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A large casserole dish of chicken Marbella sist beside some fresh herbs and lemon.

Chicken Marbella

Byron
Chicken Marbella is a classic recipe from The Silver Palate Cookbook. Famous for the contrast between the prunes and capers, this chicken recipe is not to be missed!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
refrigerate (minimum) 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 55 minutes
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, Authentic Spanish recipe, Mediterranean, Spain
Servings 6 Main
Calories 393 kcal

Equipment

  • large mixing bowl
  • Garlic crusher
  • Plastic wrap
  • Casserole dish or baking tray
  • Tongs or slotted spoon

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup pitted prunes
  • 1/4 cup pitted Spanish green olives
  • 1/4 cup capers with a bit of juice
  • 3 large bay leaves or 6 small
  • ½-1 head of garlic peeled.
  • 1/8 cup dried oregano
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 5 lb 2.25 kg chicken pieces with skin and bone
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 2-3 tablespoons of fresh flat-leaf parsley or fresh cilantro finely chopped (for garnish)

Instructions
 

Day 1 - Prepare and Marinate Chicken Pieces

  • Add the olive oil, vinegar, prunes, olives, capers and juice, bay leaves, garlic, oregano, and salt and pepper to a large bowl and mix well.
    1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup pitted prunes, 1/4 cup pitted Spanish green olives, 1/4 cup capers with a bit of juice, 3 large bay leaves, ½-1 head of garlic, 1/8 cup dried oregano, Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Put the chicken in your casserole dish and coat the pieces with the sauce.
    5 lb 2.25 kg chicken pieces with skin and bone
  • Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.

Day 2 - Cook Chicken and Serve

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.
  • Remove the chicken from the fridge, sprinkle brown sugar over the chicken pieces, and pour the white wine around them.
    1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • Add the chicken to the oven and baste every 20 minutes with the pan juices, until the chicken is cooked (50 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the cuts of chicken and size).
  • Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken, prunes, olives, and capers directly to plates or a serving platter. Add some of the pan juice to each piece of chicken and sprinkle with parsley or cilantro (or optionally, serve on the side).
    2-3 tablespoons of fresh flat-leaf parsley or fresh cilantro
  • Pour or spoon the rest of the pan juice into a sauce dish to add as you like.

Video

Notes

Cooking Notes:

  • The original recipe uses ½ a head of garlic for the quantity we made. If you love garlic, like we do, throw a whole head in. You can also cut down on the brown sugar if you want it to be healthier but the sweet and tangy contrast is a flavor sensation. 
  • You can use a whole chicken and cut it into pieces or use chicken breasts, chicken drumsticks, or chicken quarters. You choose!
Keyword 1 hours recipe, baked Chicken, Bone-in Chicken, Capers, Casserole, chicken, Chicken Marbella, one-pot, one-pot recipe, Prunes