Chicken Marbella Recipe (2024)

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posted by Amy Johnsonon April 6, 2020 (updated Sep 14, 2021) 20 comments »

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Salty and sweet ingredients combine in the fabulously famous Chicken Marbella to create an oh so satisfying dish that is quite perfect for any dinner party.

Chicken Marbella is aSpanish-inspired roasted chicken dish that is afavorite from the The Silver Palate Cookbook. This chicken dish is elevated to another place altogether with what may seem to be an unusual combination of prunes, olive, capers and brown sugar. But, take it from me, the result is anything but unusual.

Briny, tangy capers and olives play nicely with the bit of sweetness from prunes and brown sugar. Salty and sweet always work so nicely together, don’t you think? In addition to the capers, olives, prunes and brown sugar, in goes olive oil, red wine vinegar, bay leaves, garlic, oregano, rosemary (in this version) and white wine to round out the list of ingredients to make this one of the most wonderful (and easy) chicken dishes.

Preparation is easy. Really. Begin by marinating chicken pieces in a combination of olive oil, white wine vinegar, prunes, olives, capers, bay leaves, garlic, oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper for about six hours. Next, arrange the chicken in a single layer in a baking dish. Pour the marinade over the top, then sprinkle the chicken pieces with a bit of brown sugar. Finish by baking it in a 350-degree F oven until the chicken is done. It takes about 50-60 minutes. Once done, serve the chicken along with the prunes and olives. Garnish with fresh parsley for a nice touch of green and dig in!

I think you’ll be most pleased with this delightful satisfying chicken dish. Chicken Marbella is a perfect main entree for any special occasion. It pairs nicely with roasted potatoes and steamed vegetables, or a big green salad. Enjoy!

More easy chicken dinner recipes you will enjoy:

  • Honey Mustard Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe
  • Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Cream Sauce Recipe
  • Balsamic Basil Peach Chicken Recipe
  • Chicken and Rice Recipe
  • Chicken Marsala Recipe
  • Buttermilk Chicken Recipe

Chicken Marbella Recipe

Chicken Marbella Recipe (3)

Chicken Marbella

Yield: 6-8

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

A delicious dish of chicken roasted with capers, olives, and prunes that makes a perfect entree for any special occasion yet easy enough for any night of the week.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 cup pitted prunes
  • 1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives
  • 1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice
  • 6 bay leaves
  • 10 cloves of garlic, grated (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon dried crushed rosemary*
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 4-4 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces, skin on, trimmed
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine olive oil, redwine vinegar, prunes, olives, capers and juice, bay leaves, garlic, oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper. Add the chicken and gently toss to coat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 6 hours.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F.
  3. In a large braising or baking pan, arrange chicken in a single layer, skin up. Pour marinade, (along with the prunes, olive and capers) and wine over chicken; sprinkle chicken pieces evenly with brown sugar.
  4. Bake uncovered at 350-degrees F. Cook until chicken is done, about 50-60 minutes, baste a couple of times with pan juices during cooking.
  5. Serve chicken along with prunes, olives and capers with a drizzling of pan juices; topped with chopped fresh parsley.** Serve any remaining juices on the side.

Notes

*The original recipe calls for 1/4 cup of dried oregano. For no other reason than I only had 2 tablespoon of oregano, I adjusted the recipe to 2 tablespoons of dried oregano, and added 1 tablespoon of rosemary, an herb traditionally used in Spanish cuisine.

**If crisper chicken is desired, place chicken pieces on a baking sheet and place under the broiler to crisp, about 2-5minutes.

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originally published on April 6, 2020 (last updated Sep 14, 2021)

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Chicken Marbella Recipe (8)

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20 comments on “Chicken Marbella Recipe”

  1. Robyn Stone | Add a PinchReply

    Oh my gracious, Amy, this looks absolutely delicious! A little sweet, a little savory and a lot scrumptious!!! xo

  2. DawnReply

    What would be good to serve with it?

  3. LaurieReply

    Amy.
    Do you have any more recipes from Spain?
    My husband traveled their for work and he loved the food. But I haven’t had much luck finding recipes.

    • Amy Johnson

      Thank you for asking, but I’m sorry, no I don’t. By the way, this recipe did not originate in Spain. It was inspired by Spain and created by Sheila Lukins of The Silver Palate.

  4. HollyReply

    In the directions it says to add white wine vinegar but in the ingredients it states red wine vinegar and dry white wine. Do I add both in step 1?

    • Amy Johnson

      Thank you for pointing that out to me, Holly. It was a typo on my part. It has been fixed to read correctly, which is to add the “red wine vinegar.” The white wine is added later in the recipe.

  5. sandiReply

    would this work in the crockpot? # of hours?

    • Amy Johnson

      Although I’ve never made this in a slow cooker, it should work if you first prep stovetop then transfer to a slow cooker. I do not know how many hours.

  6. KimReply

    Do you think you could freeze this?

    • Amy Johnson

      I’ve never frozen this or other roasted chicken dishes. If you do want to try freezing this, I do not recommend freezing chicken on the bone. If you’d like to freeze, better results would be achieved by removing the meat from the bone before freezing.

  7. AndreaReply

    What do you serve on the side?

    • Amy Johnson

      A green salad or roasted vegetables would be nice.

  8. MargoReply

    My son was married Easter weekend, and we had a big group staying at our house! I prepared the meat, put it in the marinade in big zip locks in the freezer, standing up bags for leaking. It was easy on the day of, and the taste was awesome!

  9. JenReply

    I make the chicken and marinade, and stir in the freezer in a ziplock freezer bag. It works great. Then defrost and cook. It’s a great way to make the prep a bit quicker!

  10. SabrinaReply

    well thank you for this recipe! Love capers and olives and my little jar of capers in my refrigerator is just sitting there unopened in way too long, so time for me to defrost some chicken, thank you!

  11. Karen CutlerReply

    It was just wonderfully. I put it over white rice. Ate it all and Jake (my dog, licked it clean!). Thanks for the tip for freezing the cooked chicken. Remove the bone. Thanks again fir a great dinner!

  12. JayceeReply

    It sounds like you don’t cook the prunes and olives, but add them after the chicken is cooked. But they’d been marinated with raw chicken, so that can’t be right, either. Do you cook them?

    • Amy Johnson

      Hello, Jaycee! The prunes and olives are cooked along with the chicken. I can see how I did not make that clear in the recipe. I will edit the recipe to make that more clear. Thank you for pointing that out.

  13. Angeline F EarnestReply

    This is an amazing dish! About to cook it for the 10th time. We had it for a gathering of 30+ and it was a huge hit! Just stopping by to say thank you😊

Leave a comment »

Chicken Marbella Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is Chicken Marbella made of? ›

In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, prunes, olives, capers and juice, bay leaves, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat. Refrigerate overnight. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

What sides go well with Chicken Marbella? ›

Chicken Marbella Side Dishes

From couscous and mashed potatoes to broccolini and sauteed carrots, you'll find complementary dishes that are special-occasion worthy.

What kind of wine goes with Chicken Marbella? ›

If you'd like to enjoy a glass of wine with your chicken Marbella, try serving it with a fruity rosé such as Grenache/Garnacha or Sangiovese. A light-bodied red Grenache, Pinot Noir, or Beaujolais would pair well for reds, and if you prefer white wine, opt for an off-dry Riesling.

What to serve with ina garten chicken in Marbella? ›

What to Serve with Chicken Marbella (15 Side Dishes That Go Well With It)
  1. Healthy Israeli cherry salad. ...
  2. Italian Green Bean Salad with Potatoes. ...
  3. Fresh & Flavorful Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad. ...
  4. Crispy Parmesan Asparagus with Garlic Butter. ...
  5. Garlic Parmesan Roasted Artichoke.
Apr 23, 2023

Why is Chicken Marbella so 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.

Why is it called Chicken Marbella? ›

Despite the name, chicken Marbella is a creation from 1970s New York City while the name is actually a nod to the ingredients and the influence the Mediterranean country had on the dish's creator.

What food is Marbella known for? ›

Given its privileged location by the sea, it's no surprise that fish and seafood feature prominently in Marbella's gastronomy. Restaurants in the area offer a wide variety of fresh fish, from sardines and anchovies to sea bass and sea bream, Prepared in a variety of ways to satisfy all tastes.

How much is a glass of wine in Marbella? ›

My fish dish costs 10 euros and a glass of wine is 2 euros. This is moderately priced and is not expensive for the quality of the place and food. There are beach chiringuitos that cost less. So Marbella is not expensive unless you go to the most famous restaurants, where you will pay through the nose for a meal.

What wine tastes best with chicken? ›

Dark Meat – As a general rule, white meat such as chicken or turkey breast pairs well with white wines like Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, while dark meat like duck and other game go well with medium-bodied red wines such as Pinot Noir or Zinfandel.

What is the best wine to serve with chicken? ›

Because of the char and smoky flavors that infuse the meat, you can go for wines that have seen some new oak, including Chardonnays and some California Pinot Noirs. If the chicken is rubbed with lots of herbs — like rosemary and thyme — rosé or lightly chilled, juicy Spanish Garnacha is a good bet.

What appetizer goes with chicken Marbella? ›

Stuffed Mushrooms. A simple stuffed mushroom appetizer isn't too filling and signals good things to come. It's the perfect starter for an occasion where Chicken Marbella is the star. They have complementary flavors to the Mediterranean-inspired main dish.

What sauce does Ina Garten use? ›

Asking a pro chef this question could be insulting, but Garten has always been honest about her use of quality store-bought ingredients, which is one of the reasons she's developed such a cult following. In response to Kathy, Garten simply responded, "That's easy! Rao's Marinara Sauce."

What does Ina Garten eat every day? ›

Ina Garten's Daily 2-Ingredient Breakfast

“I pretty much have toast and coffee for breakfast,” Garten told Julia Louis Dreyfus on an episode of “Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus” when asked what her typical “eating day” looks like. “And the toast has to have good French butter on it with shaved sea salt.”

What appetizer goes with Chicken Marbella? ›

Stuffed Mushrooms. A simple stuffed mushroom appetizer isn't too filling and signals good things to come. It's the perfect starter for an occasion where Chicken Marbella is the star. They have complementary flavors to the Mediterranean-inspired main dish.

Why is raw chicken in Spain yellow? ›

The characteristic yellow colour of the Coren Pollo de Coral free-range chicken comes from the daily intake of corn. The characteristic yellow colour of the Coren Pollo de Corral free-range chicken comes from the daily intake of corn. The chickens are bred in farms with at least 1 m2 of available space per bird.

How many carbs are in Chicken Marbella? ›

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
438Calories
27gFat
15gCarbs
34gProtein
Oct 15, 2023

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