Chicken Marbella Recipe
Inspired by the iconic Silver Palate dish, this Chicken Marbella recipe delivers tender, marinated chicken, baked to perfection. Topped with a drizzle of pan sauce and fresh parsley, it's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that's both elegant and easy to make. TIP: We use 2 9x13 pans to spread it out (or baking sheets).
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 cup pitted prunes, or more, I add about 1 1/2 cups
- ¾ cup pitted Spanish green olives
- ½ cup capers, a 2-ounce jar, with 1 teaspoon of the juice
- 6 bay leaves
- 1 head of garlic, peeled and puréed
- ¼ cup dried oregano
- 2 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
- 3 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into smaller pieces
- 1 cup dry white wine
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Serve on mashed potatoes!
Equipment
Instructions
- Combine the oil, vinegar, prunes, olives, capers, caper juice, bay leaves, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl or container.
- Add the chicken to the marinade and toss to fully coat.
- Cover the bowl and transfer to the fridge to marinade overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Divide the marinated chicken pieces between two shallow baking pans in a single layer. (Or you can use 2 9x13 baking dishes)
- Spoon the marinade over and around the chicken in each pan, followed by the wine (divided).
- Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the chicken and bake for 20 minutes, then baste the chicken with the pan juices.
- Continue to bake the chicken for another 25-30 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Remove the cooked chicken from the oven and transfer to a serving platter.
- Spoon prunes, olives, capers, and some sauce from the baking pans on and around the chicken, then garnish with finely chopped parsley or cilantro.
- Pour the remaining sauce into a small serving jug and serve alongside the chicken marbella, wiht a bowl of mashed potatoes.
Notes
Sandy’s tips and substitutions:
- Storage: Store leftover chicken marbella in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Once cooled, portion the chicken pieces into airtight containers and freeze for up to 2–3 months with any remaining sauce. Thaw overnight in the fridge to reheat before serving again.
- Serve with: Paula Deen's Mashed Potatoes, roasted veg, or pasta in advance. Microwave rice packets save a lot of time!
- Different cuts of chicken: This recipe works well with chicken breasts, but you could try it with chicken thighs too for a richer flavor. Make sure to adjust your cooking time depending on what you choose to use. (Chicken breasts cook faster than thighs! TIP: Try to cut the chicken breasts into uniform pieces so that they cook evenly at the same rate.
- Use the correct size baking pans: You’ll need two 9x13-inch baking pans to comfortably fit the chicken pieces in a single layer. Smaller pans won’t work unless you halve the recipe.
- Marinate time: If you’re in a rush you can marinade the chicken for 3-4 hours, although it’s best to plan ahead and allow the chicken pieces to marinate overnight or even up to a day for the best flavor and texture.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 422kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 43g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 127mg, Sodium: 1453mg, Potassium: 982mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 29g, Vitamin A: 358IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 81mg, Iron: 2mg