Orange Chicken - Pollo all’ Arancia

(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients

• 8 (about 1 kg) skinned, boned, organic chicken thighs
• zest of 1 New Zealand orange
• juice of 2 New Zealand oranges (about 150mls)
• 3 tablespoons wild oregano leaves
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup pitted black olives (do not use the nasty cheap Spanish ones)
• ½ cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons cornflour mixed with 4 tablespoons water
• salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

Method

Put the chicken thighs into a nonreactive roasting pan. Add the zest, juice, oregano, oil, garlic and pepper.

Mix well and spread the chicken out into one layer, smooth sides of the thighs upwards.

Cover and place in the fridge to marinate for about 4 hours .

Preheat the oven to 200°C

Remove from the fridge, uncover and sprinkle the olives evenly over the chicken. Push them down beside the chicken.Add the stock.

Place in the oven and bake 35-40 minutes until the chicken is well cooked and the tops are starting to brown.

Remove from the oven. Put the chicken and olives onto a warm serving platter.

Put the pan onto high heat and bring the cooking liquid to the boil.

Whisk in enough of the cornflour mixture to thicken very lightly. Taste and season with salt.Pour this over the chicken. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Good with Agria potatoes, cut into 3 cm chunks, tossed in olive oil and salt and roasted until golden. Green salad to follow.

Suggested Wines to Go With Today's Recipe

GRENACHE

Wirra Wirra McLaren Vale Grenache

Grant Burge Holy Trinity (Barossa)

M. Chapoutier Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Bernadine

Armantes Old Bush Vine Garnacha 2003