I love hosting dinner, but over-committing can be stressful. The story of Mary and Martha comes to mind: Martha is rushing to prepare a meal while Mary sits and listens. I’ve been a Martha — it makes for a very long evening. The trick is a dish that requires minimal active work just before guests arrive but tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen. This Marbella-inspired “Michella” chicken does exactly that.
This is my version of Marbella chicken, which traditionally uses a whole skin-on chicken, red wine vinegar, green olives and prunes. The prunes give sweetness, but I prefer dried apricots: they plump up with the marinade, look vibrant and carry the flavor without becoming pasty. I use skinless, bone-in chicken thighs and add marinated artichoke hearts, capers and mushrooms during baking. Serve the chicken with pasta, baked spaghetti squash or a crusty bread and a simple salad for a memorable, stress-free evening.
Tips for making Marbella-inspired “Michella” chicken
Marinade
The marinade blends caper juice, the juice from marinated artichoke hearts, dried oregano, wine (or chicken broth), mushroom bouillon, black pepper, dark brown sugar and plenty of garlic. This mix gives a balance of savory, briny and sweet flavors that penetrate the chicken during marinating.
Chicken
Skinless, bone-in thighs work best since they stay juicy and tender after baking. Using skinless thighs reduces excess fat while keeping great flavor from the marinade. If you remove the skins, save them to make crispy chicken skin as a snack or garnish. Depending on thigh size, baking will take about 40–50 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160°F, then allow resting so it rises to 165°F.
Marinated artichoke hearts
Use artichoke hearts that come in a marinade of oil, vinegar, herbs and spices — their juice adds essential flavor to the chicken marinade. Avoid plain, un-marinated artichoke hearts for this recipe.
Marinated artichoke hearts
Capers
Both capers and their juice are used in the marinade. Small capers tend to deliver a pleasant briny pop; very large capers can be overwhelmingly salty, so choose smaller ones if possible.
Capers
Olives
Use green, pitted olives and slice them lengthwise. Halved olives are easier to eat, don’t roll on the plate and visually seem more abundant in the finished dish.
Mushrooms
Firm varieties like button, cremini or baby portobello work well. Cut into 1/4–1/2 inch slices so they absorb the marinade and retain texture after baking.
Prepared Chicken Michella
Accompaniments
The pan sauce is rich and flavorful, so choose a side that soaks up the juices: pasta, mashed potatoes or crusty sourdough are excellent choices. My favorite is spaghetti squash — bake it while the oven preheats, then serve the chicken and sauce over the squash “spaghetti” for a lighter presentation. A crisp green salad completes the meal.
Baked Chicken Michella
Marbella-inspired “Michella” chicken
Baked, flavorful and succulent skinless chicken thighs — a complete oven-baked meal that makes entertaining low-stress and high-reward.
Ingredients (serves 6)
- 8 bone-in skinless chicken thighs
- 6 cloves chopped garlic
- 1½ Tbsp dried oregano (plus extra if using fresh)
- 1 tsp mushroom bouillon
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Marinated artichoke hearts (use only the juice in the marinade)
- 100 grams dried apricots
- 75 grams pitted green olives, halved
- 25 grams capers
- 2 Tbsp caper juice
- 2 Tbsp dark brown sugar
- ½ cup dry white wine or chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp fresh chopped Italian parsley
- 227 grams sliced fresh mushrooms
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- In a large dish combine the marinade ingredients: chopped garlic, dried oregano, mushroom bouillon, black pepper, dried apricots, halved olives, capers and caper juice, brown sugar, white wine (or chicken broth), the juice from the marinated artichokes and bay leaves.
- Add the chicken thighs to the marinade, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, preferably 24 hours, turning occasionally so the flavor distributes evenly.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F. If using spaghetti squash, place it in the oven to roast at this time.
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator, add the sliced mushrooms and the marinated artichoke hearts to the pan with the chicken and toss gently to combine. Allow the pan to come to room temperature for 30–60 minutes.
- Bake for about 40–50 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160°F. Remove from oven and let rest — the temperature will rise to 165°F while resting.
- Serve the chicken with your chosen side (spaghetti squash, pasta, mashed potatoes or bread), spooning the savory sauce over the chicken and sides. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and enjoy.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Serving: 1.5 thighs
- Calories: 345 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Fat: 14 g
- Sodium: 830 mg
- Fiber: 4 g
- Sugar: 15 g
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment to share how it turned out or ask any questions. If you post on social media, tag your photo with #sammywongskitchen so I can see your results!