Chicken Marbella with Prunes, Olives, and Capers

Chicken Marbella with Prunes, Olives and Capers is an easy savory dish that you marinate ahead of time, and just put in the oven when you're ready to cook.

I've been writing this blog for well over 3 years now (!)

Yet it's not unusual that I come across recipes that I've been making for so long and/or make so often that I enter a state of disbelief when I realize I haven't blogged about them yet. Sometimes I hold off on sharing them because the dish in question is one I deem difficult to photograph. Lets face it - some foods are just not that pretty. This Chicken Marbella with Olives, Capers and Prunes is one of those recipes. It may not be much to look at, but it tastes great!

The first time I made this chicken, it was probably 2010 or 2011 after I had gotten the recipe from a coworker. I can't remember how exactly the recipe came up in conversation at work. Perhaps she brought in leftovers for lunch, or perhaps she was just talking about it because she was making it for dinner. In any case, she was describing the ingredients and how it was one of the few dishes her son, who had many food allergies, could eat without making modifications to the recipe. After hearing about this magical dish, several coworkers (myself included) were dying to try the recipe, so she shared it with all of us. It wasn't long until I tried the recipe, and over the years (as with most of the recipes I share) made my own modifications to make it my own.

The great thing about this dish is that it's totally prepped ahead of time. You marinate it for a full day, which means you throw the ingredients together right into the dish you plan to bake it in before bed one night, then the next day you stick it in the oven an hour before you plan to eat. Don't get thrown off by the odd-sounding combination of ingredients. The result is a savory dish with some saltiness coming from the olives and capers and a slight sweetness from the prunes. It's a great dish for entertaining, and all you need to make it a meal is a simple green salad and some bread or cooked grains or potatoes.

5 from 1 vote

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Chicken Marbella with Prunes, Olives and Capers

Carissa Serink

Chicken marbella is a savory and slightly sweet dish of chicken marinated and braised with prunes, olives and capers.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 10 mins

Servings: 4

Cook ModeKeep your screen on

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• ⅓ cup pitted prunes, coarsely chopped
• 10 pitted green olives, coarsely chopped (see note)
• 2 Tablespoons capers
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (4 thighs)
• 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 Tablespoons water
• 1 Tablespoon minced fresh parsley (optional)

Instructions

• Combine garlic, prunes, olives, capers, olive oil, red wine vinegar, bay leaves and oregano together in a 9x9" glass baking dish or similarly sized casserole dish. Add chicken thighs and toss to coat the chicken. Cover and refrigerate the dish overnight to marinate.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the chicken and pour the water over the top. Bake until the center of the thighs measure 165°F on an instant read thermometer, 45-60 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired. 

Notes

Pitted green olives that are plain, or stuffed with pimento or garlic  can be used.

Nutrition Disclaimer: I try my best to make sure the nutrition information I provide is accurate to provide you with the best information possible. However, due to ingredient discrepancies and other factors, the above nutrition information should be considered an estimation only.

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Chicken Marbella Nutrition Notes:

Serve chicken marbella with a small portion cooked grains, potatoes or bread as well as a fresh green salad or cooked vegetables to make it a complete meal.