Chicken Marbella
Chicken Marbella was huge in the 80's, as it was such a convenient low-fuss dinner party dish. Infused with flavours by overnight marinating, with minimal prep work, you pop the entire thing into the oven and voila, you get a crowd-friendly hit.
I've updated it a little, with the use of some chicken stock to soften it up.
If you hadn't had the time to marinate overnight, braising works just as well to allow the flavours steep into the chicken.
I've worked out the recipe for both the oven roasted, and braising versions below.
Ingredients (feeds 4 pax):
6 chicken thighs (approx 1 big thigh per pax, with a couple extra for second helpings)
1 head garlic, minced
1 cup fresh oregano leaves, hand-torn
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup prunes
1/2 cup green olives
1/4 cup capers
4 bay leaves
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
pinch sea salt
Directions for oven-roasting:
1) Marinate everything, save for half of the brown sugar and the wine, for at least 12 hours.
2) Pre-heat oven to 180C (fan-assisted), while bringing marinated chicken out of the oven and down to room temperature.
3) Set the chicken and all of the marinated fixings in a roasting pan, pour over wine, sprinkle the remaining brown sugar, and roast for 50 minutes, basting every 10-15 minutes.
Directions for braising:
1) Brown chicken in fat, salting liberally, and taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Set aside, in a big pot.
2) In a separate frying pan, fry garlic with olive oil.
3) Add wine, bring to boil, reduce by half. Add prunes, capers, olives.
4) Add oregano and chicken stock.
5) Add bay leaves, red wine vinegar, and dissolve sugar.
6) Transfer to chicken and bring to a boil, before lowering to a simmer, with a covered lid.
7) Salt to taste before serving.
I've updated it a little, with the use of some chicken stock to soften it up.
If you hadn't had the time to marinate overnight, braising works just as well to allow the flavours steep into the chicken.
I've worked out the recipe for both the oven roasted, and braising versions below.
Ingredients (feeds 4 pax):
6 chicken thighs (approx 1 big thigh per pax, with a couple extra for second helpings)
1 head garlic, minced
1 cup fresh oregano leaves, hand-torn
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup prunes
1/2 cup green olives
1/4 cup capers
4 bay leaves
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
pinch sea salt
Directions for oven-roasting:
1) Marinate everything, save for half of the brown sugar and the wine, for at least 12 hours.
2) Pre-heat oven to 180C (fan-assisted), while bringing marinated chicken out of the oven and down to room temperature.
3) Set the chicken and all of the marinated fixings in a roasting pan, pour over wine, sprinkle the remaining brown sugar, and roast for 50 minutes, basting every 10-15 minutes.
Directions for braising:
1) Brown chicken in fat, salting liberally, and taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Set aside, in a big pot.
2) In a separate frying pan, fry garlic with olive oil.
3) Add wine, bring to boil, reduce by half. Add prunes, capers, olives.
4) Add oregano and chicken stock.
5) Add bay leaves, red wine vinegar, and dissolve sugar.
6) Transfer to chicken and bring to a boil, before lowering to a simmer, with a covered lid.
7) Salt to taste before serving.
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