Sticky Fig and Chicken Traybake

It’s great to use what’s in season in your cooking. It’s the very end of the fig season in NSW. You can still pick them up in supermarkets and fruit and veg shops, but you’re more likely to source them at country markets.

I was in Orange this week and saw the last of the season in local farm shops. Buy them when you can!

Here’s a way to cook figs with chicken to make a lovely sticky traybake. Add pomegranates and you have a lovely autumnal dish. This one pan dish is easy and can go from the oven straight to the table. Main course sorted!

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.