people or used cut-up chickens. The beauty of this is that you can easily expand the recipe to serve a lot of people. I’m going to tell you how I do this for three or four of us, but the ingredient amounts are not specific. Eyeballing it will work just fine. The quantity of garlic and oregano seems excessive, but it really works. This is a delicious dish. Start the night before or no later than six hours ahead. Scroll to the bottom for approximate measurements.

6-8 cloves garlic, pureed

Into a 9×13″ baking dish, mix together: pureed garlic, dried oregano; Salt and pepper; red-wine vinegar; olive oil; pitted prunes; green olives (mine were jumbo-sized, so I cut them in half); capers with a little juice; bay leaves

Add boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into serving sizes. Turn the chicken so it’s well coated and everything is mixed. Let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.

Remove from refrigeration and sprinkle brown sugar, white wine, and chopped parsley over the top.

Bake, covered, for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Uncover and bake another 15 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Mediterranean Chicken Tonja

6-8 cloves garlic, pureed

2 Tbsp. dried oregano

Salt and pepper

¼ cup red-wine vinegar

¼ cup olive oil

Handful pitted prunes

Handful green olives (mine were jumbo-sized, so I cut them in half)

2 Tbsp. capers with a little juice

3 bay leaves

Boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into serving sizes (I used one breast)

1/3 cup brown sugar

½ cup white wine

2 Tbsp. chopped parsley or cilantro

The night before, mix all together, except brown sugar, wine, and parsley in a 9×13″ baking dish. Let marinate overnight in refrigerator. Sprinkle with brown sugar and wine and parsley. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for fifteen minutes more. Serve over rice.