Several years ago we were served this delicious chicken marbella at a family dinner. It has a very unusual combination of ingredients and I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. Not only is it delicious but the chicken keeps and even improves over several days of refrigeration. It also travels well. The overnight marinating is essential to the moistness of the finished product. I hope you enjoy it as well as I do! The recipe could easily be halved if you are not feeding a large group.
Chicken Marbella
Ingredients:
5 pounds of chicken, I used boneless breasts but you can also use boneless thighs
1 head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed
¼ cup dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
1 cup pitted prunes
½ cup pitted Spanish green olives
½ cup capers with a bit of juice
6 bay leaves
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white wine
¼ cup Italian parsley or fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine chicken, garlic, oregano, pepper, salt, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and juice and bay leaves.
Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight. The next day preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Arrange chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon marinade over it evenly.
Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.
Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices. Cook until chicken is done. With a slotted spoon, transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with some of the pan juices and sprinkle with parsley or cilantro.
Serves 10
Nancy on the Home Front 