Chicken Marbella

I knew this recipe was a winner when Jamie said, "It's truly a pleasure eating this and being your husband." He then went on to make questionable moans throughout the meal. Enough said.

Overnight marination station. 

Final product -- so many flavas!!!

Chicken Marbella
Adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook by Sheila Lukins and Julie Rosso

Ingredients

1.5 to 2.5 lbs chicken (I used 2 skinless chicken breasts w/ ribs attached, but original recipe includes skins)
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons dried oregano
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup pitted prunes
¼ cup pitted Spanish green olives (I used garlic stuffed because I am a garlic fanatic)
¼ cup capers with a bit of juice
3 bay leaves
¼ cup light brown sugar
½ cup white wine
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley or cilantro, finely chopped

Directions

1) In a large bowl combine garlic, oregano, salt and pepper to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers with caper juice, and bay leaves. Add the chicken and coat completely with the marinade. If your chicken has skin, rub it in beneath the skin. Cover and marinate overnight in fridge.

2) Preheat oven to 350°F.

3) Arrange chicken in a single layer in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.

4) Bake for 40 minutes, basting frequently with the pan juices (if you remember. I didn't, but it was still super moist). Chicken is done when pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest point, yield clear yellow juice (not pink).

5) With a slotted spoon, transfer chicken, prunes, olives, and capers to a serving platter. Add some of the pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley. Serve remaining sauce in a gravy boat.  

(Alternatively, you can brown the skin and de-fat the gravy before serving. Here’s how: When the chicken is done, transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter, then pour the gravy into a medium bowl and let the fat settle at the top. In the meantime, place the chicken back in baking dishes and broil for a few minutes to brown the skin. While chicken is browning, de-fat the gravy. Transfer chicken pieces back to serving platter and pour some of the gravy over top. Serve remaining sauce in a gravy boat.)