Ina Garten’s Chicken Marbella

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 50 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

i na Garten isn’t just known for making good chicken. She’s known for making perfect chicken — you know the one — as well as a lemon and herb chicken so darn delicious, it’s rumored to inspire marriage proposals (including Prince Harry’s 2017 proposal to Meghan Markle).

Ingredients

1/2 cup good olive oil
1/2 cup good red wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups large pitted prunes, such as Sunsweet
1 cup large green olives, pitted, such as Cerignola (see tip)
1/2 cup capers, including the juices (3 1/2 ounces)
6 bay leaves
1 1/2 heads of garlic, cloves separated, peeled, and minced (see tip)
1/4 cup dried oregano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (4-pound) chickens, backs removed and cut in 8 pieces
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio

Instructions

Combine the olive oil, vinegar, prunes, olives, capers, bay leaves, garlic, oregano, 2 tablespoons salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken to the marinade. (You can also place the chicken and marinade in a 2-gallon plastic storage bag and squeeze out the air to make sure the chicken is fully covered with the marinade.) Refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally to be sure the marinade is getting into all of the chicken pieces.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place the chicken, skin side up, along with the marinade in one layer in a large (15 × 18-inch) roasting pan, sprinkle with the brown sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper, and pour the wine around (not over!) the chicken. Roast for 45 to 55 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken is 145 degrees. Remove the pan from the oven, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Transfer the chicken, prunes, and olives to a serving platter, sprinkle with salt, and serve hot with the pan juices.