APRICOT CHICKEN WITH OLIVES AND CAPERS

Source : Matt Preston- recipe adjusted by Elize de kock
Photo: Amanda Conradie and Elize de Kock
A recipe for olive and caper lovers, delicious is not the word. We love the skin, and on the bone. Matt apparently not. We used dried fruit instead of only apricots and served with basmati rice, sweet potato and fried cabbage.

• 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (or leave skin and bone in)
• 80 ml olive oil
• 12 cloves garlic, peel on, smashed
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 10 sprigs thyme
• 24 (150 g) dried apricots ( or fruit)
• 24 caperberries
• 24 green olives
• 1 strip orange rind
• 2 bay leaves
• 120ml sherry vinegar
• 250 ml verjus or white wine
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• parsley, chopped for garnish
• salt and pepper, to taste
• Combine chicken, oil, garlic, oregano, 8 thyme sprigs, apricots, caperberries, olives, orange rind, bay leaves, sherry vinegar, salt and pepper in a ziplock bag.
• Seal bag and gently massage the flavours into the chicken. Set aside, to infuse, in the fridge for minimum of 2 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 180ºC.
• Transfer chicken and all marinade ingredients into a large baking dish. Add verjus/white wine and sprinkle over the sugar.
• Place in the oven to roast until cooked through. Remove from oven and allow to rest 5-10 minutes.
• Sprinkle with parsley and leaves of remaining sprigs thyme.
• To serve, chop chicken and serve with flat breads and coleslaw or as prefered.