Chicken & Figs

While you still have figs available you should make this NOW! Otherwise you will have to wait for next year!

Chicken & Figs

Serves 4

2.5 pounds boneless skin on chicken thighs

1 pound fingerling potatoes

8 pearl onions

8 fresh figs, cut in half

1.5 cups honey

1.5 cups white wine

3 sprigs thyme

Honey-wine reduction:

In a small sauce pot, place honey, wine and thyme, add a few cracks of black pepper and bring to a simmer over a medium heat, simmer till sauce has reduced by half. Set aside. This can be made in advance.

Fingerling potatoes:

Place fingerling potatoes in a pot and cover with water, add ½ cup salt and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook till fork tender, then remove from heat and allow to cool. This can be done 1 day in advance. Cut potatoes in half and sauté in butter with salt and pepper.

Pearl onions:

Preheat oven to 350'F.

Preheat a small oven proof sauté pan over medium heat, add one teaspoon of olive oil and one teaspoon of butter. Add peeled onions and season with salt and pepper. Lightly sauté for a few minutes till color develops then place in oven for 10-15 minutes until soft. This can be done in advance and reheated in same pan as potatoes.

Pan seared thighs & figs:

Preheat oven to 450'F.

Place chicken thighs skin side down on a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. Gently pound the thighs with a meat mallet until all surfaces are even and flat. .

Preheat an oven safe sauté pan to med-high heat. Flip the thighs so they are skin side up and season liberally with salt and fresh cracked black pepper.

Remove pan from heat and add 1 Tablespoon grapeseed oil and 1 Tablespoon of butter to sauté pan and allow butter to melt. Gently add the thighs skin side down into pan and return to heat, season remaining side with salt and pepper. After 2 minutes on med high lower heat to medium and remain cooking for 7-10 minutes until skin has rendered and turned golden brown, during this process you can take a spoon and baste the flesh side of the thighs to aid in cooking.

Place chicken in the oven skin side down and continue cooking till done, 8-15 minutes depending on oven. Once removed from oven remove chicken from pan and place skin side up on a platter. Drain majority of fat and place back on burner over a medium heat and place cut figs, cut side down on pan to lightly caramelize, 1-2 minutes, these have a high sugar content and will burn quickly.