Braised Chicken With Cilantro Lemon And Dried Figs Recipes

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH CILANTRO, LEMON AND DRIED FIGS

Steps:

• Place flour in large resealable plastic bag. Season flour with salt and pepper. Add chicken to bag; seal bag. Shake bag to coat chicken lightly with flour.
• Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large nonstick pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add chicken and sauté until brown on all sides, about 7 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken to plate. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pot and reduce heat to medium. Add onions and garlic and sauté until golden and tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in broth, 1/2 cup cilantro and lemon juice and bring to boil. Add figs and chicken with any accumulated juices to pot. Cover and simmer until chicken is tender, about 35 minutes.
• Using slotted spoon, transfer chicken to bowl and cover with foil to keep warm. Boil juices in pot until thickened to sauce consistency, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro over and serve with lemon wedges.

EGYPTIAN LEMON CHICKEN WITH FIGS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°.
• Squeeze the juice from one of the lemons into a small bowl, add the brown sugar, vinegar and water. Mix well and set aside.
• Slice the remaining lemon and arrange evenly, along with the figs in a 13x9 baking dish.
• Place the chicken thighs on top in a single layer, then drizzle the vinegar mixture over the chicken.
• Sprinkle with the thyme and salt.
• Bake at 400° for about 40 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle and juices run clear, basting half-way through cook time.
• Sprinkle with cilantro and serve immediately.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH FIGS

Steps:

• Separate legs and thighs if not already done. Pat chicken pieces very dry. Season with salt and pepper. Cut top half-inch off onions. Peel onions, and quarter them vertically, cutting only a bit off the root end so each quarter stays intact.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Heat butter in a heavy ovenproof skillet, preferably one large enough to hold chicken in a single layer. Over medium-high heat, brown chicken well on both sides. If skillet is not large enough to hold all the chicken, brown it in stages, and transfer it to a roasting pan that will hold it all.
• Tuck onion quarters, thyme and bay leaves around chicken. Add white wine and enough chicken stock so liquid is about 1/2-inch deep in pan. Place chicken in oven, and cook until chicken is done, about 40 minutes.
• Remove from oven to stove. Place figs around the chicken. Place pan over medium-high heat, bring contents to a simmer, and cook a few minutes until sauce starts to get syrupy. Warm honey and vinegar in a small saucepan, and drizzle over chicken. Turning chicken in pan, cook a few minutes more, basting with pan juices.
• Remove bay leaves, check seasonings, and serve, dividing the ingredients so each plate gets a chicken leg and thigh, and 4 pieces each of fig and onion.