The perfect Chicken recipe for Honduras

So, I have been looking for a good 'company' meal to make while here.  Last year we had a shrimp boil, but I just can't afford to do that too often and we want to have more people over.  I didn't have any time to go through my recipes before I left home so I grabbed two recipe books - my Honduran one and my church cookbook.  I am amazed at how few recipes I can make out of my church cookbook - wow...we North Americans rely on convenience foods like cream of ______ soups, crackers, salad dressings, etc etc.... I think I found 3 recipes in there I could possibly use...ha ha!!!  

But one hit me as the most perfect Honduran dinner.  COCO-COLA Chicken.  In the land where babies drink Coke from bottles, I thought it was completely appropriate!

I mentioned on facebook that I had it in the oven and several asked me to publish the recipe.  It's actually my Mother's recipe - sorry Mom I had totally forgotten about it.  But my entire family loved it (yes even my kids) and I'll be making it for company Monday night!

So here's the recipe

COCO-COLA CHICKEN

1 chicken cut up in pieces

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup ketchup

1 small (personal sized) bottle Coke

Put chicken in pan, salt and pepper to taste and pour the ketchup and Coke over.  Cover with foil and cook for 1 1/2 hours (at 350 for those of you who know the temp of your oven - ha ha).  Then uncover and cook another 30 min to brown chicken.  

I served over rice...it's a lot like a bbq chicken.  Would probably be good with some fresh garlic along with the salt and pepper but hubby has decided it's one of his new favorite foods the way it was.   Now I just need to think of some sides to go with it to serve to my Honduran friends.  Tonight I just did rice and homemade rolls.....hmm.....but will have to keep brainstorming on sides!!  If anyone has any great ideas, just let me know!

PS This evening I gave John Mark's friend Daniel a loaf of mango bread to take to his family. He ran it home and came back with a sister about the age of MaryKyle, Yessi.  The kids all headed outside to play after introductions and welcomes were made.  And outside there were 2 more sisters!!!  The kids played til dark and I have a feeling we better not linger in PJ's in the morning.