Chicken Marbella Recipe

Chicken Marbella has been around and cherished by Americans since the 80s for its bold flavor and intriguing texture. 

For today’s diet-friendly chicken Marbella version, our chefs pair succulent chicken thighs with olives, plums, oregano, bay leaves, and some spices to keep the taste as authentic as possible.

With all the ingredients prepared and cooked in one baking dish, this chicken’s goodness won’t create a mess in your kitchen, making it easy for you to clean up.

Is This Chicken Marbella Healthy?

Our chefs have put a lot of thought and effort into this chicken Marbella recipe to ensure it is diet compatible.

Each serving yields 507 calories with 7 g of saturated fat and around 579 mg of sodium while offering 26.3 g of high-quality protein, which is up to 53% of the recommended daily value.

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We pair chicken thighs―a great source of protein―with potatoes, olives, dried plums, and Mediterranean seasonings, thus introducing more nutrients to your diet.

Specifically, green olives per se provide a bulk of antioxidants and healthy fats, which may help lower the risk of heart disease and chronic inflammation.

Ingredients You Will Need

• Chicken: The balanced protein-to-fat ratio of chicken thighs makes them perfect for roasting, baking, and grilling. If you’re seeking alternative chicken cuts, wings or drumsticks will work fine too.
• Potatoes: Searching for a low-carb stand-in for mashed potatoes? Give our mashed cauliflower recipe a whirl. 
• Green olives: Green olives are an indispensable ingredient in today’s chicken specialty. For those wondering if you can use green and black olives interchangeably, we would say no. Both have different characteristics in the flavor profile and cooking purposes. 
• Dried plums/prunes: Dried purple prunes are a must for an authentic chicken Marbella. The concentrated sweetness of prunes, when combined with the earthiness of capers, brings depth to your dish.
• Brined capers: We chose brine-cured capers instead of salt-cured ones for this recipe. Flavor-wise, the former choice leans on the earthy and tangy side while the latter tastes meaty and sharp. Unlike salted capers, brined capers do not require an extra rinsing step. 
• White wine: As a general cooking rule, full-bodied red wine pairs amazingly with red meat, whereas white wine enhances the taste of chicken and dairy-rich dishes. When heated, white wine will gradually evaporate, giving your saucy chicken a complex flavor.
• Red wine vinegar: This condiment has a distinct flavor profile—sweet, sour, tangy, and fruity. Red wine vinegar is slightly more acidic than balsamic vinegar and more flavorful than white wine vinegar.
• Herbs: The combination of bay leaves and dried oregano gives chicken Marbella its signature earthy and minty aftertaste.
• Other spices: We go with a mix of brown sugar, paprika, salt, and black pepper to balance the dish’s flavor.

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How to Store and Reheat the Leftovers

1. How to Store

When serving chicken Marbella at room temperature (the ‘Danger Zone’), we suggest following the two-hour rule to prevent bacterial growth.

If you plan to save the leftovers for later, place them in an airtight container or a Ziploc bag, label the date to keep track of the storage time, and keep them in the fridge. They will stay consumable for up to 4 days if stored properly. 

Freezing is an ideal storing method if you plan to make chicken Marbella far ahead of time. Store the chicken and the sauce in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag and keep it in the freezer for 3 months.

Remember to let your food cool down completely before refrigerating or freezing.

2. How to Reheat

Once deforested, place your leftover chicken Marbella in a baking dish covered with foil, and reheat in a 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes or until hot.

What to Serve With

A crunchy, refreshing fruit salad would make an excellent accompaniment for chicken Marbella.

• Watermelon Cucumber Salad recipe
• Pear Salad recipe
• Watermelon Salad recipe
• Salad Mix recipe
• Berries Salad recipe

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Try These Easy Chicken Trays, too

This tray of chicken and sausage is massaged with a seasoning blend of garlic powder, Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, salt, pepper, and dried oregano. They’re baked with baby potatoes, radishes, and carrots for a fulfilling, nutritious meal.

Chicken and potato have been popular of a classic pair for as long as we can remember. In that recipe of ours, they're well-seasoned and baked to golden perfection in under an hour.

Chicken Marbella Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Today's chicken Marbella recipe calls for tender chicken thighs, green olives, dried plums, and other ingredients to recreate an iconic 80s party dish.

- by Tuyet Pham, Luna Regina, 2022-12-24

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• cook TIME 43 mins
• prep TIME 7 mins
• total TIME 50 mins

• COURSE Main
• CUISINE American
• SERVINGS
  4

  servings
• CALORIES 511 kcal

INGREDIENTS

1x2x3x

• 30 oz skin-on bone-in chicken thighs
• 18 oz potatoes (peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 2 oz green olives
• 2 oz dried plums
• 0.25 oz brined capers
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tbsp garlic (minced)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 fl oz white wine
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp parsley (chopped)

INSTRUCTIONS

Image instructions

Prep:

1

With a sharpened knife, make a few cuts into the flesh of the chicken thighs so the seasonings can absorb better.

2

Rinse the potatoes under running water. Use a peeler to peel off the skin and discard it. Cut the potatoes into 1-inch chunks.

3

Remove the garlic cloves from the bulb. Slice off the root of each clove. Use one side of a knife to mash down on the garlic cloves, then peel away the skin. Finely mince the peeled garlic.

4

Finely chop the parsley.

Cook:

1

Marinate the chicken thighs: In a large baking dish, add 30 oz skin-on bone-in chicken thighs, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 fl oz white wine, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 2 tsp brown sugar, 2 tsp oregano, 1 tbsp garlic, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Gently massage the seasonings onto both sides of the chicken thighs. Marinate for 3 minutes.

2

Add the green olives, plums, and capers: To the same baking dish, add 2 oz green olives, 2 oz dried plums, and 0.25 oz brined capers.

3

Bake the chicken Marbella: Preheat the oven to 425 °F. Place your baking dish on the middle rack of the oven and bake it for 30 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the heat.

4

Cook the potatoes: Add 18 oz cubed potatoes into a large microwave-safe bowl covered with plastic wrap. Microwave the potatoes at ‘high’ for 10 minutes.

5

Mash the cooked potatoes

6

Garnish and serve: Transfer your desired portion onto a platter and garnish with 2 tbsp chopped parsley. Enjoy delicious chicken Marbella with mashed potatoes.

NUTRITION

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Marbella Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 511

% Daily Value*

Fat 29.8g

46%

Saturated Fat 7g

44%

Polyunsaturated Fat 5.4g

Monounsaturated Fat 13.8g

Cholesterol 138.9mg

46%

Sodium 579mg

25%

Potassium 961.4mg

27%

Carbohydrate 34g

11%

Fiber 4.8g

20%

Sugar 8.5g

9%

Protein 26.3g

53%

Vitamin A 702.9IU

14%

Vitamin C 15.1mg

18%

Calcium 49.2mg

5%

Iron 2.4mg

13%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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