THE FUSE

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Chicken Marbella is a classic recipe made famous by The Silver Palate Cookbook, which was released in 1982. It’s a dish that’s representative of the times, and it certainly uses some interesting ingredients (prunes, olives, and capers!), but I love this recipe for its big-time flavor; it reminds me a lot of Italian agrodolce.

Chicken Marbella is essentially sweet and sour chicken, with room to play and improvise. Although most of the ingredients listed in the below recipe are shared in the 1982 original, this chicken Marbella is much different than what’s in The Silver Palate Cookbook. The original recipe calls for overnight marinating and then baking the chicken with its liquid in an oven-safe casserole dish. However, I tend to think marinade does very little in terms of actually flavoring protein. Plus, the sauce ends up thin, somewhat greasy, and not emulsified.

By searing the chicken thighs skin-side down in a cold pan, you get the benefit of rendered chicken fat and crispy chicken skin. The chicken cooks with the sauce, but the skin never touches the liquid until it’s time to eat. Oh, and I love the addition of balsamic vinegar and dried cherries (if you like), which punctuate this iconic dish’s sweet and sour nature even more. It’s a lovely meal to cook at home with endless variations, so feel free to expand upon this recipe with different vinegars and herbs, or by adding shallots, dates, and raisins.

It’s tangy and sweet. Prunes, olives, capers, balsamic vinegar, and brown sugar make the sauce pop with sweet and sour flavors.
There’s very little prep. Most of the cooking comes down to searing the chicken thighs.

Prunes: Add a sweet fruitiness.
Dried cherries (optional): Sweet-tart dried cherries amp up the tartness of this dish.
Green olives: Briny olives bring umami and salt.
Capers: Salty, lemony capers balance the sweetness of the prunes and cherries.
Balsamic vinegar and white wine: When reduced, the balsamic and white wine make a tart, pungent sauce.
Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs: All the fat this dish needs comes from rendering the chicken skin-side down in a pan.
Dark brown sugar: True to the original recipe, sprinkle a little brown sugar on top of the chicken and then bake for extra caramelization and sweetness.

Sear the chicken. Pat the chicken thighs dry, and then sear them skin-side down on medium-high heat. Once golden-brown, flip them and cook for a few more minutes. Set aside.
Sauté the aromatics. Using the chicken fat from the pan, cook the garlic, parsley, oregano, prunes, cherries (if using), olives, and capers for a couple of minutes in the same pan.
Reduce the vinegar and white wine. Add the white wine and balsamic vinegar. Place the chicken back in the pan, and reduce the liquid by about half.
Finish the chicken in the oven. Sprinkle the dark brown sugar on top of the chicken, then roast in a hot oven until the chicken is browned and the sauce is thick.

Dates and raisins can be swapped for prunes or cherries. Feel free to use other dried fruits here.
Red wine vinegar can be swapped for balsamic, which will bring a more tart flavor.
Try adding a tablespoon of your favorite hot sauce, which will give it just enough of a spicy kick.

1/2 cup
pitted green olives, such as Castelvetrano, sliced
1/4 cup
dried unsweetened cherries (optional)
3 tablespoons
coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves (10 sprigs), plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons
coarsely chopped fresh oregano leaves (8 sprigs), or 1 tablespoon dried oregano

Instructions

Heat the oven to 375ºF. Pat 3 pounds medium bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season all over with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Place the chicken skin-side down in 2 large frying pans or cast iron skillets (one oven-safe and at least 12 inches wide); if you do not have two pans, work in batches. Cook over medium-high heat until the skin is golden-brown and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Flip and cook for 5 minutes more.
Remove both pans from the heat. Transfer the chicken skin-side up to a baking sheet or large plate.
Transfer all of the chicken fat to the oven-safe pan. Return it to medium-high heat. Add 8 thinly sliced garlic cloves and cook until translucent and fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 1/2 cup sliced pitted green olives, 1/2 cup dried pitted prunes, 1/4 cup dried unsweetened cherries if using, 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves, 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh oregano leaves, 2 tablespoons drained brined capers, and 1 tablespoon brine from capers. Cook for 2 minutes.
Stir in 1 cup dry white wine and 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Return the chicken to the pan skin-side up in a single layer, doing your best not to get any liquid on the chicken skin; add any accumulated juices on the plate. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half and the prunes are plump, about 10 minutes.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar evenly on the chicken. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake uncovered until the chicken is browned and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes more. Garnish with more chopped fresh parsley leaves.

Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.