Chicken Marbella is a savory-sweet Mediterranean-inspired dish made famous by the Silver Palate Cookbook. It features chicken marinated with prunes, olives, capers, garlic, and herbs, then roasted to golden perfection with white wine and a touch of brown sugar. The result is tender, juicy chicken with a rich, tangy-sweet pan sauce that feels both rustic and elegant – perfect for a dinner party or a comforting family meal.
Chicken Marbella
Ingredients
- 5 pounds whole chickens, quartered, bone-in, skin-on
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- 2-1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup pitted prunes
- 1/4 cup Spanish green olives
- 1/4 cup capers, with a bit of juice
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 2 tbsp freshly chopped Italian parsley
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine the garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers with caper juice, and bay leaves. Add the chicken pieces and coat completely with the marinade (use your hands to rub marinade all over and especially under the skin). Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set two oven racks in the centermost positions.
- Arrange the marinated chicken in a single layer in two 9 x 13-inch baking dishes and spoon the marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with the brown sugar and pour the white wine around them.
- Bake for about 1 hour, basting occasionally with the pan juices. The chicken is done when the thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest point, yield clear yellow juice (not pink).
- With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken, prunes, olives, and capers to a serving platter (discard the bay leaves). Add some of the pan juices and sprinkle generously with the parsley. Pass the remaining sauce in a gravy boat. (Alternatively, if you prefer a crisper, browner skin, transfer the chicken pieces to a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 5 inches from the heating element for a few minutes, or until the skin is golden and crisp; keep a close eye on it so it doesn't burn. Then proceed to serve as above.) Serve the chicken hot or room temperature.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!