Cook The Book: Bay-Scented Chicken With Figs

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 chicken legs or 1 chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds) cut into quarters
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 6 fresh figs or 8 dried figs, cut into quarters
• 8 pitted prunes, cut into quarters, optional
• 1/2 cup drained green olives, pitted and halved, or 1/4 cup drained and rinsed capers, optional
• 5 fresh bay leaves, or 2 dried bay leaves
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme (tied together with kitchen twine) or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper evenly over the chicken pieces. In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces skin-side down and cook until the skin is deeply browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Turn over each piece and brown the other side for about 2 minutes more. Remove the chicken to a platter.
2. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan and stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Whisk in the wine and cook, stirring, until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and cook, stirring, until smooth. Add the figs, the prunes, and/or olives, if using either or both, the bay leaves, thyme, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and stir to combine. Add the chicken pieces and any juices in a single layer.
3. Bring the sauce to a boil, cover the pan, reduce the heat, and simmer until the chicken is tender and no longer pink inside, 40 to 45 minutes.
4. Remove the chicken from the pan. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs from the sauce with tongs and discard. Stir the sauce well, and press down a bit on some of the figs and prunes to release some of their flavors into the sauce. Pour the sauce onto a shallow platter and place the chicken on top. Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.

kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, chicken, extravirgin olive oil, onions, garlic, ground cumin, flour, white wine, chicken broth, fresh figs, prunes, green olives, bay leaves, thyme

Taken from www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/04/bay-scented-chicken-with-figs-recipe.html (may not work)