It is Chicken Marbella, but I made it easy. I loved the flavors that this Chicken Marbella recipe promised but was daunted by the complexity and the quantity! This recipe was originally made with 4 chickens and a long and complicated process. I changed it all and created this wonderful interpretation.
Tip : The Browning Sauce is super simple to make, but it really is essential to how the dish looks.
Ingredients
- 2 whole chicken thighs bone out
- 1 whole chicken breast half skin on bone in, cut into 3 pieces
- kosher salt to taste
- vegetable oil spray for searing chicken
Marinade
- 1/2 cup pitted prunes cut in half
- 1/4 cup currants or raisins
- 1/4 cup capers plus 1 tablespoon brine
- 1/2 cup large green olives
- 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
- 4 cloves smashed garlic
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 1 tbsp dried oregano flakes
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Sauce
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 tbsp Browning Sauce
Garnish
- 4-5 sprigs parsley leaves
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients before starting the recipe.
- Add 1/2 cup pitted prunes and 1/4 cup currants or raisins to a small bowl, barely cover with hot tap water and set aside to soak for up to 2 hours.
Marinade
- Add 1/2 cup pitted prunes and 1/4 cup currants or raisins after soaking, 1/4 cup capers plus 1 tablespoon brine, 1/2 cup large green olives, 1/4 cup sherry vinegar, 4 cloves smashed garlic, 2 whole bay leaves, 1 tbsp dried oregano flakes, and 1/4 cup olive oil to a plastic bag, mix with your hand to combine contents of bag.
- Season 2 whole chicken thighs and 1 whole chicken breast half, cut into pieces, on both sides with kosher salt to taste and add chicken pieces to the marinade. Message chicken to cover all surfaces, squeeze the air out of the bag and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
- An hour before cooking, remove chicken from marinade to a plate and pat both sides of the chicken dry with a paper towel.
Cooking Chicken
- Spray a skillet with vegetable spray and heat over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add chicken pieces, skin side down and sear for 5-8 minutes, or until the skin is a nice golden color.
- Flip the chicken so it's skin side up and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Reduce heat to low to keep warm.
Sauce
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium deep sided skillet over medium high heat. When the oil is shimmering, about one minute, add the marinade to the pan and stir for a minute or two until the juices have reduced slightly.
- Add 1/2 cup white wine and bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half. Add 1/2 cup chicken stock, bring back to a boil again then reduce heat to a slow simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the fruit has become soft. Stir in 2 tbsp Browning Sauce and 1 tbsp unsalted butter and stir to combine. Set aside and keep warm until ready to serve.
Serving
- Place a small mound of the fruit and olive mixture in the center of a serving plate, top with chicken pieces and drizzle all with the pan juices.
- Sprinkle 4-5 sprigs parsley leaves and serve.
