Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, about 4–6 pieces
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 8 ounces ripe figs, about 7, halved or quartered if large
- 10 pitted green olives, such as Castelvetrano, halved
- Crushed red pepper, to taste
- Water, as needed to deglaze the pan
Instructions
1
Pat the chicken thighs dry and place them in a medium bowl. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
2
Grate the garlic and zest the lemon directly into the bowl. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the oregano, then turn the chicken until evenly coated. Cook immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
3
Heat the remaining tablespoon olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the figs and cook undisturbed until browned, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until the other side is browned and softened, 1–2 minutes more.
4
Transfer the figs to a small bowl. Squeeze half the zested lemon over them. Add the olives, a sprinkle of salt, and a pinch of crushed red pepper; stir to combine.
5
Without washing the pan, raise the heat to medium-high. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook until deeply browned underneath, about 8 minutes.
6
Flip the chicken and cook until browned on the second side and cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a platter.
7
Reduce the heat to low and squeeze the remaining lemon half into the hot pan. Scrape up the browned bits, adding one or two splashes of water as needed to fully deglaze.
8
Pour the pan juices into the fig mixture and stir gently. Spoon the figs, olives, and all their sauce over the chicken before serving.
💡 Cook's Tips
- Control the heat: Lower it if the garlic or lemon zest in the chicken marinade begins to scorch.
- Leave the figs alone: Let them sear undisturbed so their cut surfaces caramelize instead of steaming.
- Use ripe but firm figs: They should soften and become jammy without collapsing completely.
- Preserve the browned bits: They form the foundation of the quick lemon pan sauce.
- Check doneness: The thickest part of the chicken should reach 165°F/74°C.
Main Course
Chicken
Mediterranean-Inspired