Figs are abundant at this time of the year. You can pretty much get them at supermarkets or farmers’ markets. For me, I never knew fresh figs before until a few years ago! I have only seen dried figs and my mom uses them in Chinese cooking. As for fig trees, first time in my life, I saw them when I was in Greece.
When I was pretty new to these fruits, I was asking myself if I should peel the skin or eat with the skin? Well, the skin can be left on but some people like to peel a little of the skin off starting at the stem end pulling toward the large end but only if the skin is a little thick around the stem. I absolutely love the natural sweetness of figs. I also particularly love to chew on the crunchy little seeds!!
Instead of eating figs raw, I have been thinking and finding another way of using them. I like the idea to use figs in starters, mains and desserts. Since I bought quite a lot of figs lately, I thought I would make figs in 2 ways! Today, I’m going to share with you the first way – a savoury dish using figs. I decided to pair figs with chicken (one of my favourite meats)! I think both chicken and figs go really well. As the weather gets more chilly at night, I start to fancy dishes with more sauce/liquid.
I found a real good recipe that uses both chicken and figs. As a bonus, honey is one of the ingredients that is used too! I think the combinations of all these are great! I added some carrots just to make the whole dish even more colourful and wholesome.
Recipe: Chicken with Figs & Honey (adapted from The Independent)
Serves 6
Ingredients:
Organic Free-range chicken (jointed into 6-8 pieces), about 1.6kg
Freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste
Olive oil, 2 tbsp
Onion (peeled and sliced), 1
Thyme, a few sprigs
Bay leaf, 1
White wine, 125ml
Chicken stock, 150ml
White wine vinegar, 2 tbsp
Mild-tasting honey, 1 tbsp
Ripe figs, 10
Carrots (halves, cut into 5-6cm length), 4-5
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Trim off the excess fat from the chicken, then season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then brown the chicken pieces in batches, skin side down, for roughly about 8 minutes, turning to colour them evenly all over.
3. Remove the chicken to a flameproof casserole dish with a slotted spoon.
4. Pour off most of the fat from the frying pan, then add the onion and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes to soften.
5. Add the onion and carrots (if using) to the casserole dish with the thyme and bay leaf. Pour over the wine and chicken stock.
6. Place the casserole, uncovered, on the middle shelf of the oven and cook for about 30 minutes until the meat is tender but not quite falling from the bone. The skin should now be golden and the liquid reduced by about half.
7. Place the casserole over a low heat on the hob. Mix the wine vinegar and honey and pour in.
8. Tear each fig into four and add to the casserole. Bring to a boil, allow to bubble until the liquor has reduced to a syrupy consistency – it should be glossy and taste both sweet and sour.
9. Serve on warm plates, with a salad and some bread.
Subscribe by Email
Subscribe by RSS
October 19th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
seems like a fantastic recipe! love the background color of the photos! did you use a black board?
October 19th, 2009 at 11:34 pm
I haven't even had figs.yep, No figs in sight here. I can only drool…
October 20th, 2009 at 12:52 am
I love figs. I haven't eaten them for quite a while. The dish looks great with all the other ingredients.
October 20th, 2009 at 1:38 am
Chicken wings with figs and honey sounds like a great way to eat "breakfast"! LOL. The figs I get in SG are horrible. Bland and expensive. I was so disappointed cos everyone seems to be raving about their sweetness
Your chicken wings are awesome. Golden and perfect 
October 20th, 2009 at 3:37 am
your chicken wt fig look delicious!! great combination!! I love fresh fig,eat as it is..how it's taste wt fig?
October 20th, 2009 at 5:15 am
Figs are just a nice looking fruit and it is simply gorgeous as one of the ingredients. This recipe is so awesome but unfortunately it is not a figs season here. Hopefully I can try this recipe someday. Great photographs!
October 20th, 2009 at 6:25 am
I love the combination of figs with chicken! your recipe is exactly what I'm looking for… and your pictures are so beautiful! Thank you…
October 20th, 2009 at 6:36 am
oohh this is a gorgeous idea. figs and chicken how perfect is that. love that first photo pf the figs! classy!
October 20th, 2009 at 6:36 am
It is a most interesting combination of flavors that you have used. I always just use figs in baked goods, with cheeses or paired with cold meats, but this chicken dish certainly is packed with flavor. Beautiful photos….but then again you know that by now!!!
October 20th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
I used to snack dried figs for alimentary canal’s purpose.
This is such a healthy recipe! Beautiful shot as well.
October 20th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
I love figs and would never have thought to mix with chicken. Very creative! Gorgeous pics too.
October 20th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Thank you! I use a black cardboard (glossy surface).
October 20th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
When I lived in Malaysia, I never saw fresh figs, only dry ones.
October 20th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Thank you! For me, it's a comfort dish
ehhe
October 20th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Where are those figs from in S'pore?
October 20th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Thanks! All I could tell is the sweetness of the broth with bit of pieces of the figs are just fantastic!
October 20th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Thank you Alice. Try it when you can get hold of some figs
October 20th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Merci Dominique!! J'aime beaucoup le poulet aux figues… a part ca, le poulet/le lapin aux prunaux est une bonne!
October 20th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Thanks, Meeta..
October 20th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Thanks Nina! I thought it's something that would really make me hungry even when I cook.. I love chicken and since figs are abundant, I thought it was a good idea to use them. Well, I am still working on my photography… there are so many things that I do based on my trials and errors experiences!!
October 20th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
Thanks Pepy!
October 20th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Hi Stephanie,
Thanks for dropping by and your comment. Give this recipe a try, you'll like it!
October 20th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
That is very creative way of using fresh figs. I like most type of fresh fruits but no too much of fig. I think it is the spongy texture of it ha ha, By the way, beautiful pictures Leemei.
October 21st, 2009 at 12:36 am
Your dish looks absolutely stunning! I do really wish to replicate this dish at home but it is impossible to find fresh figs in SG.
October 21st, 2009 at 2:49 pm
They were from Turkey.
October 21st, 2009 at 8:18 pm
We don't have good figs here. Too bad.
October 21st, 2009 at 8:56 pm
Thanks Gertrude!
October 21st, 2009 at 8:57 pm
hmmm..maybe dried figs are ok, but then again, I am not sure how it would turn out.
October 21st, 2009 at 8:58 pm
No? That's a shame though.. they are great fruits!
October 24th, 2009 at 4:54 am
splendid dish…thanks for sharing the wonderful recipe!
~have a happy weekend~
October 24th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Thanks!
October 24th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
Thanks for your comment!
Have a good weekend too!
October 25th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Great idea! Looks and sounds really delicious, love the flavours.
October 25th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
Thanks Ann…
October 26th, 2009 at 3:45 am
omg you captured such a gorgeous photo of the figs =)
I like how you use them in a savoury dish. Drooling …
October 26th, 2009 at 5:12 am
The close-up picture of the fig’s cross-section is so beautiful. Love it!
October 26th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
Thank you for your compliment!
I think figs work well in savoury dishes too.
October 26th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Hi,
Thanks for dropping by and your comment!