Go Back

Easy Chicken Marbella

Oh my gosh! This easy chicken Marbella is an amazing chicken recipe. Sounds a little weird with the ingredients, but it is amazing and well worth the wait!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 13 hours
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 4 people
Calories 3350.5 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl For combining and marinating ingredients
  • 1 Plastic Wrap or Resealable Bags For marinating chicken
  • 1 9x13 inch Baking Dish For baking the chicken
  • 1 Instant-Read Thermometer To ensure chicken is cooked to a safe internal temperature
  • 1 Meat Mallet Optional, for pounding chicken breasts thin

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, or more to taste, pounded thin and cut in half
  • 1 cup white wine any kind
  • 1 cup pitted prunes
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar
  • ½ cup capers with extra liquid added
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup dried oregano
  • ¼ cup dried parsley
  • 12 Spanish olives cut in half
  • 10 cloves garlic crushed, or more to taste
  • 6 bay leaves
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Combine chicken, wine, prunes, olive oil, vinegar, capers and liquid, brown sugar, oregano, parsley, olives, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer mixture to 2 resealable plastic bags; marinate in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours, the longer the better.
  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
  • Transfer chicken and marinade to a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink in centers and the juices run clear, about 40 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into centers should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Notes

To truly elevate this dish, consider briefly searing the chicken breasts in a hot pan before adding them to the baking dish with the marinade. This extra step develops a beautiful Maillard crust, adding depth and complexity of flavor that baking alone won't achieve. The long marination is crucial; don't skimp on the time as it allows the unique blend of sweet prunes, tangy capers, and rich olive oil to deeply penetrate the chicken. For optimal presentation, you might remove the bay leaves before serving and garnish with fresh parsley. The combination of ingredients, though initially surprising, creates a balanced, savory-sweet profile that is incredibly satisfying.