Modern Chicken Marbella

Trim fat from chicken. If using breasts, slice in half or thirds. Place in a large resealable bag. Place bag in a big bowl. Place anchovy paste in another bowl. Add oil and vinegar and use a wooden spoon to mash paste until evenly blended. Stir in sherry, capers and juice, garlic, oregano and chili flakes. Add olives and prunes. Coarsely chop tomatoes and add along with oil from tomatoes. Break bay leaves in half and add.

Pour over chicken in the bag. Massage bag until chicken is evenly coated. Seal bag and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

To bake, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Arrange chicken in a 9x13 inch (3 L) baking dish. Stir peppers into the marinating mixture, then pour over chicken. Lay a large piece of foil overtop but do not seal to the dish. Bake, uncovered, until chicken feels springy from 45 to 55 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). During this time baste juices and olive mixture from the pan overtop the chicken every 15 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves. Sprinkle with the basil. Excellent over rice or broad pasta.