Chicken Marbella
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
One of the most popular dishes from the Silver Palate Cookbook, Chicken Marbella has been a family favorite for decades. Loved it back then; still love it now!
Chicken Marbella is probably the most famous recipe to come out of the beloved Silver Palate Cookbook by Julee Rosso and the late Sheila Lukins. Growing up, this dish was a regular at our family dinners, especially during Rosh Hashanah and Passover. To this day, my mom prepares it for special family gatherings. I hesitated to share this recipe initially, thinking many of you might already have it tucked away. But then it dawned on me that an entire new generation of home cooks might be unfamiliar with it. After all, the cookbook hit the shelves in 1982 — and to put that in perspective, I was only 9 years old back then!
So, what makes Chicken Marbella so darn 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. It all comes together to make one gorgeous and memorable dish.
Table of Contents
“I made this for my husband’s birthday dinner last night – THE MOST AMAZING CHICKEN ever!”
If you don’t have the Silver Palate Cookbook, a 25th-anniversary edition complete with photos was published a few years ago. The recipes are as relevant today as they were in the 1980s. In fact, my mother still keeps her original copy by the stove, with the Chicken Marbella page (among many others) dog-eared and scribbled on.
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Marbella
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a large bowl combine garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers with caper juice, and bay leaves. Add the chicken pieces and coat completely with the marinade (use your hands to rub marinade all over and especially under the skin). Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and set two oven racks in the centermost positions. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in two 9 x 13-inch baking dishes and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.
Bake for about 1 hour, basting occasionally with the pan juices. The chicken is done when the thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest point, yield clear yellow juice (not pink).
At this point, you can serve the chicken as is, especially if you plan to remove the skin. However, if you prefer a crisper, browner skin, transfer the chicken pieces to a foil-lined baking sheet.
Broil 5 inches from the heating element for a few minutes, or until the skin is golden and crisp; keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn. Then proceed to serve as above.)
With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken, prunes, olives, and capers to a serving platter. Add some of the pan juices and sprinkle generously with the parsley. Pass the remaining sauce on the side.
You May Also Like
Chicken Marbella
One of the most popular dishes from the Silver Palate Cookbook, Chicken Marbella has been a family favorite for decades. Loved it back then; still love it now!
Ingredients
- 2 cut-up chickens, 2½ pounds each, quartered, bone-in, skin-on (see note)
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 2¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ cup pitted prunes
- ¼ cup Spanish green olives
- ¼ cup capers, with a bit of juice
- 3 bay leaves
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup white wine
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped Italian parsley
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine the garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers with caper juice, and bay leaves. Add the chicken pieces and coat completely with the marinade (use your hands to rub marinade all over and especially under the skin). Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set two oven racks in the centermost positions.
- Arrange the marinated chicken in a single layer in two 9 x 13-inch baking dishes and spoon the marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with the brown sugar and pour the white wine around them.
- Bake for about 1 hour, basting occasionally with the pan juices. The chicken is done when the thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest point, yield clear yellow juice (not pink).
- With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken, prunes, olives, and capers to a serving platter (discard the bay leaves). Add some of the pan juices and sprinkle generously with the parsley. Pass the remaining sauce in a gravy boat. (Alternatively, if you prefer a crisper, browner skin, transfer the chicken pieces to a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 5 inches from the heating element for a few minutes, or until the skin is golden and crisp; keep a close eye on it so it doesn't burn. Then proceed to serve as above.) Serve the chicken hot or room temperature.
- Note: You can substitute all white or dark meat depending on what your family likes. I've also seen appetizer versions made entirely with small drumsticks and wings.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 821
- Fat: 50 g
- Saturated fat: 12 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Sugar: 18 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 62 g
- Sodium: 963 mg
- Cholesterol: 280 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Made this for 40+ for Christmas dinner. Used boneless thighs and breasts. Reheated nicely. This is a winner! Everyone loved!
Can you marinade this for two days before cooking?
Sure, Mary. Enjoy!
The only change I made was using boneless chicken and it was still juicy and delicious. Definitely a recipe to make again. The clear and concise directions made the recipe easy to follow.
All i can tell you is you are the best. I’ve tested a lot of your recipes. They’re all perfectly good! I’m not very sure if this is stupid question. Can i use dates instead of prunes for chicken Marbela? Im just being lazy go back out. Thank you for advance
Hi Ludi, I think dates would work. And glad you like the recipes. 🙂
Hello Jenn, Plan to make the recipe this weekend. Reading your reviews several people mentioned re heating which would be perfect for me. I always cook and serve. What is the best way to re heat this dish ? Cover with foil, what temperature and for how long ???
Canada loves your recipes!
Great thank you.
Yvonne
Hi Yvonne, Yes I’d cover with foil and reheat in a 300°F oven til warmed through (I’m guessing about 30 min).
HI Jenn,
This looks great. I am cooking for about 40 people (seder) and am thinking of making this as one of three entrees (your onion braised brisket being one of them). How much of this should I make? A Triple Recipe? More? Also, will this freeze?
Hi Steve, it depends upon how much other food you will have, but if you will have two additional main dishes, tripling this should be enough. And yes, this freezes well. Enjoy your holiday!
This is one of my very favorite recipes. I love it as is, or sometimes I use actual wine, red or white, but most of the time white and a little apple cider vinegar. The juice, or gravy of this dish is divine. One of the things I like best is that the plums (prunes) rehydrate during cooking, and they are delicious! So, I usually add a little extra chopped prunes. I think I may even be addicted to this. It is really easy. I have brought it to many events and get togethers.
I will be using thighs with skin on. Is it
best to cook boneless, or, with bones in??
thank you
I’d recommend bone-in. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Hi Jenn,
Happy New Year! I was going to make this for tomorrow with chicken thighs. I was going to add apricots in addition to prunes as I had it recently and it was good. Do I still need to add 1 cup of sugar at end? Looking forward to your cookbook!
Hi Jen, I’d still add the sugar but you can cut back a little, if you’d like. Happy New Year!
Hi Jenn! I love all your recipes and can’t wait for your cookbook to come out. I am hosting a dinner for about 20 people. Would it be best to cook the Chicken Marbella the day before, the day of and keep the chicken warm while other chicken is baking or bake all at once? If I cook all at one time, how long should I bake the chicken? Thanks!
Hi Cathy, so glad you like the recipes! If you have enough room in your baking dish(es) and oven to cook all the chicken at the same time, I would recommend that. Hope everyone enjoys!