Chicken Marbella
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One of the most popular dishes from the Silver Palate Cookbook, Chicken Marbella has been a family favorite for decades. Loved it back then; still love it now!
Chicken Marbella is probably the most famous recipe to come out of the beloved Silver Palate Cookbook by Julee Rosso and the late Sheila Lukins. Growing up, this dish was a regular at our family dinners, especially during Rosh Hashanah and Passover. To this day, my mom prepares it for special family gatherings. I hesitated to share this recipe initially, thinking many of you might already have it tucked away. But then it dawned on me that an entire new generation of home cooks might be unfamiliar with it. After all, the cookbook hit the shelves in 1982—and to put that in perspective, I was only 9 years old back then!
So, what makes Chicken Marbella so darn good? First off, the chicken itself is always tender and juicy. But more than anything, it’s in the unique Mediterranean flavor combination—a marinade of garlic and herbs, a savory-sweet wine gravy (which, I swear, is good enough to drink), and a mix of plump prunes, briny capers, and tangy green olives. It all comes together to make one gorgeous and memorable dish.
“I made this for my husband’s birthday dinner last night – THE MOST AMAZING CHICKEN ever!”
If you don’t have the Silver Palate Cookbook, a 25th-anniversary edition complete with photos was published a few years ago. The recipes are as relevant today as they were in the 1980s. In fact, my mother still keeps her original copy by the stove, with the Chicken Marbella page (among many others) dog-eared and scribbled on.
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Marbella
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a large bowl combine 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 chicken in a single layer in two 9 x 13-inch baking dishes and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour 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).
At this point, you can serve the chicken as is, especially if you plan to remove the skin. However, 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.)
With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken, prunes, olives, and capers to a serving platter. Add some of the pan juices and sprinkle generously with the parsley. Pass the remaining sauce on the side.
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Chicken Marbella
Ingredients
- 2 cut-up chickens, 2½ lbs (1.1 k) each, quartered, bone-in, skin-on (see note)
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 2¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ cup pitted prunes
- ¼ cup Spanish green olives
- ¼ cup capers, with a bit of juice
- 3 bay leaves
- ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
- ½ cup white wine
- 2 tablespoons 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 (175°C) and set two oven racks in the centermost positions.
- Arrange the marinated chicken in a single layer in two 9 x 13-in (23 x 33-cm) 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 in (13 cm) 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 at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I make the dish all the time & it’s always a hit!
One thing I do is add all the ingredients together including brown sugar and wine and let it marinate- it saves a step & i’ve tried it both ways and I haven’t noticed the difference. Always delicious! 😋
Really enjoyed this dish, made a couple of tweaks by adding more prunes and olives. Make the couscous with chicken stock.
Great for large numbers.
I served this for Easter dinner and it was delicious! Everyone loved it. I used some chicken with skin and some without.
Sounds absolutely delicious! I’m going to make this for Easter Sunday .
Thank you
I used about 6 lbs of chicken breasts and thighs. But the liquid marinade is not quite enough to touch all the chicken. What liquid should I add. Of course I haven’t added the wine yet; to do tomorrow when I bake the dish.
I just want to be sure I have enough marianade to pass around.
Hi Judith, I think I’m likely weighing in too late – I’m sorry! If, for some reason, you haven’t made it yet, I would increase all of the ingredients in the marinade a bit so the flavors are balanced.
Hi, Jenn! I love all your recipes, and I tell all my friends about your website! Your recipes are so easy and your instructions are super clear. Thank you for making me look like a good cook!
I am going to make your Chicken Marbella for our Passover Seder. I plan on using boneless skinless chicken thighs. We’re having 21 people, and I wonder how much chicken to buy. Should I triple the recipe, using about 10 thighs for each? Also, my husband is sensitve to fresh garlic, but he seems to tolerate garlic powder in recipes. Would that work?
Thank you in advance for your reply!
Happy Passover!!
Hi Gay, thanks for your kind words – so glad you like the recipes! I’d guesstimate that you’ll need about 12 to 12.5 pounds of chicken thighs for that number of people. If you are calculating it based on the number of thighs, I’d aim for around 42. That would ensure everyone has two thighs if they’d like. Considering you’re likely to have dulled your appetite by the time you get around to the chicken, you may end up having some leftovers. I hope everyone enjoys!
Can I make the chicken Marbella a day ahead ( and marinate over night) . Say on Thursday and reheat on Friday for dinner party?
Sure Judith, that’s fine. Enjoy!
Hi Jennifer! This recipe sounds amazing! Before I make it, what can I substitute for capers? Can I just use the caper “juice” not the actual capers? Thank you!
Hi Jaime, you can just omit the capers. Enjoy!
Can you use dried prunes?
Thank you,
Karen
Hi Karen, prunes and dry prunes are the same thing, so yes, that’s exactly what you need. Hope you enjoy!