Chicken with Olives, Caramelized Onions, and Sage

Ingredients

• 7 pound chickens cut into quarters, backbones removed
• 750 ml cooking wine dry white divided
• 9 large sage leaves fresh
• 8 large garlic cloves peeled
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin 
• 1.5 tablespoons honey 
• 2 teaspoons hungarian paprika sweet
• 3 cups brine-cured mediterranean olives assorted (such as Kalamata and picholine)
• 0.7 cup olive oil 
• 1.3 pounds onions red thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons salt 
• 8 large shallots peeled
• 3  turkish bay leaf 
• 1 teaspoon turmeric 
• 1.3 pounds onions white thinly sliced

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• roasting pan
• aluminum foil
• slotted spoon

Directions

1. Rinse chicken; pat dry. Arrange on foil.
2. Mix cumin, salt, paprika, and turmeric in bowl.
3. Sprinkle over both sides of chicken.
4. Let stand while preparing onions.
5. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Add all onions. Sauté until pale golden, about 30 minutes.
7. Mix in honey. Sauté until onions are deep brown, about 15 minutes. Turn off heat. Tilt skillet, pushing onions toward top and allowing oil to pool at bottom. Set aside 1/3 cup onions for pilaf. Using slotted spoon, spread remaining onions evenly in large roasting pan. Reserve skillet with oil.
8. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F.
9. Heat oil reserved in skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown chicken, about 5 minutes per side. Arrange chicken, skin side up, in single layer atop onions in roasting pan.
10. Remove skillet from heat.
11. Add 1/2 cup wine to hot skillet.
12. Let stand until bubbling stops.
13. Add remaining wine.
14. Place skillet over medium-high heat; boil until reduced to 2 cups, scraping up bits, about 9 minutes. Tuck sage, shallots, garlic, and bay leaves among chicken quarters.
15. Sprinkle with pepper. Spoon wine mixture over.
16. Cover pan tightly with foil and bake chicken 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle olives over chicken. Baste with juices. Return to oven, uncovered, and continue baking until chicken is tender, basting 2 more times, about 35 minutes.
17. Transfer chicken, vegetables, and olives to platter.
18. Serve with pan juices.