Easy Chicken Marbella

Chicken Marbella is an exquisite chicken recipe made with prunes and olives, vinegar and oregano and all marinated overnight. Honestly? It’s amazing how simple ingredients create a dish so remarkable. Totally out of this world!

This post may contain affiliate links of which I may or may not be paid a small commission at no cost to you.

Chicken Marbella achieves perfect results with such little effort. It never lets me down!

I’ve been making this classic recipe since I bought the original Silver Palate cookbook by Julee Rosso and the late Sheila Lukins in 1982.

Why I Love Easy Chicken Marbella

This Chicken Marbella recipe is iconic and one of the most popular recipes from the cookbook.

Marinated overnight, this recipe is as simple as combining some seasonings, prunes, olives, and capers in a one-gallon zip lock bag along with the chicken pieces. 

Place in the fridge overnight and the next night, place everything in a roasting pan and you have an amazing dinner.

You can’t go wrong with this original recipe. The best thing about it is it’s easy to prep ahead of time and you just bake the next day. 

I’ve made this Silver Palate Recipe for Shabbat, Passover, and Rosh Hashanah, for special family dinners, dinner parties, and for my own personal consumption.

It is that good.

​Everyone who has tried this dish loves it. They will also think you’ve slaved in the kitchen, but we will let this simple recipe be our secret, eh?

This delicious chicken recipe is worth the hype. There aren’t many recipes that are so simple and yet have so much flavor. 

I run into people years later and they still remember the dinner with Chicken Marbella that they had at my house!

Tips For Making Easy Chicken Marbella

​The prunes contribute the sweet, and the olives and capers, the salt. This unique combination creates a perfect balance of sweet and savory. 

Want to change it up a bit? Substitute dates or apricots for the prunes.

When it comes to olives, there are so many choices. 

Years ago there were no such things as olive bars and now my regular grocer has so many choices.

This time I added citrus olives in chiles and oh my, the brine is so good I could drink it. 

I didn’t even add the capers, I just used more olives and added the olive brine instead of the caper juice.

Try not to skimp on the marinating time as this not only keeps the chicken moist, it also amps up the taste! 

For best results, use a dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio.

​Chicken is cooked when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thighs reads 165 degrees F. 

This recipe calls for 2.5 lb chickens. If your grocer is like mine, these are hard to find. I often cut my breasts into two pieces and try not to marinate more than 5 lbs at a time.

I use large gallon-sized resealable bags to marinate the chicken.

If it’s your first time making easy chicken Marbella, this a super easy process. 

Easy Chicken Marbella Ingredients

• 2 chickens, approx. 2 and 1/2 lbs each: Cut whole chicken into pieces or use skin-on cut up chicken for convenience. I have also used chicken breasts cut into large chunks or boneless chicken thighs.
• Garlic: Peeled and minced or thinly sliced  
• Dried oregano: For a hint of earthy, minty flavor. Dried can be replaced with 6 T of fresh oregano.
• Coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper 
• Red wine vinegar:  Vinegar adds balance to the flavors and also helps tenderize. Apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, or sherry vinegar can be substituted but will change the flavor of the dish. 
• Pitted prunes: Sweet prunes add a deep, rich flavor to the marinade and add to the salty sweet flavor. Substitutions?  Apricots, dates or raisins.
• Pitted Spanish (green) olives: I like the ones in the deli with the garlic slivers inside. They add a salty tang and brininess to the dish which complements the sweetness of the prunes. 
• Capers: Add a briny, salty, savory flavor 
• Bay leaves​
• Olive oil

Before Baking Add:

• Brown sugar: Rounds out the savory notes and helps the chicken brown
• White wine: It brightens and lifts the other flavors in the dish. You can use low-sodium chicken broth as a substitute, 
• Fresh cilantro: or Italian Parsley for garnish and flavor

How To Make Easy Chicken Marbella

• Prepare the Marinade: Up to 24 hours ahead, combine chicken with garlic, oregano, salt and pepper, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers with juice, and bay leaves in a large bowl. Mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight. This can also be done in a large ziplock bag.
• Preheat the oven: Place the oven rack in the center position and preheat to 350 degrees.
• Place in pan: Arrange chicken on sheet pan in single layer. Sprinkle chicken with brown sugar and white wine and place in preheated oven.
• Bake chicken: Bake for 50 minutes to an hour or until the chicken is golden brown. As the chicken roasts, baste occasionally.
• Remove from oven and serve: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken, prunes, olives, and capers to a serving platter. Sprinkle with parsley or cilantro. Serve hot or at room temperature with your favorite sides. 

FAQ’s

Easy chicken Marbella is a gorgeous and memorable dish. 

It’s the perfect party, potluck, and easy family dish.  

It can be served at room temperature, improves over time, and can be made with boneless breasts or thighs for a buffet. 

If you want the house to smell great make this recipe. 

I promise everyone will come running and their taste buds will thank you. 

This easy chicken Marbella, with its big bold flavors, is definitely one of my favorite recipes to cook and eat!

​One bite and they will ask when you are making it again!

Other Silver Palate Recipes:

Braised Chicken with Apples and Sausage

Pecan Bars

Pesto Breakfast Strata

Recipe

Print