This Chicken Marbella recipe keeps the bold, sweet-and-briny flavors of the original, but uses chicken thighs for a simpler, more reliable result, and is perfect for making ahead. No butchering required, but all of the amazing flavor of olives, capers, garlic, prunes, and white wine included!
The Best Roasted Chicken – A Classic for a Reason!
Chicken Marbella is a recipe that dates back to 1985, when it was published in The Silver Palate Cookbook, a classic that is still a favorite of home cooks everywhere.
It’s a rich and flavorful roast chicken dish with an unexpected (but balanced and amazing) sweet and tangy flavor that quickly became a reliable staple of the 1980’s dinner party.
I first heard about this recipe via Ina Garten, and I just knew that I had to try it! I picked up the 2017 edition of the Silver Palate Cookbook and got to work. The recipes in this cookbook are made for the home cook but include elevated ingredients and flavors. Many, like this recipe, include Italian or Mediterranean flair.
The version of Chicken Marbella that I’m sharing with you is the original Silver Palate recipe, but I’ve scaled it down a bit to make it a bit more manageable for family dinners. Instead of two whole chickens cut into pieces, you can make this dish with a package of bone-in chicken thighs.
The best plan is to marinate everything in one dish, cover it, and refrigerate it overnight for deep flavor. Plan on baking it the next day for the perfect make-ahead meal.
Ingredient Notes
Every ingredient in this baked chicken marinade is important, as they all work together flawlessly to create a balanced sweet-savory flavor.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Prunes: Maybe an odd ingredient to find in a baked chicken recipe, but the prunes add a deep, rich sweetness to the sauce. Once baked, the juicy prunes are my favorite bites!
- Olives and Capers: Choose good-quality pitted green olives (not the type with the pimento stuffing). I like to buy Italian Castelvetrano olives, but Spanish olives or plain cocktail olives will work just as well. You’ll also need a small jar of capers for their salty, briny bite. Keep the brine of the capers in the marinade, but discard the brine from the olives.
- Garlic: There is kind of an insane amount of garlic in this recipe: 8 whole cloves, minced. Don’t worry, it’s not a typo; the amount of garlic is intentional.
- White Wine: When choosing a white wine to cook with, look for a dry white wine that you’d enjoy drinking, but don’t worry about buying anything expensive. The flavor of the wine will intensify as it cooks down.
Tip!
Don’t skip the prunes! They are key to balancing the salty and tangy ingredients in the dish. Without them the flavors will be off.
Why Chicken Thighs are Better Here
I’m choosing to use bone-in chicken thighs rather than chicken pieces for a few reasons.
First, they cook quickly, and will all cook at the same rate.
Second, thighs are very forgiving, definitely more so than breasts. It’s nearly impossible to overcook them, and they’ll stay juicy after the long baking time.
Lastly, butchering chickens takes extra time, and the cleanup is not my favorite. Packaged bone-in thighs are just easier.
How Long to Marinate Chicken Marbella
You can technically bake the chicken thighs after marinating them for an hour or so, but I strongly recommend that you take the time to marinate them in the fridge overnight.
During the long marinating time, the chicken will absorb the flavors all the way through, not just on the outside.
As a bonus, an overnight marinade basically makes this a make-ahead meal! Put everything together the night before, and then just pop it in the oven the next day when it’s almost dinner time.
What To Serve With Chicken Marbella
Because this chicken is so flavorful, your side dishes can be a little less complicated. I suggest creamy mashed potatoes or steamed rice to catch the pan sauce.
Some crusty bread or fluffy homemade dinner rolls would also be amazing.
For dessert, try a classic cake like you might find in the Silver Palate Cookbook. My carrot cake and apple cake recipes are not entirely based on those recipes, but are similar enough, while you wait for your own copy to arrive!
Want to Make the Original Version?
It’s easy to turn this simplified chicken marbella thighs recipe into the one from the cookbook!
Instead of chicken thighs, use two whole chickens, cut into pieces. Double the marinade ingredients, and marinate and bake the dish in a large roasting pan.
Made this way, you can serve 10-12 people for dinner! If you’re just cooking for your family, I suggest you stick with my chicken thighs version instead.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Chicken Marbella
Equipment
- 9 x 13 inch baking dish
- Tongs
- Instant read thermometer, optional
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
- ¼ cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 4 ounces (113 g) capers with brine
- ¾ cup (115 g) pitted green olives drained
- 1 cup (160 g) prunes
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 pounds (900 g) bone in, skin on chicken thighs
- ½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
Instructions
- In a 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, capers with their brine, green olives, prunes, minced garlic, kosher salt, ground black pepper, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
- Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat well in the marinade.
- Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight and up to 24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Remove the plastic wrap from the dish.
- Pour the white wine into the dish around the chicken. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches 175°F to 185°F (79°C to 85°C) in the thickest part.
- Spoon the pan juices over the chicken and serve warm with the prunes, olives, and capers.
Notes:
- Do not skip the prunes. They balance the salty and tangy ingredients and are a big part of why this dish works so well.
- You can marinate the chicken for as little as one hour, but overnight will give the best flavor.
- Serve over mashed potatoes or rice to catch the pan sauce.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. The flavors will get even better with time!
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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