Ingredients

• 2 chickens, 3½-4 pounds each, quartered or cut into eighths
• 6 cloves of garlic, peeled 
• 1 tsp. coarse kosher salt, plus more to taste 
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp. dried oregano, or ¼ c. fresh oregano leaves, chopped
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2/3 cup pitted prunes
• ¼ cup pitted Spanish green olives
• ½ cup capers, rinsed, and a drop or two of brine 
• 6 bay leaves
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup dry white wine
• ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, for garnishing

Directions

1. Sprinkle chicken lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place in a large bowl or jumbo zip-lock bag. 

2. Place garlic on a cutting board or in a mortar with a pestle, add 1 tsp. of salt and mash garlic until pureed. Transfer garlic to a medium bowl and add dried oregano, red wine vinegar, olive oil, prunes, green olives, capers with a drop of brine, and bay leaves. Add this mixture to bowl or bag of chicken and toss together. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or seal bag and refrigerate overnight.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

4. Using one to two large shallow baking pans, arrange chicken pieces in a single layer. Evenly spoon marinade over the chicken and sprinkle each dish with the brown sugar followed by the white wine.

5. Bake chicken, uncovered, for 45-60 minutes (depending on the size of the chicken pieces), basting occasionally with the pan juices. When done, the chicken should ooze clear juices when pricked with a fork. 

6. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a large serving platter with a lip. Place the roasting pan onto a burner and reduce mixture over high heat for three to five minutes. Transfer to a gravy separator and drizzle juices over chicken.

Makes 8-10 servings.  (Recipe can be doubled.)