Roasted Chicken Marbella with Fresh Orange, Olives and Dates
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sherry vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 orange
Zest of ½ orange
Zest of ½ lemon
2 tbsp Smak Dab Curry Dijon
2 tbsp brown sugar
Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, or 4 chicken legs (about 3 ¼ pounds)
8 garlic cloves
2 medium shallots
5 large sprigs thyme
1 large fennel bulb, quartered
3 ounces medjool dates
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 heaping cup pitted Castelvetrano olives
1 cup Israeli couscous
Directions
Peel and crush 8 garlic cloves with the side of a knife. Peel and halve 2 medium shallots.
In a medium bowl, whisk to combine olive oil, mustard, sherry vinegar, sugar, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Add the garlic, shallots, and 5 sprigs thyme.
Place 8 chicken thighs in a large, resealable plastic bag. Add the contents of the marinade and seal the bag, pushing out any excess air. Transfer to the refrigerator and let marinade, at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours in advance.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Pit and quarter 3 ounces of medjool dates. Add to a 9” x 13” baking dish, along with contents of the marinade.
Add white wine, 1 heaping cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, fennel and arrange the chicken skin side up.
Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and transfer to the oven. Roast 35 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 400 and remove foil. Continue roasting for 20 minutes more.
Remove the pan from the oven. Sprinkle Israeli couscous around and under the chicken, using a spoon to tilt the thighs to one side as you distribute the cous cous into the cooking liquid. Pour in chicken stock. Give the cous cous a bit of a stir so as to coat with pan juices.
Return to the oven and roast another 25-30 minutes, stirring the cous cous halfway through, until the skin deeply golden brown and couscous is tender. Some of the top bits of couscous may become slightly toasted. Enjoy!
