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Home » Recipes » Chicken

Chicken Marbella from The Silver Palate

Published: Dec 11, 2024 · By Lisa Goldfinger · 53 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

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Pinterest pin with an overhead view of roasted chicken with prunes and olives
PINTEREST PIN: Chicken Marbella in a black roasting pan

Chicken Marbella is a legendary recipe from The Silver Palate Cookbook and arguably one of the best chicken recipes in the world. Chicken is marinated overnight with prunes, olives, capers, oil, vinegar and loads of oregano and garlic. Just before cooking, white wine and brown sugar are added.

This is an easy chicken dish to cook for a crowd and the flavors are spectacular.

10 pieces of chicken Marbella in a roasting pan with prunes, green olives and a garnish of chopped parsley
In This Recipe
  • The Story Behind Chicken Marbella
  • Famous Chefs Take On Chicken Marbella
  • Why I love this Chicken Marbella Recipe
  • Ingredients
  • A Walk-through of this recipe with photos
  • What to serve with Chicken Marbella
  • Recipe
  • Comments

The Story Behind Chicken Marbella

Chicken Marbella is a baked chicken dish with prunes, olives and capers, that comes from The Silver Palate Cookbook by Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso. The cookbook, first published in 1982, is one of the best selling cookbooks of all time and Chicken Marbella is its most famous recipe - a dinner party classic that has endured the test of time.

People love Chicken Marbella because it's extremely easy to prepare, all the prep work done a day ahead, and because the flavors are unique and extraordinary. Though the ingredients may seem unusual - vinegar, olives, capers, prunes, loads of garlic and oregano - it turns that this brilliant combination of sweet, sour, briny, and umami flavors utterly delights diners, time after time.

a few pieces of spice-covered boneless baked chicken thighs nestled in sauce with prunes and green olives around them and chopped parsley sprinkled on top.

Famous Chefs Take On Chicken Marbella

Over the years, Chicken Marbella has inspired countless chefs and home cooks to put their own spin on this classic dish. Let's take a look at some of the most notable adaptations:

Ina Garten's version of Chicken Marbella, ups the amount of olives, garlic and prunes and swaps light brown sugar for dark, and she cuts the chickens into eight pieces instead of four.

Yotam Ottolenghi uses a more Middle Eastern flavor profile for his Chicken Marbella recipe. He subs dates for prunes, fresh oregano for dried, date molasses in place of brown sugar and chicken legs instead of chicken quarters.

NYTCooking's version of Silver Palate Chicken Marbella is only available to subscribers, but there's only 1 essential change from the original recipe. The NYT recipe calls for 2 large chickens (3 ½ - 4 pounds each) whereas the original Silver Palate recipe calls for 4 smaller chickens (2 ½ pounds each). Turns out chickens have gotten larger over the past 40 plus years!

NYT Cooking also has a Weeknight Chicken Marbella Recipe that requires no marinating and is ready in an hour! The gist is this: brown bone-in chicken thighs in a skillet, add the marinade ingredients, sprinkle with brown sugar, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or so until done.

Now for Panning The Globe's version!

My Chicken Marbella recipe uses boneless skinless chicken thighs and there's a very good reason for it!

a few pieces of baked boneless skinless chicken breast on a plate with prunes, olives, capers and chopped parsley.

I've been making Chicken Marbella for decades, as did my mother and my mother-in-law before me. I love this dish as much now as I did the first time I tasted it back in the late 1970's at The Silver Palate Gourmet Shop in NYC which was a few blocks away from my apartment.

Over the years I've tweaked the recipe to perfection. I use more prunes because they are so insanely delicious in this dish. I reduced the amount of brown sugar from 1 cup to ¾ cup because, for my taste, it's the perfect sugar to vinegar ratio for a vibrant sweet and sour sauce. But the biggest change I made in this recipe is to use boneless skinless chicken thighs for the following reason.

I wanted to make Chicken Marbella as the main dish for my annual new year's eve party which is a gathering of about 100 people. If I were to follow the original Chicken Marbella recipe, which calls for 4 whole chickens to feed 10 people, I would have needed 40 chickens - not happening! The solution - boneless chicken thighs!

Why I love this Chicken Marbella Recipe

This version of Chicken Marbella is everything you love about this iconic dish only it's made with boneless skinless chicken thighs. Here's why that's a plus:

  • Great for a Crowd - Boneless chicken thighs take up much less room in the marinating bowl, in the oven and on the serving platter than bone-in chicken parts so you can easily make this dish for a big party!
  • Elegant - Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are elegant on a platter and your guests can take one or two on their plate with plenty of room for other sides. Plus, when they're done, there are no messy bones or skin to push to the side of their plate when they go back for seconds - which I bet they will!
  • Juicy and flavorful every time - In my mind there's never a debate what part of the chicken to use for a recipe - it's always thighs! While chicken breasts can easily become over-cooked and dry, thighs are difficult to overcook and they're always juicy and full of flavor.

If you still, even after my big sales pitch, prefer to make this dish with bone-in, skin-on chicken parts, you'll find instructions for that in the recipe card notes below. Or, if you want to use the original Silver Palate Chicken Marbella recipe, you can find that here.

Close up of a plate with 5 pieces of boneless chicken marbella, a few prunes and green olives and a garnish of chopped parsley

Ingredients

Here's what you need to make Chicken Marbella:

  • Olive oil
  • Red wine vinegar
  • Pitted prunes
  • Pitted Spanish green olives
  • Capers and caper juice - from a 2-ounce jar of small non-pereille capers
  • Dried bay leaves
  • 1 whole head of garlic - peeled and puréed so you may want to have a garlic press on hand.
  • Dried oregano - lots!
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • Dry white wine (Vermouth works well, too)
  • Dark brown sugar
  • Flat-leaf parsley or cilantro  - to garnish

A Walk-through of this recipe with photos

Here's how to make Chicken Marbella:

Combine the chicken with all of the marinade ingredients in a large mixing bowl: olive oil, vinegar, prunes, olives, capers, bay leaves, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper.

Big porcelain bowl containing raw boneless chicken thighs topped with oil, vinegar, pitted prunes, green olives, capers, pureed garlic, oregano, salt, pepper and bay leaves

Toss everything well, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight.

Large porcelain bowl filled with raw boneless chicken breasts tossed in a marinade with oil, vinegar, dry spices, prunes, olives and bay leaves.

Before baking, arrange the chicken and all the marinade ingredients in two large shallow baking pans. Divide the white wine between the two pans and pan and sprinkle all the chicken pieces evenly with the brown sugar.

Black rectangular roasting pan filled with raw boneless skinless chicken thighs surrounded by green olives and prunes and topped with brown sugar.

Bake the chicken for 45-50 minutes, until it's cooked through, basting once or twice with the pan juices. 

Rectangular black roasting pan filled with boneless chicken marbella, prunes, green olives and a bay leaf

To serve, arrange the chicken on a serving platter and spoon the prunes, olives, capers and some of the juices evenly around. Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro. Serve the extra sauce on the side. 

What to serve with Chicken Marbella

You'll definitely want some sort of starch - potatoes or rice - to soak up all the delicious sauce, plus something green. Here are my favorite go-to sides with Chicken Marbella:

  • Latkes. For Hanukkah dinner we always serve Chicken Marbella with potato latkes
  • Potatoes: Mashed Potatoes, Smashed Potatoes or roasted potatoes
  • Rice: Plain white rice is a perfect accompaniment
  • Salad: This green salad or this tricolore salad
  • A Green Vegetable: Steamed or roasted broccoli, asparagus or green beans, tossed with a little extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.
chicken Marbella in a roasting pan with prunes, green olives and a garnish of chopped parsley

I had some hesitation about posting a Chicken Marbella recipe on Panning The Globe, thinking you all probably have the recipe by now. But with my deep and long-lasting love for this dish, I couldn't resist sharing it here. Whether you're a seasoned home cook or a novice in the kitchen, I hope I've inspired you to revisit this very special dish or to try it for the first time.

If you do, please come back and leave a star rating and a comment. I'd love to know what you think!

Print

Recipe

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chicken Marbella in a roasting pan with prunes, green olives and a garnish of chopped parsley

Chicken Marbella from The Silver Palate


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 16 reviews

  • Author: Lisa Goldfinger
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Chicken Marbella from the legendary Silver Palate Cookbook, is arguably one of the world's best chicken dishes. This version, made with boneless chicken thighs, is the perfect dinner party dish. It's very easy to prepare for a big group, all the prep work is done a day ahead, and the flavors are fantastically delicious. I've also included directions for making this with bone-in chicken parts and a link to the original Silver Palate Chicken Marbella Recipe. 

Adapted from a recipe in The Silver Palate Cookbook  By Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins.


Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 ½ cups pitted prunes
  • ¾ cup pitted Spanish green olives
  • ½ cup capers (a 2-ounce jar), with 1 teaspoon of the juice
  • 6 bay leaves
  • 1 head of garlic, peeled and puréed (I use this garlic press)
  • ¼ cup dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons of salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 4 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs (18 or so pieces)
  • 1 cup dry white wine (Vermouth works well)
  • ¾ cup dark brown sugar
  • ¼ cup of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley or cilantro

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl or plastic container, 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 oven to 350ºF. 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 all chicken pieces evenly with the brown sugar.
  3. Bake the chicken for 45-50 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 or cilantro. Serve remaining sauce on the side. 

Notes

  1. To make this with bone-in, skin-on chicken: Use 8-10 pounds of bone-in chicken parts: thighs, drumsticks, breasts or any combination. Follow the recipe exactly as written only increase the cooking time to between 50 minute and an hour, checking for doneness after 50 minutes, and basting 3 or 4 times while the chicken cooks, to keep it moist.
  2. Storage: Chicken Marbella can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days in an air-tight container. Reheat it in a 350ºF oven, in a casserole dish covered tightly with foil, for 25 minutes or until heated through.
  3. Nutrition Disclaimer: We do our best to provide accurate nutrition values using an online nutrition calculator however our nutrition information should only be used as an approximation.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Did you make this recipe?

If you make this recipe, please let me know how it turns out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on instagram with the hashtag #panningtheglobe

This post was first published on May 21, 2021. It has been updated with a few new photos and more helpful information added to the written post: I have completely rewritten the copy of the post to be more clear about the history of this dish, I added a new section sharing famous chef's adaptations of Chicken Marbella, added a table of contents and a walk-through of the recipe with photos. The same delicious recipe!

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Filed Under: All Recipes, American Food, Chicken, Dinner, Entertaining, Fall Favorites, Most Popular Recipes, North America, Quick and Easy

Reader Interactions

Comments

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  1. Lori Yarvis

    June 10, 2025 at 10:21 pm

    Fantastic recipe for feeding a holiday crowd! Easy and so delicious!

    Reply
  2. Nina Siegel

    March 30, 2025 at 10:42 pm

    Hello Lisa,

    I was looking for this exact receipe with boneless skinless! I love the hefty add of the prunes and olives! Great twist on SP! Will this work out if I double it and freeze it for about 10 days in advance of my party? Please, I hope you see this! Thank you.

    Reply
    • Lisa Goldfinger

      March 31, 2025 at 5:52 am

      Hi Nina - I'm glad you found what you were looking for here and yes, you can absolutely double it and freeze it in advance of your party. I hope you have a great party!

      Reply
      • Nina Siegel

        April 04, 2025 at 4:07 pm

        Thank you for answering! I will gladly report back!

  3. Sherry Michie

    December 06, 2024 at 11:39 am

    I love Chicken Marbella and have made it since the 70's. I do like using bone-in skin on and I sometimes only use leg quarters. The dish browns better with the skin on and the bones help flavor also.

    Reply
  4. Dorothy elliott

    October 07, 2024 at 10:06 am

    Can I use a mix of boneless thighs and chicken breasts ?

    Reply
    • Lisa Goldfinger

      October 07, 2024 at 10:42 am

      Hi Dorothy - you can use a mix but you may want to use bone-in chicken breasts because they will be less likely to get dry.

      Reply
      • Jane Murray-Smith

        February 10, 2025 at 11:35 am

        So very easy and delicious!
        Quick question. Since the olive oil congeals in the refrigerator in the overnight marinating, and just hangs onto the other things in clumps even when stirring it , what is its purpose?
        Looking forward to trying your easy latke recipe!
        And l liked the boneless skinless. I find skin on just releases too much fat.

      • Lisa Goldfinger

        February 12, 2025 at 9:15 am

        Hi Jane - so glad you enjoyed this dish and found the recipe easy! About the oil, it's there for viscosity, flavor, moisture and to help get all the spices and garlic to coat and stick to the chicken as it marinates. I have never noticed it congealing? I wouldn't worry about though - as long as the final dish was delicious. I hope you enjoy the latkes - keep me posted!

    • Lynda

      January 03, 2025 at 7:22 pm

      First time making this recipe
      I had all the ingredients in my pantry
      Unfortunately I didn't have time for an overnight marinade
      Only one hour
      I must say it was so delishous
      The flavors incredible
      I can't imagine how an over night marinade could make it any better
      But next time I will try that and get back to you
      Everyone absolutely love this dish
      I served with couscous and steamed broccoli
      Thanks so much
      It was fun to make

      Reply
      • Lisa Goldfinger

        January 07, 2025 at 7:26 am

        I'm glad you enjoyed this dish - even the process of making it. I agree and have had the same experience - it's a very flavorful dish even when the marinade time is short to nil. Thanks for coming back to leave a comment! Much appreciated 🙂 I'd love to know how it goes next time!

  5. Gladys

    September 22, 2024 at 1:49 pm

    2nd time I have made this in 2024. I also made it in the 80's. It is easy and FABULOUSLY delicious!!!Family and guests loved it! Just remember to marinate the night before.

    Reply
  6. Danielle

    September 22, 2024 at 8:46 am

    I’ve made this a few times now and it’s always a favorite. I pair it with rice to soak up some of the sauce. I love this for everything because it’s high flavor and low effort. As a busy mom and small business owner it’s important to have wonderful, flavorful meals that don’t require all of our free time to prepare. This is one of those great dishes that should be in everyone’s rotation.

    Reply
  7. Susan

    August 12, 2024 at 4:48 pm

    This looks like it will taste amazing. I’m planning on making, but, Can I substitute the brown sugar for maple syrup? And how much?

    Reply
    • Lisa Goldfinger

      August 12, 2024 at 6:47 pm

      Interesting idea Susan. Generally you can substitute maple syrup for an equal amount of brown sugar in a recipe. The one concern I have is the added liquid. Would you be up for reducing the maple syrup in a small pot on the stove? Just cooking it down until it's more concentrated and about half the volume. I think then, it would work well. Just spoon it over the chicken and prunes just before it goes in the oven. Keep me posted - I'd love to know how it turns out!

      Reply
  8. Robin

    December 12, 2023 at 12:15 pm

    Can I use both skinless boneless breasts and thighs

    Reply
  9. Patricia Britton

    November 04, 2023 at 2:22 am

    Perfect for my dinner party! Made the day before and oven-ready with ease. We served it over rice with a good Washington red wine and asparagus on the side. I will definitely make this one again. Our guests were really impressed with the flavor and the fact that I made it look easy 🙂

    Reply
  10. Diane Laflamme-Millette

    August 14, 2023 at 6:51 pm

    This is definitely a keeper. It's great for entertaining because it's a make ahead recipe. And SO TASTY!!!

    Reply
  11. Darlene Barrows

    May 30, 2023 at 1:48 pm

    I have so many compliments on your recipes, Thank you ♥️????????????????

    Reply
    • Lisa Goldfinger

      May 30, 2023 at 2:44 pm

      You are so welcome. Thank you for letting me know Darlene 🙂 You made my day.

      Reply
    • Lisa Goldfinger

      June 11, 2023 at 6:50 am

      Awww. That makes me really happy. Thank you for letting me know 🙂

      Reply
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