Rioja Chicken

Rioja wine, a dry red wine produced in the Rioja region of Northern Spain, gives this dish its characteristic flavor. But if you don't want to use alcohol, replace the wine with another cup of liquid (either orange juice or chicken broth). Also, if you're short on time, this chicken dish can be cooked on the high-heat setting for 4 hours.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 thighs, 1 cup sauce, 1/2 cup rice, and 2 tablespoons parsley)

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
• 8  chicken thighs (about 3 pounds), skinned
• 5  garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/2  cup  pitted prunes (about 3 1/4 ounces)
• 1/4  cup  pimento-stuffed olives
• 2  tablespoons  minced fresh or 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1  tablespoon  grated lemon rind
• 1  bay leaf
• 1  cup  orange juice
• 1  cup  Rioja or other dry red wine
• 2  tablespoons  honey
• 2  cups  hot cooked wild rice blend or long-grain rice
• 1/2  cup  chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in flour mixture. Place garlic in bottom of an electric slower cooker. Arrange chicken over garlic; add prunes, olives, thyme, rind, and bay leaf.

Combine orange juice, wine, and honey; pour over chicken. Cover with lid; cook on high heat for 1 hour. Reduce heat setting to low; cook 7 hours. Serve over rice. Sprinkle with parsley.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

379 (17% from fat)

Fat:

7.3g (sat 1.7g,mono 2.7g,poly 1.6g)

Protein:

33g

Carbohydrate:

46.3g

Fiber:

2.7g

Cholesterol:

126mg

Iron:

3.8mg

Sodium:

1009mg

Calcium:

67mg