Chicken with Fig & Wine Sauce

My fiance absolutely loves figs so I'd been saving this recipe for when the fruit came in season. Figs tend to be super sweet and jam-like but they take on a great smoky charred flavor after they caramelize in the pan and cook in red wine.The recipe only calls for a handful of ingredients, making it one of those nearly-instant weeknight meals that is still sophisticated enough for company. Feel free to play around with the recipe and serve the sauce with pork or leftover rotisserie chicken for even more flexibility.


Chicken with Fig & Wine Sauce:

• Heat 1 tbsp. canola oil in a large skillet over high heat.
• Season 2 boneless skin-on chicken breasts* with salt and pepper and add to the skillet skin-side down.
• Cook for 7-10 minutes, or until skin is very crispy and golden, then flip and allow the chicken to fully cook through.
• Remove from the pan and lower the heat to medium.
• Add in 1 pt. halved fresh figs,** cut-side down, and cook for a few minutes or until caramelized.
• Flip the figs and then add in 1/2 c. red wine, 1 tsp. honey, salt and pepper.
• Cook for a few minutes, or until the sauce has reduced by half, then turn off the heat and add in 1 tbsp. fig balsamic vinegar.***
• Spoon figs and sauce over chicken and enjoy.

Serves two

*About 6-8 oz. each.

**Or high-quality dried figs.

***Optional. I had some in my pantry and thought it really helped to bring out the fig flavor.