Sticky Chicken with Figs and Pomegranates
Chicken, sticky with pomegranate molasses and baked figs. A lovely lunch for late summer or autumn. Delicious! Figs have a short but memorable season in Sydney, so it’s great to grab them while you can, and use them in sweet and savoury dishes. This one pan dish is easy and can go from the oven straight to the table. Main course sorted!
Oh, and you could easily swap the figs for stone fruit like peaches or plums too!
8-10 chicken thighs, skin off
1 tablespoon flour seasoned with sea salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 shallots
500 grams fresh figs
4 tablespoons or 80g pomegranate molasses
500 mls chicken stock
2 pomegranates, seeds removed
A few pistachios, for scattering, optional
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Trim the chicken thighs to remove any excess fat.
Place them in a ziplock bag with the seasoned flour and shake to coat the thighs.
Heat the oil in a large casserole pan over a medium heat. Cook the chicken thighs in 2 or 3 batches in the oil to just brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Slice the shallots finely and put in the pan, adding a little more oil if necessary.
Take half the figs and slice in quarters. Place them in the pan with the shallots and add the pomegranate molasses, and fry for a few minutes until the figs are slightly softened.
Pour in the stock, and return the chicken thighs to the pan. Turn up the heat and bring the liquid to a simmer.
Put the casserole in the oven with the lid on and cook for 25-30 minutes.
Remove the casserole from the oven.
Halve or quarter the remaining figs, depending on their size.
Place the figs in the chicken dish, spooning some of the sauce over them. Scatter the seeds of the pomegranates over everything to finish the dish, with the pistachios, if using.
Serve with couscous or jasmine rice.