#Dining – Chicken Marbella

A nostalgic classic, chicken Marbella is the weeknight dinner we just can’t forget about. One of the most recognizable recipes from The Silver Palate Cookbook, it’s no surprise that this dish has remained a favorite since the 1970s. The real star of the show here is the marinade. Dotted with prunes, olives, capers, and herbs, this sweet and briny marinade results in tender, incredibly flavorful chicken that’s sure to impress at any dinner party or date night.

The briny marinade.

The most signature part of this dish has to be the complex, sweet-briny marinade that flavors our chicken. With prunes, olives, capers, and herbs, this marinade might seem surprising, but trust us—the result is a flavor-packed chicken that we just can’t get enough of.

Tip: Marinate for at least 2-6 hours. You can even prep this the day before and let it marinate for a full night beforehand to pack even more flavor into our chicken.

The prunes.

One of the signature aspects of this dish are the prunes. If you haven’t had them before, try them out! Cooked prunes taste much different than any dried prunes you may have hesitantly snacked on in the past. If you really hate them, swap them out for dried apricots instead.

The chicken.

We used bone-in, skin-on chicken in this recipe, but if you prefer boneless skinless thighs, feel free to use them instead! Fair warning: the absence of bones means the chicken will cook a bit faster, so keep an eye on them.

What to serve with chicken Marbella.

This main is delicious served atop rice, potatoes, or even egg noodles. If you’re looking for side dishes, you can’t go wrong loading your plate up with grilled balsamic mushrooms, mashed potatoes, or roasted artichokes.

YIELDS:

6 serving(s)

PREP TIME:

20 mins

TOTAL TIME:

3 hrs 45 mins

CAL/SERV:

1372

Ingredients

1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 c. red wine vinegar

1 c. large pitted prunes

1 c. large green olives, pitted

1/2 c. capers

8 bay leaves

1 head garlic, cloves separated, crushed, and skins removed

3 tbsp. dried oregano

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

6 lb. bone-in skin-on chicken pieces

1 c. dry white wine

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

2 tbsp. cold butter, cubed

1/2 small bunch parsley, roughly chopped

Directions

Step 1

In a large bowl, mix together oil, vinegar, prunes, olives, capers, bay leaves, garlic, oregano, 2 tablespoons salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper. Add chicken to marinade and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Transfer to the refrigerator and marinate for 2 to 6 hours, tossing mixture every few hours to ensure even marination.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 350°. Transfer chicken and marinade to a large roasting pan. Pour wine all over and sprinkle brown sugar over chicken.

Step 3

Bake chicken, basting every 20 minutes with pan juices, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 150°, 50 to 60 minutes total.

Step 4

Increase oven to 500° and roast until chicken skin is deeply golden, about 15 minutes.

Step 5

Remove chicken, olives, and prunes onto a platter and cover loosely with foil. Transfer pan juices to a medium saucepan. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat and let reduce by half, about 6 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and whisk in cold butter and parsley.

Step 6

Serve chicken with a drizzle of pan juice reduction.