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Spicy, tangy, and satisfying, this is a great do-ahead (almost) one pot meal. You can make the sauce a few days in advance and add the chicken on the day of service, or even do the whole thing ahead. Use any cut of chicken on the bone. I prefer skinless thighs.

Serve with steamed rice and a green salad.

Ingredients:

2 T vegetable oil or schmaltz
1 medium onion, sliced into half moons, about 1 cup
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes, with juice
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoon true Ceylon cinnamon, or 1/2 teaspoon U.S. cinnamon
1/4 to 1/3 teaspoon ground cloves
1 to 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 to 2 teaspoons ground black pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon toasted ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, crumbled
1/2 cup dried apricots, sliced
3/4 cup pitted dried prunes, whole
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 can (20 ounces) unsweetened pineapple chunks, with juice
1/2 cup dry sherry or red wine
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 or 2 chipotle chiles, chopped

6 pounds of chicken on the bone, (thighs, split breasts etc.)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400°
2. Lay out chicken parts on sheet pans and season with salt and pepper.
3. Roast until brown.
4. When  chicken is done, reduce oven to 350º
5. While chicken cooks, heat the oil in a large heavy dutch oven or rondo over medium high heat.
6. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until golden and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
7. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up with your hand.
8. Add the bay leaves, ½ teaspoon of the black pepper, 1 teaspoon of the salt, the cloves, cinnamon, cumin and oregano.
9. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 10 to 12 minutes. Puree the sauce with an immersion blender or pureé in a blender/food processor. Return to pot.
10. Bring the pureéd sauce to a boil over high heat, add the dried fruits, pineapple with its juices, sherry or red wine and vinegar.
11. Let simmer a minute, then add the chipotles.
12. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the sauce, uncovered, about 20 minutes.
13. Add the cooked chicken to the sauce and finish in oven, 35 – 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through

adapted from Zarela Martinez’s Food from My Heart