Classic Chicken Marbella with Prunes, Olives and Capers

Why you’ll love it

• Make-ahead friendly: marinate the night before and just bake when your guests arrive.
• Sweet, salty and tangy: prunes, olives and capers in one glossy pan sauce.
• Feeds 8 from one pan with budget-friendly chicken thighs.

Quick facts

Ingredients

For the marinade

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 1/2 lb / 1.6 kg)
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar
• 1 cup (170 g) pitted prunes
• 1/2 cup (90 g) pitted Spanish green olives
• 1/4 cup (35 g) capers, drained, plus 1 tbsp of their brine
• 6 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 tbsp dried oregano
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

For baking

• 1/3 cup (70 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio

For serving

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Cooked rice, couscous or crusty bread, for the sauce

Step-by-step method

1. Make the marinade. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, caper brine, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir in the prunes, olives, capers and bay leaves.

2. Marinate the chicken. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels, add them to the bowl and turn to coat well. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight (up to 24 hours), turning the pieces once if you can.

3. Heat the oven. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 350°F (175°C). Take the chicken out of the refrigerator while the oven heats.

4. Arrange the pan. Place the thighs skin side up in a single layer in a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish or a large rimmed roasting pan. Spoon the prunes, olives, capers, bay leaves and all the marinade around and between the pieces.

5. Add the sugar and wine. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the chicken skin, then pour the white wine around the chicken, not over the top, so the sugar stays on the skin.

6. Bake and baste. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, spooning the pan juices over the chicken 2 or 3 times during the last 30 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and glossy and the chicken is cooked through.

7. Rest and serve. Let the chicken rest 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Transfer the chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a warm platter, spoon some of the pan juices on top and sprinkle with parsley. Pass the rest of the juices at the table with rice, couscous or bread.

How to know it is done

The chicken is ready when the skin is deep golden brown and lacquered with the sugary juices, the juices run clear when you pierce the meat near the bone, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh, without touching the bone, reads at least 165°F (74°C). Thighs are even more tender at 175°F (80°C). The prunes should be plump and soft, and the pan juices should look glossy and slightly syrupy.

Tips for the best result

• Marinate overnight if you can: the garlic, oregano and vinegar really soak into the meat.
• Use a pan where the chicken fits snugly in one layer; if it is crowded, the skin steams instead of browning.
• Pour the wine around the chicken, never on top, so the brown sugar can caramelize on the skin.
• For extra-crisp skin, run the pan under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes at the end, watching closely.
• Taste the pan juices before serving; the olives and capers are salty, so they usually need no extra salt.

Variations and substitutions

• Classic cut: use 2 whole chickens (about 3 1/2 lb / 1.6 kg each), cut into quarters, and bake 60 to 70 minutes.
• Chicken breasts: use 4 large bone-in, skin-on breasts, halved crosswise, and start checking at 40 minutes (165°F / 74°C).
• Other dried fruit: swap half of the prunes for dried apricots or dried figs.
• No wine: replace the white wine with low-sodium chicken broth plus 1 tsp extra red wine vinegar.
• Fresh herbs: add a few sprigs of fresh thyme to the marinade and finish with chopped fresh oregano.

Make ahead

This is a true make-ahead recipe. Mix the marinade and marinate the chicken up to 24 hours before baking. You can also bake it a day ahead: cool, cover and refrigerate the chicken in its juices, then reheat covered at 350°F (175°C) for 20 to 25 minutes and uncover for the last 5 minutes. Many cooks think it tastes even better the next day, and it is also delicious served at room temperature for a buffet.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate leftovers with the pan juices in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat covered in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or in the microwave in 1-minute bursts, until hot (165°F / 74°C). To freeze, pack the cooled chicken and sauce in freezer containers for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.