Greek Garlic Chicken

2 whole chickens, cut into eighths

2 yellow onions, cut into large chunks

2 lemons

12-16 sprigs fresh oregano

8 cloves fresh garlic, halved

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

½ cup olive oil

1 cup kosher white wine

2 cups pitted Kalamata olives, plus more for garnish

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Arrange the chicken pieces in single layers, skin-side-up, into two 9-by-13-inch baking pans. Add the onion chunks.

Slice the lemons in half lengthwise. Squeeze the lemon halves over the chicken, then cut each half into 4 pieces and add to the pans.

Set aside 4 sprigs of oregano, then strip the leaves from the rest. Scatter the leaves and the stripped sprigs over the chicken.

Scatter the garlic between the chicken parts, then season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with the oil and wine. Coarsely chop about 1½ cups of the olives, then sprinkle them over the chicken.

Bake, uncovered, for 45-60 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and no longer pink, or a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 180 degrees.

Transfer to a platter and garnish with remaining whole olives and reserved oregano sprigs.

Serves six to eight.

"Passover By Design" by Susie Fishbein (2008 Art Scroll Shaar Press, $34.99)