Meme’s Chicken Marbella Recipe (extra dates & prunes)
My Chicken Marbella recipe is inspired by the Silver Palate Cookbook classic—but with a juicy twist passed down from my mom. Unlike the original chicken Marbella recipe, this one is made in a large baking dish with extra sweet prunes, green olives, and juicy chicken thighs. The result? A tender, stew-like dish that’s savory, sweet, briny, and absolutely packed with bold flavor.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 oz Pitted Prunes
- 19 oz Pitted Castelvetrano Olives drained
- ½ Cup Capers plus ¼ cup of their brine
- ½ Cup Olive Oil
- ¾ Cup Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 Cup White Wine or sub with broth if preferred
- 2 large Bay Leaves
- ¼ Cup Dried Oregano
- 2 tablespoon Garlic thinly sliced
- 1½ Cups Brown Sugar divided and tightly packed
- 2½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 3 Lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
Instructions
- In a 9x13-inch baking dish, stir together the prunes, olives, capers (plus ¼ cup of brine), olive oil, red wine vinegar, white wine, bay leaves, oregano, garlic, 1 cup of the brown sugar, and kosher salt.
- Nestle the chicken thighs into the marinade, turning to coat each piece completely. Cover tightly (or wrap with plastic wrap) and refrigerate overnight or for up to 24 hours.
- When ready to bake, remove the dish from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Just before baking, evenly sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of brown sugar over the top of the chicken and marinade.
- Transfer the dish to the oven and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and caramelized on top.
- Remove from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes before serving. We love it served over cheesy polenta.
Notes
If you have leftover olives and prunes, SAVE them!! Whip up some feta or goat cheese with some greek yogurt, olive oil and lemon, then warm the leftover up and serve them on top! It's so so good!
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