Modernized Chicken Marbella Cooks Illustrated Food

CHICKEN MARBELLA

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine chicken quarters, garlic, oregano, pepper and coarse salt to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, apricots (if using), olives, capers and juice, bay leaves, brown sugar and white wine.
• Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Arrange chicken in a single layer in a large, shallow baking pan and spoon marinade over it evenly.
• Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices. Chicken is done when thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest, yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice.
• With a slotted spoon transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Pass remaining pan juices in a sauceboat.
• Note: To serve Chicken Marbella cold, cool to room temperature in cooking juices before transferring to a serving platter. If chicken has been covered and refrigerated, allow it to return to room temperature before serving. Spoon some of the reserved juices over chicken.

MODERNIZED CHICKEN MARBELLA (COOK'S ILLUSTRATED)

Steps:

• FOR THE PASTE: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Pulse all ingredients in food processor until finely chopped, about ten 1-second pulses. Scrape down bowl and continue to process until mostly smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl. (Paste can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.).
• FOR THE CHICKEN: Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle chicken pieces with 1½ teaspoons salt and season with pepper.
• Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving it until well browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer chicken to large plate. Drain off all but 1 teaspoon fat from skillet and return to medium-low heat.
• Add 1/3 cup paste to skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and fond forms on pan bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in broth, wine, olives, capers, and bay leaves, scraping up any browned bits. Return chicken to pan, skin side up (skin should be above surface of liquid), and roast, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
• Remove skillet from oven and use back of spoon to spread remaining paste over chicken pieces; sprinkle prunes around chicken. Continue to roast until paste begins to brown, breasts register 160 degrees, and leg quarters register 175 degrees, 7 to 12 minutes longer.
• Transfer chicken to serving platter and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Remove bay leaves from sauce and whisk in butter, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon parsley; season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce around chicken, sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley, and serve.

CHICKEN MARBELLA

Steps:

• Wash chicken in cold water, pat dry and cut into quarters.
• In a large bowl, combine garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers, bay leaves and mix well. Add chicken quarters and coat well with marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to marinate.
• NEXT DAY: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange chicken in a single layer in a 9" x 13" oven proof casserole dish or a shallow baking pan.
• Spoon marinade evenly over chicken. Sprinkle chicken with brown sugar. Pour white wine into the dish, (NOT OVER THE CHICKEN).
• Bake in preheated 350F oven for 50 to 60 minutes, basting frequently with pan juices. Note: Chicken is done when thigh pieces are pricked with a fork at their thickest and no pink is showing.
• With a slotted spoon, transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten chicken with a few spoonfuls of pan juices. Sprinkle generously with finely chopped fresh parsley. Pour remainder of pan juices into a sauceboat and serve along with the chicken for those who desire more liquid.
• NOTES: The overnight marination is essential to the moistness of the finished product. The chicken improves over a couple days of refrigeration. It also travels well and makes excellent picnic fare. Also, you may make this recipe with small drumsticks. It makes delicious hor d'oeuvres. This recipe doubles very easily if serving large groups. Bake in a large roasting pan.

MOCK CHICKEN MARBELLA

Steps:

• Add olives and capers to the container of a food processor; process until fairly smooth; set aside.
• Position oven rack so that it is in the center of the oven; preheat to 400°.
• Add balsamic vinaigrette, olive/caper mixture, garlic, oregano, bay leaves, and prunes in a mixing bowl; stir well to combine.
• Add in chicken tenders; fold in.
• Transfer mixture to a 13x9 inch glass or ceramic casserole dish; make sure chicken tenders are in one layer and not on top of one another.
• Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the chicken.
• Pour the wine around the tenders (not on top of the chicken, otherwise the brown sugar will get rinsed off the top of the chicken) Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken has carmelized on top and juices run clear.
• Discard bay leaves.
• Good served warm with rice or couscous; also good served cold.

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH OLIVES AND PRUNES (CHICKEN MARBELLA)

Steps:

• Rinse the chicken and pat dry.
• Place the chicken breast side up in a pyrex baking dish, then sprinkle with salt.
• In a large bowl, combine the olives, prunes, oregano, capers, bay leaves, garlic, olive oil, agave, apple cider vinegar and water.
• Spread the contents of the bowl in the dish around the chicken.
• Bake at 425° for 20 minutes.
• Lower heat to 375° and continue to roast the chicken until it is cooked through, about 40 minutes.
• Remove from oven and serve.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN MARBELLA

Steps:

• In a 5- to 6-qt slow cooker, whisk together the wine, brown sugar, oregano, 2 Tbsp of the vinegar, and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Add the garlic, capers, prunes and olives and mix to combine.
• Add the chicken, nestling it among the olives and prunes. Cover and cook until the meat is tender and cooked through, on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours; gently stir in the remaining Tbsp vinegar and parsley.
• Thirty minutes before serving, cook the rice according to package directions. Serve the chicken, prunes, olives and cooking liquid over the rice.