Recipe of the Week: Chicken Marbella

The Silver Palate was a caterer and food shop in New York City - probably one of the first modern “gourmet” shops where customers could find all sorts of goodies they were just learning about via the cookbooks and food magazines of the day. In 1982 The Silver Palate produced their own cookbook, and this recipe was one of their most popular. I was introduced to this cookbook by my wife, whose mother apparently made this dish so often that my wife and her sister can’t eat it any more…more for me and my son! 

Chicken Marbella

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients:

½ cup              olive oil
½ cup              red wine vinegar
1 ½ cups         pitted prunes
¾ cup             pitted green olives
1 jar (100 ml)   capers, with 1 teaspoon of the juice
6                      bay leaves
1                      head of garlic, peeled and minced
¼ cup             dried oregano
2 tsp               salt
¼ tsp              freshly ground pepper
4 lbs                whole chicken thighs
1 cup               white wine
¾ cup              brown sugar
¼ cup              flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, prunes, olives, capers, caper juice, bay leaves, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge overnight.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in two large shallow baking dishes and spoon all the marinade ingredients on and around the chicken. Pour half the wine into each baking pan, and then sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the chicken.

3. Bake the chicken for 50-60 minutes, or until it's cooked through, basting with the pan juices after 20 minutes.

4. To serve, transfer the chicken pieces to a serving platter and spoon the prunes, olives, capers and some of the sauce on and around the chicken pieces. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve remaining sauce on the side.