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Savory Cooking with Fruit
Recipe
1 hr 15 min

Chicken Thighs with Fresh Figs

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Chicken Thighs with Fresh Figs
Author: Morgan Bolling

Recipe By Morgan Bolling

Published on August 9, 2024

The combination of warm, jammy figs and crispy-skinned chicken is delightful.

Time

1 hr 15 min

Yield

Serves 4

Why This Recipe Works

This recipe is inspired by a recipe for Chicken Braised with Figs, Honey, and Vinegar by chef Judy Rodgers. We began cooking by placing eight bone-in chicken thighs in a cold pan before turning on the heat; the slow start helped render the fat for extra-crispy skin. Then we built a sauce with aromatics, chicken broth, and wine and finished cooking the chicken in the oven in that sauce, placing the chicken skin side up so that the skin stayed crispy. Swirling some halved fresh figs with butter, honey, and balsamic vinegar in the hot skillet at the end of cooking allowed the figs to soak up the sauce and become sticky and jammy.

Ingredients

8 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
1½ teaspoons table salt, divided
½ teaspoon pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
5 shallots, halved through root end if small, quartered if large
3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
¾ cup chicken broth
¼ cup dry white wine
4 sprigs fresh thyme
8 ounces figs, halved (about 8 small figs)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1½ teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Cook along with these step-by-step instructions

step 1 imagestep 2 imagestep 3 imagestep 4 image
  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle all over with 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and cayenne.
  2. Place chicken, skin side down, in cold 12-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until fat is rendered and skin is well browned, 8 to 11 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate, skin side up. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Heat fat over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallots and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and cook until shallots are beginning to brown, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, wine, and thyme sprigs.
  3. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Heat fat over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallots and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and cook until shallots are beginning to brown, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, wine, and thyme sprigs.
  4. Return chicken to skillet, skin side up, along with any accumulated juices, and bring sauce to boil. Transfer skillet to oven and cook, uncovered, until chicken registers at least 185 degrees, 30 to 35 minutes.
  5. Transfer chicken to serving platter. Place skillet over high heat (skillet handle will be hot) and bring to boil. Cook until sauce is just thick enough to lightly coat back of spoon, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in figs, butter, vinegar, and honey and cook until butter is melted and figs are warmed through, about 1 minute.
  6. Off heat, discard thyme sprigs. Serve chicken with figs, shallots, and sauce, sprinkled with parsley.

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Chicken Thighs with Fresh Figs

Recipe By Morgan Bolling

Published on August 9, 2024

Time

1 hr 15 min

Yield

Serves 4

Chicken Thighs with Fresh Figs

Ingredients

8 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed1½ teaspoons table salt, divided½ teaspoon pepper⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper5 shallots, halved through root end if small, quartered if large3 garlic cloves, sliced thin¾ cup chicken broth¼ cup dry white wine4 sprigs fresh thyme8 ounces figs, halved (about 8 small figs)2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar1½ teaspoons honey2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle all over with 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and cayenne.
  2. Place chicken, skin side down, in cold 12-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until fat is rendered and skin is well browned, 8 to 11 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate, skin side up. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Heat fat over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallots and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and cook until shallots are beginning to brown, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, wine, and thyme sprigs.
  3. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Heat fat over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallots and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and cook until shallots are beginning to brown, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, wine, and thyme sprigs.
  4. Return chicken to skillet, skin side up, along with any accumulated juices, and bring sauce to boil. Transfer skillet to oven and cook, uncovered, until chicken registers at least 185 degrees, 30 to 35 minutes.
  5. Transfer chicken to serving platter. Place skillet over high heat (skillet handle will be hot) and bring to boil. Cook until sauce is just thick enough to lightly coat back of spoon, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in figs, butter, vinegar, and honey and cook until butter is melted and figs are warmed through, about 1 minute.
  6. Off heat, discard thyme sprigs. Serve chicken with figs, shallots, and sauce, sprinkled with parsley.
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