Mediterranean Chicken Marbella Recipe, a touch of Spain with a silver lining

Chicken Marbella is a celebratory dish with a story, beginning with its creation in the kitchen of the Silver Palate food store, which opened on Manhattan's Upper West Side 35 years ago. The store was started by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins, who cooked fresh each day, embracing a passion for simple good food. That is still the commitment of the Silver Palate Kitchens today. It is now on my Bucket List of foodie places to visit.  This is an uncomplicated recipe, which has you in and out of the kitchen in no time, but delivering maximum flavour when eaten. It is a great recipe for people who either don't have much time to prepare and cook or who don't consider themselves to be great cooks. It is a simple matter of mixing all the ingredients in a bowl the night before to marinate, and then popping it in the oven the following day or evening 50 minutes before it is to be eaten. We all need uncomplicated recipes like this in our repertoire which still deliver magnificent flavours. 


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This recipe has become famous and a firm favourite with many, standing the test of time because of the distinctive Mediterranean flavours and colours of the prunes, olives and capers and it's versatility to be cooked in the slow cooker, the oven, or eaten as a cold dish, or even as an appetiser.

Lynne from our Friday night tennis group has often cooked it for us all  when we sometimes eat at their place after playing tennis, and it is always a winner. When she told me the name of the dish and I looked for the recipe as I always do, I was  surprised that I hadn't heard of it before given it's great reputation and story. I hope you enjoy it as well. I cooked it at home last night, and whilst Neil generally enjoys most of my cooking, he loved this dish and went back for seconds so I sense it will be one of our family favourites.

Chicken Marbella

Ingredients:

16 chicken thighs or mixed chicken portions,  to feed 8 people,
(Or buy a whole chicken and chop it up into portions, a cheaper option) Approx 1 1/4 kilos or 2 1/2 pounds of chicken pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup  brown sugar
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves, or use fresh equivalent if you are growing  it
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
1/4 cup or 2 tablespoons of good quality red wine vinegar
2 dried bay leaves
1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives
1/2 cup pitted prunes
1/2 cup roasted bell peppers drained, and coarsely chopped (this is an optional addition to the original classic recipe)
1/4 cup or 2 tablespoons capers, with a little bit of juice
1/4 cup or 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, finely chopped for garnish

Marinate the chicken:

1. In a large bowl, mix the olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and juice, bay leaves, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic, and vinegar. (All the ingredients except the wine and the brown sugar.) Add the chicken and stir to coat. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight to marinate until you are ready to cook.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 deg. C. or 350 deg. F.
3. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in a shallow baking dish and spoon the remaining marinade over it evenly.  Pour the white wine over the chicken pieces, and sprinkle the chicken pieces with the brown sugar.
4. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting the chicken pieces frequently with the pan juices, until cooked.
5. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Pour over enough pan juices to serve, and sprinkle generously with parsley (cilantro). Any extra pan juices can be passed around in a sauce boat. Or for serving you can adopt the rustic approach which I quite like, and bring the baking dish straight from the oven to the table and serve from the dish.
6. Serve with couscous or brown rice or a selection of salad and fresh vegetables.

This dish can also be served cold or take it on a picnic. Cool to room temperature in the cooking juices, before transferring to a serving platter.

Buen provecho!

Best wishes

Pauline xx