Revisiting Sheila

Chicken Marbella

Published January 1, 2012. From Cook's Illustrated. 

from http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/6766-chicken-marbella?extcode=LN15A3CAA#.

Why this recipe works:

To save time and boost flavor, we ditched the original marinade and made a paste of the prunes, olives, capers, garlic, and oregano, which we spread on the chicken and caramelized into the sauce. To boost meatiness and complexity, we added anchovies and pepper flakes and browned the chicken skin in a skillet before baking it through. 

Serves 4 to 6 

Any combination of split breasts and leg quarters can be used in this recipe.

Ingredients:

Paste  

1/3 cup pitted green olives, rinsed 

1/3 cup pitted prunes 

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed  

3 anchovy fillets, rinsed  

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano  

1/2 teaspoon pepper  

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt  

Pinch red pepper flakes 

 

Chicken 2 1/2 - 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on split chicken breasts and/or leg quarters, trimmed Kosher salt and pepper 2 teaspoons olive oil 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth 1/3 cup white wine 1/3 cup pitted green olives, rinsed and halved 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed 2 bay leaves 1/3 cup pitted prunes, chopped coarse 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Preparation:

1. 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.) 
2. FOR THE CHICKEN: Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle chicken pieces with 1½ teaspoons salt and season with pepper.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6.  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.

Technique
Making Over Marbella
The original chicken Marbella featured chicken parts marinated overnight and then baked.

Problem: Pale, flabby skin
Solutions: Ditch the marinade since it turns skin soggy (and never permeates the flesh anyway). Sear the chicken to crisp the skin before adding liquid.
Problem: Bland meat
Solution: Smear a potent paste of capers, garlic, anchovies, olives, prunes, oregano, and red pepper flakes onto the chicken after it is seared.
Problem: Overly sweet, lackluster sauce
Solutions: Eliminate brown sugar and use the flavorful fond from searing the chicken (plus more caper-prune-olive paste) to form the base of the sauce. Balance the flavors with butter, vinegar, and parsley.