Chicken Marbella
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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.
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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
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- 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.
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Comments
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My questions are about substituting ingredients.
I hate Olives. I use olive oil all the time but cannot stand the taste of olives.
My wife is very sensitive to spices and I would need to remove or greatly reduce the garlic.
Any suggestions on a substitute for these two ingredients.
Thanks in advance.
Rhae
Hi Rhae, It’s fine to just omit the olives. As for the garlic, it does add wonderful flavor so I wouldn’t omit it entirely — but I think it’s fine to reduce it. You could also add a tablespoon of minced shallots to amp up the flavor a bit.
I have a sulfite allergy. I’m not sure what to substitute for the red wine vinegar. What would be best. I will already have to substitute chicken broth for the white wine for the same reason. I’m dying to try this recipe.
Hi Christina, perhaps you could try brown or white rice vinegar. I would love to hear how it turns out if you make it!
Is there any substitute for sugar other than substitute faux sugar.
All your recipes are wonderful but many include sugar. I usually omit but feel I’m missing out on the overall flavor.
Hi Gen, you could get away with using honey or agave nectar here. (If you go with honey, use a little less than 1/2 cup as honey is a bit sweeter tasting than sugar.) I’d love to know how it turns out if you prepare it this way!
I first tasted Chicken Marbella when I met my husband about 10 years ago. My MIL makes this for many of the Jewish holidays, and gave me the recipe when we got married. Super easy, always tasty, and the longer it marinates, the better it gets! I didn’t realize the cookbook had been re-released. I’ll have to get a copy for myself. My mother-in-law will be thrilled 😉
Just made this last night and it is delicious! I used boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of chicken pieces. So easy to put together. Making copies of this recipe for my daughters and will definitely make this again!
I first had Chicken Marbella at a baby shower about 23 years ago. It just knocked my socks off it was so good. I begged (literally!) for the recipe and have been making it ever since. It is my go to meal for special company and get asked for the recipe often. I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts and double the amount of prunes and olives. It tastes even better as leftovers. I usually just serve it over plain, brown basmati rice along with a big green salad. This recipe deserves at least 10 stars!!
This was amazing good. I used boneless/skinless breasts and thighs. Turned out so juicy and the sauce had a rich satisfying flavor. It’s been moved into regular rotation.
What is the accompaniment for this chicken?
Hi Adelaide, I don’t suggest anything within the recipe but this would be delicious with French Green Beans with Shallots and a grain or roasted potato. Feel free to check out the sides on my site for some inspiration.
Hi,
I really want to try this dish for Christmas. I wanted to know if instead of cooking in oven can we cook it in air fryer instead? and if yes, then what should be suggested time and temperature for air fryer?
Many thanks in advance
Hi Somya, I’m not very familiar with an air fryer, but I wouldn’t recommend it. I think this is really best from the oven.
Hi,
Sorry for very very late update. I finally did try it in air fryer but had to cook it in two batches. It was delicious, all my guests loved it..I have sent this recipe to my in laws now 🙂 Thank u soo much for awesome recipe.
So glad to hear it came out well in the air fryer- thanks for the update Somya!
In the photo the big green olives look whole and so do the prunes. Do u actually chop them up when u make it? Really like this recipe…making again now…I’m leaning toward chopping but need to know for future.
For this recipe, I leave the olives and prunes whole. Feel free to chop them though, if you prefer :).