Honey Roasted Chicken and Figs
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This Honey Roasted Chicken and Figs has onions, shallots and figs roasted in a garlic honey sauce that gets a little love from red wine vinegar. So good.
When roasted, figs slowly break down and turn into a custard like fruit that’s sweet in flavor and jam-like in texture. These get a little extra love from a garlic honey sauce that is savory and offset with some tang from red wine vinegar. Add to the dish the chicken and this Honey Roasted Chicken and Figs is a complete meal too good not to share. Doesn’t this one scream comfort food goodness and Autumn?
I made this several times with three different vinegars. First I tried rice wine and it was too sweet. Next up was with apple cider vinegar, and while I loved it, the red wine vinegar was the perfect acid to off set the sweetness of the figs and honey.
This Honey Roasted Chicken and Figs is a wonderful comfort food dinner without the carbs like a pasta dish or with mashed potatoes. Slow roasted chicken in an insanely delicious garlic honey sauce with sweet figs. Sound good? I swear to you it is indeed.
I like to use bone-in, skin on chicken thighs for this one. I feel the thighs have more flavor and I love the rendered and crispy chicken skin on top. Salt and peppered all over the chicken thighs get a pan sear, then in the same pan go the onions, shallots and garlic. A mixture of red wine vinegar, honey, red pepper flakes and cornstarch make the sauce.
Back in the pan with the sauce go the thighs and sliced figs to round it all out for a little roasting. What you have is one delicious Autumn dinner.
The flavor weapon here is definitely the red wine vinegar, but the fresh oregano is key as well.
The figs are so delicate and fork tender. Sweet, delicious and compliment the tangy garlic honey sauce. Take a look at this beauty!
I’ve made this as a one pan meal using my 12 inch cast iron, but feel free to use a large skillet able to go into the oven after the pan sear. Recently I doubled this recipe and after the pan sear roasted everything in my trusty 13×9″ stone bakeware for a party. This one got rave reviews and everyone said to please post this recipe, so here it is people! Who’s with me?
The sweet figs are incredible in this and the sweet and tangy sauce is fantastic, but if you like crispy chicken skin do not pour the sauce over or baste.
If you like this, try my Balsamic Apricot Pork Chops. Enjoy!
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Honey Roasted Figs and Chicken
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (6 to 8)
- 1 tsp salt divided
- 1 tsp pepper divided
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup honey
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 large white onion thinly sliced
- 2 large shallots thinly sliced
- 8 cloves garlic whole
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano leaves chopped, plus 2 tbsp whole leaves
- 8 fresh figs (See Note 1)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, water, honey, red pepper flakes and cornstarch. Set aside. Sprinkle chicken on both sides with salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
- Heat a heavy 12 or 14 inch cast iron or ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add oil and place chicken skin side down. Brown until skin is deep golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn over and brown other side, 2 to 4 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Discard all but 2 tablespoons of fat from frying pan, reduce heat to medium, and cook onions, shallots until translucent, 5 minutes. Add whole garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add cornstarch mixture, chopped oregano, and remaining black pepper. Cook until mixture thickens, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Fry Pan Roasting: Set chicken skin side up in frying pan and add quartered figs. Roast in oven until figs soften and caramelize slightly and meat is no longer pink at bone, about 15 minutes, OR internal temperature is 165°F. Divide chicken, figs, and sauce among plates and top with whole oregano leaves.
- 9×9” Baking Dish: If doubling, use 13×9” baking dish. Pour onion, shallot sauce mixture on bottom of baking dish. Set chicken skin side up on top of onion shallot sauce mixture and add arrange quartered figs around chicken. Roast in oven until figs soften and caramelize slightly and meat is no longer pink at bone, about 15 minutes, OR internal temperature is 165°F. Divide chicken, figs, and sauce among plates and top with whole oregano leaves.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
What a tasty dish! I made it last night with a few tweaks:
-Used fresh chopped rosemary instead since I had no oregano.
-Half fresh, half rehydrated figs. I saved the rehydrated fig water and used that instead of the 1/4 plain water, then halved the honey.
-A few splashes of chicken stock to deglaze the pan toward the end of cooking the onions/shallots. I guess fig water could work too if I didn’t have any stock on hand.
-I also added a few splashes of chicken stock before the pan went into the oven since it was looking a little dry and I didn’t want it to burn. Just made sure to avoid splashing on top of the chicken because I wanted that skin to stay crispy!
Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe! I haven’t cooked with bone-in + skin thighs for so long but this recipe might make me add it back into the mix!
I am so glad you enjoyed it! Love the few tweaks you did! Thank you for stopping by!
This looks awesome! I’ve never cooked with figs before, and will certainly give the dish a try, since my hubby loves figs. Figs are on sale at the local grocer, so win, win!
NY Times has a Tomato, Fig and Blue Cheese salad, and perhaps this would work with the chicken, or is that fig overkill? Either way, I plan to pair this with a light salad and a crusty baguette for sopping up the sauce.
Happy I found your site and look forward to trying new recipes.
Let me know how it turns out! I would love to hear! I hope you find more recipes you will enjoy!
Made this tonight and it is yummy! I followed the recipe exactly except for the shallots – didn’t have shallots but I did have fresh oregano. Served it over orecchiette pasta. I might increase the amount of sauce next time.
I am glad you liked it! Sometimes more sauce is never a bad thing!
Oh my… this looks absolutely delicious – your photography is amazing!!
Thanks for making my day!
If I wanted to make potatoes along with this, directly with the dish, would it work to add in the potatoes with the figs, and then roast them longer after taking out the chicken? Perhaps doubling some of the ingredients to make more juice for the potatoes?
To be sure they were cooked through, I’d pan sear them along with the chicken as well as roasting them longer after taking out the chicken Hannah.
Hi Kevin,
Just ran across this blog and I’m in! I want to make this tonight, but obviously the fresh fig season is just over:-( Do you think I could use dry figs and reconstitute them? This sounds so delicious I don’t want to wait until figs are in next year! Thanks so much
Definitely Linda. I have not tried it myself, but see no reason why not. Please let me know how it turns out.
Thanks for the quick response…I had already bought black Mission figs and figured I would wing it. The dish turned out very well…I’ll definitely make it with fresh figs when they’re in season. I served it with couscous and roasted brussel sprouts and my guests really enjoyed it.
You’re making me hungry and it’s only 7:45 AM here. 🙂
Hey Kevin,
Just spent some time reading your blog and see you’re from San Diego. I live in Encinitas, so who knows we may run into each other at TJ’s or Sprouts or Farmer’s Market one day. Love your story…I started cooking when I was 9 and it’s been a lifelong passion. Cheers to you and Dave:-)
Awe, thanks so much Linda! 🙂
What would be a good side dish for this? I will be making this tonight.
Sorry for the late reply, been in the middle of a house remodel Kat. Any rice dish or roasted potatoes is always a win to me!
I made this per the recipe except I put brown sugar instead of honey and it was amazingly delicious!!!
So glad you enjoyed this one Tutu and for taking the time to come back and let me know.
Made this recipe last night and everyone loved it including me😋 super easy and super delish!! Will definitely make it again!
So happy you all enjoyed this one Fely. Cheers! Thanks for letting me know, too.
Hi Kevin, this recipe looks so amazing I plan to make it for dinner tonight….that said I don’t see how much chicken to buy, hoping you can help. If you see this soon please respond and let me know, and thank you! I have fresh figs and can’t wait to taste this later!
Crazy, I have no idea why that was missing, but it’s there now! It’s 2-3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (6 to 8) total. Was up in Alaska, so just got home to review comments. Sorry if I was late! 🙂
This recipe looks so delicious I postponed making this…..and can I just say…thank you 100x so freaking much! I was guessing something similar but honestly less and I am a perfectionist who would rather know than not so you’re amazing! Can’t wait to make it and I’ll definitely post pics and review. Honestly your speedy reply already has me sold🤗thank you! thank you!
My pleasure Laura, I hope you enjoy this and have a wonderful 4th of July holiday!