Chicken Marbella is a dish that originated in the 1970s at a little restaurant called La Grenouille in New York City. This popular dish includes chicken, white wine, olives, capers, prunes, garlic, and seasoning.
It’s made by marinating the chicken in a mixture of these ingredients. After which, the chicken is baked in the oven until golden brown. The resultant textures are moist, tender, and flaky. And the flavors are savory, salty, acidic, and slightly sweet.
Various side dishes will complement Chicken Marbella. But, more traditionally, this main is served with rice or pasta to soak up the delicious juices from the chicken.
What to Serve with Chicken Marbella
Your Chicken Marbella side must deliver a complementary flavor profile. Therefore, you’ll want a side dish that will enhance the flavors of the chicken.
And because Chicken Marbella is moist and tender, you might prefer a side dish that is crispy or crunchy. This will help to balance out the textures of the dish.
If you’re stumped on what to serve with Chicken Marbella, look no further. We’ve got you covered with our top 10 list of delectable sides.
1. Mushroom Risotto
There’s a reason you often hear the words “chicken” and “mushroom” in the same sentence. It’s because they make the perfect pair. And mushroom risotto is a great choice when looking at what to serve with Chicken Marbella.
This Italian rice dish includes mushrooms, rice, broth, butter, onion, garlic, white wine, peas, parmesan cheese, and seasoning. The result is a savory and creamy side to compliment your tender Chicken Marbella. The mushrooms add an earthy flavor, while the rice delivers a soft and starchy dimension to the dish.
2. Couscous
You’ll be forgiven for thinking that couscous is grain, but it’s not. In fact, it’s almost like pasta in that it’s made from crushed semolina flour. And this light and fluffy side dish will make for a great accompaniment to Chicken Marbella.
Couscous plays a similar role to rice as a side and provides a blank canvas to take on the flavors of the main dish. Your couscous side will soak up all that delicious juiciness from the chicken. You can add whatever you like to the couscous to make it more interesting. But some common additives are roasted onions, peppers, lemon juice, and olive oil.
3. Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Brussels sprouts aren’t just for Thanksgiving dinner. They make an excellent side dish option when deciding what to serve with Chicken Marbella. They’re also incredibly nutritious vegetables.
To make your roasted brussels sprouts, simply toss them in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then pop them into the oven to roast until browned a slightly crisp on the outside. They’ll offer a savory and slightly sweet accompaniment complementing your Chicken Marbella to a tee.
4. Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Who can resist a serving of creamy mashed potatoes with their Chicken Marbella? This combination of potatoes, butter, milk, and seasoning is a hit at any dinner table.
Allow the creamy, buttery melt-in-your-mouth potatoes to satisfy your carb cravings while they elevate the juicy chicken. Simply boil your potatoes until soft. Add butter, milk, salt, pepper, and mash. Replace your milk with cream for a creamier version of this classic side.
5. Beer-Fried Polenta
Polenta is a type of cornmeal side dish that originated in northern Italy. Depending on how much liquid you add to the cornmeal, you can make it a stiff or creamy consistency. But for this polenta side, you’ll make your polenta stiff enough to cut into soft cubes.
Add butter and beer to a deep pan to make beer-fried polenta, and fry your polenta cubes until browned. These are the perfect side dish for Chicken Marbella because they are crispy and flavorful. The malt-like beer melds well with the corn flavor in the polenta and adds a burst of flavor to the meal.
6. Wild Rice Pilaf
Wild rice pilaf can be as simple as combining wild rice, broth, butter, garlic, onion, and various spices. But, you can add pulses, such as lentils, or vegetables, such as carrots, to your taste. Pilaf itself is a popular side dish in the middle east. And it’s a great option when figuring out what to serve with Chicken Marbella.
The pilaf delivers a nutty and earthy flavor which compliments the sweetness present in the chicken from the prunes and wine. The wild rice is cooked in vegetable broth until tender and mixed with sauteed onions, garlic, and seasoning. Any pulses or vegetables are then added to cook in the broth until completely absorbed.
7. Potatoes Au Gratin
A staple in French cuisine, potatoes au gratin is a potato dish comprising potatoes, cheese, and cream. And it’s a common side that’s often paired with meats such as chicken and beef.
Potatoes au gratin is rich and creamy, complementing the fruity and salty flavors of the Chicken Marbella. Here, the potatoes are thinly sliced and layered in a baking dish. A mixture of cheese and cream is then poured over it. It’s topped with grated cheese before being baked until the potatoes are tender and the cheese is melted.
8. Lemon Roasted Asparagus
Chicken and asparagus are certainly not strangers. And lemon roasted asparagus delivers this juicy, refreshing vegetable with caramelized sweetness. While the lemon offers some acidity to balance out the sweetness of both the roasted asparagus and Chicken Marbella.
The asparagus is roasted with lemon, olive oil, salt, and pepper in the oven. And the result is a delicious and healthy side dish that is full of flavor.
9. Waldorf Salad
Waldorf salad is another American creation that incorporates apples, celery, grapes, mayonnaise, toasted walnuts, and lemon juice. And it’s a global favorite when entertaining guests.
This crisp salad is the perfect side dish for Chicken Marbella because it adds a fresh and crunchy texture to the meal. It’ also mirrors the fruity flavors present in the Chicken Marbella marinade, which work well together. The mayonnaise and lemon juice bind these ingredients together and add a zesty dimension to the overall flavor profile.
10. Crusty Sourdough Bread
Bread can be served with just about any meal. And crusty sourdough bread is just the side to impress your guests. Crusty sourdough bread is made with a sourdough starter, flour, water, and salt. And it’s the perfect way to add a moreish carbohydrate element to the meal.
Your Chicken Marbella will find an excellent companion in the crisp exterior and soft, dense interior of the sourdough bread. The sourdough starter brings some tanginess to the overall taste.
Conclusion
These are just some side dish options to choose from when determining what to serve with Chicken Marbella. You can’t go wrong with any one or combination of the above sides. Just be mindful to incorporate various colors and nutrients into your meal. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to add a starchy carbohydrate element and some vegetables for a balanced meal. But, no matter which side you choose, your guests will surely be smiling.