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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Haven’t made this yet, and have just one question – can I use water instead of the wine?
Hi Nina, The wine adds a lot of flavor to this dish, but chicken broth will work as a substitute.
So many wonderful results shared and advice. Has anyone asked about boneless (!) for 8? Is it discouraged? How to adapt the cook time?
Hi Mary, If you’d like to use boneless chicken, I’d suggest thighs as they will be more moist. The bake time will be shorter — I’d guesstimate about 30 minutes give or take. Hope you enjoy!
I would like to make this for a dinner party. Is it possible to bake this the night before and reheat? Please advise. It is a foodie group of people.
Hi Franca, Yes this dish reheats nicely.
Made this for a holiday get together and everyone loved it! Added some medjoul dates with the prunes and used date syrup instead of the brown sugar. Used the leftover sauce on some boneless thighs the following day. Was so good I am making again for Christmas dinner! Yummy!
I am taking this fabulous dish for xmas day to family that is an hour away. I have frozen it before in the marinade without the brown sugar and wine. Ny question is: is there any reason that I can not cook this in disposable aluminum pans? I question this because of the vinegar and wine? I always use glass casseroles, but for ease of cleanup in someone else’s home, I would love to use throw aways.
Hi Joni, Good question. I think it would probably be fine, but I wouldn’t chance it, especially since it will have to sit in the pan for the drive. Better safe than sorry!
I am thinking of making this for the first time but with chicken thighs, how much chicken thighs do I need instead of the whole chicken. Thanks
Hi Colette, I’m not sure how many thighs it will be, but you’ll need about 5 pounds. Enjoy!
I made this dish with boneless skinless chicken thighs for a party of 25 and it was a HUGE hit. There were so many requests for the recipe. I was happy to refer them to your website and sing your praises!!!!!! thank you
How long was the cook time?
Hi Andreya, I decided to weigh in in case Anne doesn’t see this. I’d check them for doneness at 30 minutes. Hope you enjoy!
Another winner! This will go into the rotation.
Question: can I use skinless chicken instead? I will will use chicken with the bone-in, but wondered if removing the skin could work? Thank you.
Hi Vicki, I’d suggest cooking the chicken with the skin on and then removing it prior to serving. I think the chicken will be more flavorful that way.
This recipe was absolutely out of this world delicious Jen, thank you so much!!!
Could I used fish instead of chicken as I don’t eat a lot of meat or chicken?
Sue Holton
Hi Sue, Glad you liked it! Unfortunately, it wouldn’t translate well to fish.