Tangy and sweet. Savory and not-so-subtle. Chicken Marbella is many things, but its not Spanish, despite the name.
“The Silver Palate Cookbook” co-author Sheila Lukins is credited with creating this Spanish- and Moroccan-inspired chicken dish that includes olives, prunes, white wine and capers. She started serving it through her New York catering company in the late 1970s, and a recipe for the dish was included in the blockbuster cookbook she co-wrote with Julee Rosso in 1982.
Although she wasnt the first person to make a chicken dish with these ingredients, the chicken Marbellas that have been served at dinner parties and Passover Seders over the past 40 years lead back Lukins.
Melanie Lionello created her own spin on the dish in “Frugal Mediterranean Cooking: Easy, Affordable Recipes for Lifelong Health,” which came out in December. Instead of using a mix of chicken cuts, she uses all drumsticks, which sit in the mixture of olive oil, vinegar, olives, capers and prunes overnight. Just before baking, add the white wine and brown sugar, which will caramelize as the dish bakes in the oven. If chicken Marbella is usually too sweet for you, cut out the prunes and cut down on the brown sugar.
New York as an Italian/Jewish hybrid recipe. However, the mainstays of the original recipe are quintessentially Mediterranean and full of flavor, so although it’s not traditional, I knew I had to include it because it still speaks to the heart of Mediterranean cooking. I’ve tweaked and changed this recipe around quite a bit for my own preferences, making it less sweet, with a cheaper cut of chicken and an easier cooking method so you can still enjoy it on a regular basis. Although it might be tempting to shorten the marinade time, it’s important that you let it marinate overnight because this process tenderizes the chicken and allows the skins to really crisp up once cooked.
Layer the drumsticks into a large shallow baking dish. Add the prunes, olives, capers, garlic and bay leaves, making sure you push them down into the dish and wedge them in between the chicken. Pour the olive oil and red wine vinegar over the dish and season with salt and pepper. Put a lid on the baking dish and let it marinate in the fridge overnight.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Take the dish from the fridge and, using tongs, turn each drumstick over. Add the wine and evenly sprinkle the brown sugar over the top. Bake with the lid off for 45 minutes, then increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving with some roasted or steamed potatoes. Serves 4.
— From “Frugal Mediterranean Cooking: Easy, Affordable Recipes for Lifelong Health” by Melanie Lionello (Page Street Publishing, $21.99)
Addie Broyles writes about food, food culture and home cooking for the American-Statesman. She can be reached at [email protected].
Despite the name, chicken Marbella is a creation from 1970s New York City while the name is actually a nod to the ingredients and the influence the Mediterranean country had on the dish’s creator.
For those of you who aren’t lucky enough to have tasted this amazing treat prepared by the legend herself, the dish is a smart combination of olives, capers, prunes, oregano, garlic, red wine vinegar, brown sugar and white wine. And, while not intended specifically as a Jewish holiday recipe, it fits the bill perfectly and has been a stalwart in our family for decades. The Mediterranean inspirations are deeply felt, the agrodolce of the Italian kitchen is stacked deep in this dish and yet it all feels like the sweet and sour flavors of your bubbe’s kitchen. Maybe it’s the prunes?
If you are cooking for a crowd, and oven space is an issue, I make sure I marinate overnight, then I brown the chicken in the morning and proceed with the recipe until the part where you slide it in the oven. I refrigerate it at that point so that all I do for dinner service is slide it into the oven for an hour or so to cook.
Chicken Marbella first appeared in recipe form in the 1982 Silver Palate Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins. In the 1970s, Lukins ran a catering company in Manhattan. Rosso knew some of her customers, ate her food and their friendship eventually led to a groundbreaking business model for food shops in New York City. In 1977, the duo opened The Silver Palate, a small takeaway shop that prepared beautiful meals for the grab-and-go crowd. My family had been catering customers of Sheila’s and shopped at the store regularly once it opened.
Although she wasnt the first person to make a chicken dish with these ingredients, the chicken Marbellas that have been served at dinner parties and Passover Seders over the past 40 years lead back Lukins.
“The Silver Palate Cookbook” co-author Sheila Lukins is credited with creating this Spanish- and Moroccan-inspired chicken dish that includes olives, prunes, white wine and capers. She started serving it through her New York catering company in the late 1970s, and a recipe for the dish was included in the blockbuster cookbook she co-wrote with Julee Rosso in 1982.
Tangy and sweet. Savory and not-so-subtle. Chicken Marbella is many things, but its not Spanish, despite the name.
Addie Broyles writes about food, food culture and home cooking for the American-Statesman. She can be reached at [email protected].
Layer the drumsticks into a large shallow baking dish. Add the prunes, olives, capers, garlic and bay leaves, making sure you push them down into the dish and wedge them in between the chicken. Pour the olive oil and red wine vinegar over the dish and season with salt and pepper. Put a lid on the baking dish and let it marinate in the fridge overnight.
Chicken Marbella | Food Wishes
FAQ
What is the origin of chicken Marbella?
What is Marbella made of?
What does Ina Garten serve with chicken Marbella?
What is chicken Marbella?
Chicken marbella is the briny, sweet, tangy baked chicken recipe from the famous Silver Palate Cookbook. It’s a classic recipe originally designed to serve a crowd but we cut it down to serve a family. Capers, prunes, white wine, brown sugar, and olives pack this recipe with flavor!
What is rubella?
Rubella is a contagious disease caused by a virus, RuV. It causes a rash, low fever and other symptoms. It’s highly contagious person-to-person. Pregnant lady with rubella can pass it to the fetus, causing hearing and vision loss, heart defects and other serious conditions.
Why is chicken Marbella so popular?
Chicken Marbella was made famous from the Silver Palate Cookbook and was popular in the early 1980s. It made a resurgence with the help of Ina Garten and other celebrity chefs, and honestly, it’s one of the best chicken recipes I’ve ever tried!
What kind of chicken do I need to make chicken Marbella?
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy Chicken Marbella recipe: Chicken – We used boneless, skinless chicken breasts for a healthy take on the classic dish. The original recipe calls for whole chickens with skin cut into quarters; the skin is left in place and creates a sweet, crispy topping. However, any chicken will work with this recipe.