Honey Chicken with MOY Dried Figs

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Are you for supporting small business and local suppliers but find it hard to get your hands on these farmer’s produce? Who would have thought you could get produce at wholesale price with the product being of the highest and best quality from around Europe. Your nut and dried fruit saviour has heard you and come to earth in the form of MOY.

Including those with nut allergies, there is something for everyone at MOY. Launched only a few months ago - yes at the beginning of the Coronados Virus saga - this start up offers more than just a bag or two full of nuts. Inside the bag, rests the best quality nuts and dried fruit (depending on what you have ordered) sourced from small farmers and distributers around Europe. Quality produce is hard to share. It’s the initial taste upon that first bite that speaks a thousand words - Natural, organic, no mass processing or preservatives, this means quality.

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That 100 gram bag from the shops gets a little frustrating after a while - you need 200grams for one recipe, 200grams for another, 300 for the sake of cooking and a few into your month on a daily basis. We need a bigger bag! MOY grants this exact wish… 400 or 800 grams. That’s a true cooks birthday present right there (regardless whether you will attempt to cook or rock at it).

Have you tasted a fresh fig that burst and basically melts in your mouth? Well we have access to these only a month or two out of the whole year and if you aren’t located in warm/humid region, then this time will slim down to a few weeks. We need figs more! This lead to the birth of drying or dehydrating fresh fruit as a preservative so they can be enjoyed when those cold months are in their peak.

Drying fresh fruit does not eliminate any health benefits… ONLY if you source from good suppliers. MOY’s dried figs houses an array of benefits including being rich in;

  • potassium

  • iron

  • calcium

  • magnesium

  • copper

  • antioxidant vitamins A and K

We often consume too much added salts or white sugar - Figs counter balance both of these. Figs have been proven to lower blood pressure due to the high amount of potassium which counteracts salt. They are also high in natural sugars which means you will not have to add processed sugars yourself to enhance or create fake flavour. With their natural sweetness and processing whole body goodness it really is a win, win right?

Chicken is very bland which means its perfect to absorb all the flavours of dried figs, especially when baked. Served with a fresh green salad and home grown micro greens, figs can really be enjoyed year round now, thanks to MOY.

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Honey Chicken with Dried Figs

Ingredients 

  • 10 chicken thighs, with bone and skin

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (I used OEL)

  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 

  • 1/2 cup water plus extra 1/4 cup

  • 1/4 cup raw wild honey

  • 6 dired chilis 

  • 1 1/2 tbsp corn starch

  • 4 small onions, halved then thinly sliced

  • 8 garlic cloves, removed from the skin but left whole

  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme plus extra for serving

  • 9 MOY dried figs, halved

  • Salt and pepper 

Method 

  • In a small bowl, combine and mix well the red wine vinegar, water, honey and cornstarch. Set aside 

  • In a large bowl, coat the chicken with a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper (normally around 2-3 tsp of each)

  • In a large frying pan, place your oil on high heat. Make sure the oil is hot before adding chicken - the best way to test this is to hover your hand over the oil and if the heat is felt on the palm then it is hot enough.

  • Add chicken skin side down but do not crowd the pan - I had to do this in two batches

  • Cook skin side down until golden and crispy (around 6-8 minutes). Flip and cook for a further 3-4 minutes. Remove from the pan and leave to rest on a plate. Repeat until all chicken has been seared 

  • Heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius 

  • Remove extra fat (keep this in a bowl as its great with other dishes for added flavour) - you need around 2 table spoons left in the pan

  • Add onions and cook for 3-4 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add the whole garlic and cook for a further minute

  • Add the cornstarch mixture and cook for a minute until it thickens

  • Add the chicken back along with a extra 1/4 cup water, mixing carefully to coat evenly

  • Distribute the chicken, onion sauce and the halved figs between two baking trays (or one large one). Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is crispy and some parts slightly charred

  • Remove from the oven and serve immediately with extra thyme sprigs and a fresh salad

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Cecile Vadas