The credit for this yummy recipe goes to my mother, who has been making her ‘Company Chicken’ for as long as I can remember. The red-wine vinegar in the marinade adds a sweet, tangy flavor that helps to tenderize the chicken while it cooks.
There will be no crispy skin on this dish, so be sure to remove the skin while you’re preparing the chicken. I use the boneless, skinless chicken thighs, which cook fairly quickly and my guests don’t have to work around any bones while they’re eating.
Another great thing about this recipe is you can easily scale the ingredients up or down, depending on the size of the crowd you’re serving.
The traditional, ‘Mom version,’ list of ingredients calls for apricot jam, green olives and capers. I put my ‘Vicki spin’ on it and switched out the green olives for Kalamata, the capers for thinly sliced cornichons and the apricot jam for my homemade golden habanero, bourbon and pear jam. The end result gave the chicken a deep Mediterranean flavor and a slow burn from the habaneros at the finish. Both versions are great! Try them both and see which one you like better!
If you decide to try my version, I featured the recipe for the golden habanero, bourbon and pear jam in my post on March 27th. To get the recipe, click here.
Ingredients:
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
½ cup sliced green or Kalamata olives
½ cup capers or thinly sliced cornichons
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
½ cup white wine
½ cup apricot or golden habanero, bourbon and pear jam
Salt and pepper
Directions:
1) Place chicken in the bottom of a baking dish and season with salt and pepper.
2) Layer olives, capers/cornichons, and the cilantro on top of the chicken.
3) Mix the remaining ingredients together and pour over the chicken.
4) Bake the chicken, uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
5) Serve the chicken and a generous spoonful of the sauce, over curry seasoned cous cous.
