Chicken Marbella

2 chickens, 3 pounds each, quartered, excess fat removed
6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup pitted prunes
1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives
1/4 cup capers with a bit of juice
3 bay leaves
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro leaves

In a large bowl, combine the chicken quarters, garlic, oregano, salt, olive oil, vinegar, prunes, olives, capers and juice, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350�F.

Arrange the chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon the marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.

Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices. Chicken is done when thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest, yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken, prunes, olives, and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley. Serve with the remaining juices.