Chicken Marbella

I’ve got a really special recipe for you today. Chicken Marbella is one of the most delicious baked chicken recipes you will ever eat. The secret is in the marination, and a bold combination of flavors including briny olives and capers, sweet prunes, and plenty of garlic!

So, have you ever heard of Chicken Marbella? If not, it’s the signature dish of the famous Silver Palate cookbook, written by Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso. They succeeded Julia Child as the food editor for Parade, so were a pretty big deal.

To me, this dish is a close relative to Chicken Tagine, as both incorporate olives and dried fruit. But Marbella also has some Italian influences, making it a beautiful fusion of both the north and south shores of the Mediterranean.

I like to serve Chicken Marbella to guests, it always impresses. That being said, it’s very easy to make, so it can also be your weeknight dinner. Just make sure to marinate it overnight for maximum flavor.

Ingredients Needed

• Chicken – I always use dark meat chicken for this recipe, specifically bone in, skin on cuts. Sometimes I’ll use just thighs, and sometimes I add some drumsticks to the mix.
• Extra virgin olive oil – The base of the marinade.
• Red wine vinegar – This gives some tang and acidity to the dish.
• Garlic – Yes, you read the recipe card right, a whole head. Don’t be shy with it.
• Green Olives – My preferred variety is Spanish castelvetrano, but you can try other types too.
• Prunes – The sweetness from these adds a wonderful contrast to the other ingredients.
• Capers – Another briny touch.
• Herbs and seasonings – Bay leaves, fresh oregano, salt and pepper.
• Dry white wine – A good tasting one, please. This goes in right before baking.
• Brown sugar – Sprinkled on top of the chicken before it goes in the oven. It caramelizes on the skin, adding a perfect final touch.

Easy Chicken Marbella Recipe

First I get the marinade going by mixing together olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, olives, prunes, capers, bay leaves, oregano, salt and pepper in a bowl.

Next, I place the chicken in a baking dish and pour the marinade all over. I use my hands to massage the marinade into the chicken, making sure to get the pieces are well coated and to get some of the marinade under the skin. I cover the dish with cling wrap and stick it in the fridge to marinate. I always try to aim for overnight, but in a pinch you can marinate it in the morning and cook in the evening.

When I’m ready to get cooking, I take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before baking and get the oven preheating to 350 degrees. I pour a little white wine into the dish and sprinkle some brown sugar on top of the chicken. This caramelizes while baking and adds a great final touch to the dish.

I bake the chicken for about 60-65 minutes, basting it with pan juices a few times while the chicken is cooking. Note that the USDA recommends 165°F internal temperature for safe eating, but I like my chicken fall off the bone tender, so I cook my dark meat to 185°F.

When it’s done cooking, I let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes, then serve it up (along with the pan juices) with crusty bread, rice or mashed potatoes.

Notes and Tips

• As I mentioned, I use dark meat chicken for this dish. But if you’re determined to use chicken breast, only cook it to 165 degrees. More than that and it can become dry and tough.
• Don’t be skimpy with the marination time. Please, no less than 4 hours, better yet overnight.
• The recipe scales well, so you can easily double it up to serve a big crowd. The original Silver Palate recipe calls for four quartered chickens!
• Leftovers can be refrigerated in a airtight container, or in the baking dish covered with cling wrap, for 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven or in a covered skillet on stovetop, over medium heat until warmed through.

So there you have it, friends, a classic dish that is well deserving of a place in the GypsyPlate kitchen. I hope you love it as much as we do.

If you try my take on this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment, we love to hear from you. And be sure to stay in the loop by subscribing to our newsletter or following us on Pinterest.

Chicken Marbella, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!

More Crowd Pleasing Chicken Dishes:
Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken
Chicken Vesuvio
Coca-Cola Chicken
Chicken Chasseur
Chicken Scarpariello
Marry Me Chicken
Pollo Guisado
Coq au Vin

Chicken Marbella

Yield: 6-8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Chicken Marbella is a signature dish from the famous Silver Palate cookbook, and features tender chicken baked with an out of this world delicious sauce. It's a great company meal that will always impress.

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Ingredients

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 head of garlic, minced
• ½ cup green olives
• ½ cup prunes
• ¼ cup capers
• 3 bay leaves
• ¼ cup fresh oregano
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 4 pounds dark meat chicken (bone in, skin on)
• ½ cup dry white wine
• ¼ cup brown sugar

Instructions

1. In a bowl, combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, olives, prunes, capers, bay leaves, oregano, salt and pepper. This is the marinade.
2. Arrange chicken pieces in a large baking dish, then add in prepared marinade. Toss until chicken is well coated. Cover with cling wrap and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
3. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking, and preheat the oven to 350°F.
4. Pour white wine into the baking dish and sprinkle the brown sugar atop the chicken pieces.
5. Bake, uncovered, for about 60-65 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 180-185°F when measured with a meat thermometer. Baste with pan juices a few times while the chicken is cooking.
6. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information

Yield 8 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 636Total Fat 40gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 29gCholesterol 290mgSodium 1156mgCarbohydrates 16gFiber 2gSugar 10gProtein 54g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.