Chicken Marbella
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!
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!