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Last week I had the sweet opportunity to spend time with two of my sisters. We don't get to be together as much as we'd like since we live in opposite parts of the country, but we never seem to miss a beat when we do get the chance to spend time with each other. We reminisce, laugh our heads off, act like we're still little girls and talk till the wee hours, just catching up with each other's lives.
We all enjoy cooking (I guess it's in the genes!) and my younger sister Annie had a bunch of amazing new recipes to share with me. When I arrived at her home she had prepared two of them and I have to say they were not only beautiful to look at but were incredibly delicious! I grabbed my camera, took a few shots and then begged her to be a guest blogger this week and she kindly agreed. Of course it didn't hurt that I had a few secrets I could have shared with you about her...... but we won't go there. 🙂 I am most pleased for you to meet my dear sister, Annie.....
Chicken Marbella is from the Silver Palate recipe collection. It was one of the first main dishes to be served at the Silver Palate, a small but famous New York eatery, and has remained a favorite ever since. I like it because it can be made ahead of time and served either hot or at room temperature which works great for a buffet style dinner. I had forgotten this recipe for several years but recently my sister Dana came to visit and asked me if I would make it for her since she had remembered that I had told her about it several times in years past. She loved the combination of flavors (she has made another addition and added caper berries) and has become famous in her "neck of the woods" for this dish. I like to serve it with orzo, a green salad and a rustic bread. - Annie
P.S. Check back tomorrow for Annie's delicious recipe for Coconut Macaroon Tart with a Shortbread Crust, you will definitely want this recipe in your collection!
Chicken Marbella
2 ½ pounds chicken thighs or breasts, with bone and skin on
1 head of garlic, peeled and finely minced or pureed
¼ cup dried oregano
coarse salt and freshly ground black 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 coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl combine chicken, garlic, oregano, pepper and coarse salt to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and juice, and bay leaves. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.
3. 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.
4. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices. Chicken is done when thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest, yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice.
5. With a slotted spoon transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Pass remaining pan juices in a sauceboat.
To serve Chicken Marbella cold, cool to room temperature in cooking juices before transferring to a serving platter. If chicken has been covered and refrigerated, allow it to return to room temperature before serving. Spoon some of the reserved juices over chicken.
Adapted slightly from the Silver Palate Collection
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