Blackened Fig Butter Roast Chicken Dinner
Blackened Fig Butter Roast Chicken Dinner
Ingredients
For the Savory Fig Butter
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons fig jam
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
For the Chicken and Roasting
- 1 whole chicken, 3 1/2 to 4 pounds, spatchcocked
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, halved or quartered
- 1 pound baby carrots
- 1 red onion, large, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the White Wine Pan Gravy
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, low sodium
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter, fig jam, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, smoked paprika, fresh lemon juice, and red chili flakes. Mash and mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined and smooth. Stir in the finely chopped fresh rosemary and sage.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 400
- 2
Prepare the whole chicken by spatchcocking it: place the chicken breast-side down on a cutting board. Using sturdy kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone from the tail to the neck. Remove the backbone (you can save it for stock). Flip the chicken over and press down firmly on the breastbone with the heel of your hand until it flattens. Pat the chicken very dry with paper towels, inside and out.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Generously season both sides of the spatchcocked chicken with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Carefully separate the skin from the meat over the breast and thigh areas to create pockets, being careful not to tear the skin. Gently stuff the prepared fig butter mixture into these pockets under the skin, spreading it evenly over the meat. Tuck the wingtips behind the breast to prevent them from burning during roasting.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
In a large roasting pan or cast iron skillet, toss the halved or quartered red potatoes, baby carrots, chopped red onion, and chopped fennel with the olive oil. Spread the vegetables in an even layer.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Place the butter-stuffed chicken, skin-side up, on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and roast for 60 to 75 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh (without touching bone) reaches 165°F and the skin is deeply golden brown and crispy. If the skin is browning too quickly, you can loosely tent it with foil. Once cooked, carefully remove the chicken and vegetables from the pan and transfer them to a carving board or serving platter. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
⏱️ 70 min•🌡️ 400
- 6
While the chicken rests, prepare the gravy. Place the roasting pan with the drippings over medium heat on the stovetop. If there's excessive fat, carefully spoon some out, leaving about 2 tablespoons. Sprinkle the all-purpose flour into the pan drippings and whisk constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to create a roux, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Deglaze the pan by pouring in the dry white wine, continuing to whisk and scrape until the wine has reduced slightly. Gradually whisk in the low sodium chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the gravy thickens to your desired consistency. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Carve the rested chicken. Serve the roasted blackened fig butter chicken and vegetables with generous spoonfuls of the warm white wine pan gravy. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs and lemon wedges, if desired.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Blackened Fig Butter Roast Chicken Dinner
Ingredients
For the Savory Fig Butter
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons fig jam
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
For the Chicken and Roasting
- 1 whole chicken, 3 1/2 to 4 pounds, spatchcocked
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, halved or quartered
- 1 pound baby carrots
- 1 red onion, large, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the White Wine Pan Gravy
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, low sodium
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter, fig jam, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, smoked paprika, fresh lemon juice, and red chili flakes. Mash and mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined and smooth. Stir in the finely chopped fresh rosemary and sage.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 400 - 2
Prepare the whole chicken by spatchcocking it: place the chicken breast-side down on a cutting board. Using sturdy kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone from the tail to the neck. Remove the backbone (you can save it for stock). Flip the chicken over and press down firmly on the breastbone with the heel of your hand until it flattens. Pat the chicken very dry with paper towels, inside and out.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Generously season both sides of the spatchcocked chicken with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Carefully separate the skin from the meat over the breast and thigh areas to create pockets, being careful not to tear the skin. Gently stuff the prepared fig butter mixture into these pockets under the skin, spreading it evenly over the meat. Tuck the wingtips behind the breast to prevent them from burning during roasting.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
In a large roasting pan or cast iron skillet, toss the halved or quartered red potatoes, baby carrots, chopped red onion, and chopped fennel with the olive oil. Spread the vegetables in an even layer.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Place the butter-stuffed chicken, skin-side up, on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and roast for 60 to 75 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh (without touching bone) reaches 165°F and the skin is deeply golden brown and crispy. If the skin is browning too quickly, you can loosely tent it with foil. Once cooked, carefully remove the chicken and vegetables from the pan and transfer them to a carving board or serving platter. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
⏱️ 70 min•🌡️ 400 - 6
While the chicken rests, prepare the gravy. Place the roasting pan with the drippings over medium heat on the stovetop. If there's excessive fat, carefully spoon some out, leaving about 2 tablespoons. Sprinkle the all-purpose flour into the pan drippings and whisk constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to create a roux, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Deglaze the pan by pouring in the dry white wine, continuing to whisk and scrape until the wine has reduced slightly. Gradually whisk in the low sodium chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the gravy thickens to your desired consistency. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Carve the rested chicken. Serve the roasted blackened fig butter chicken and vegetables with generous spoonfuls of the warm white wine pan gravy. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs and lemon wedges, if desired.
⏱️ 5 min