Honeyed chicken with figs & rice

Name: Honeyed chicken with figs & rice
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 50 min
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 5 g butter; 2 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tbsp to serve; 1 onion, finely chopped; 1 fat clove garlic, grated to a purée; ½ unwaxed lemon, zest and juice (more to taste, if liked); 4 sprig/s thyme, leaves only; 150 g brown basmati, red camargue & wild rice; 4 soft dried figs, hard tips removed and the flesh chopped; 25 g pine nut kernels, toasted; 700 ml chicken stock; 1¾ kg whole large chicken; 4 tbsp clear honey, plus 2 tbsp to serve; 3 tbsp white condiment of Modena, plus ½ tbsp to serve; 25 g pack flat leaf parsley, finely chopped; 8 fresh figs, not too small and only just ripe (not overripe), to serve

This can be made with the rice as a stuffing, but here, Diana Henry cooks it in the oven alongside the chicken. The advantage is that you get plenty of rice for everyone.

3 out of 5 stars(2) Rate this recipe

HealthyHigh protein1 of your 5 a day

Serves6
CourseMain meal
Prepare15 mins
Cook1 hr 50 mins
Total time2 hrs 5 mins
PlusPreparation time 15 minutes + resting

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5g butter
2 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tbsp to serve
1 onion, finely chopped
1 fat clove garlic, grated to a purée
½ unwaxed lemon, zest and juice (more to taste, if liked)
4 sprig/s thyme, leaves only
150g brown basmati, red camargue & wild rice
4 soft dried figs, hard tips removed and the flesh chopped
25g pine nut kernels, toasted
700ml chicken stock
1¾kg whole large chicken
4 tbsp clear honey, plus 2 tbsp to serve
3 tbsp white condiment of Modena, plus ½ tbsp to serve
½ x 25g pack flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
8 fresh figs, not too small and only just ripe (not overripe), to serve

Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4. Heat the butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan and cook the onion over a medium heat until soft and pale gold. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more, then stir in the lemon zest, thyme, rice, dried figs and pine nuts. Stir to coat the rice with the buttery juices, then add the stock and lemon juice. Season and bring to the boil. Take the pan off the heat and cover.
Season the chicken inside. Set it in a roasting tin and pour over 1 tbsp olive oil, rubbing it all over the skin. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and black pepper. Roast for 40 minutes. Bring the rice and stock to the boil again and pour this into a 2L baking dish or heatproof serving dish. Cover the top with a double layer of foil and put into the oven.
Take the chicken out of the oven. Mix the honey and 3 tbsp condiment and spoon over the chicken (including the legs). Return to the oven. Cook for 1 hour more, when the chicken should be golden and cooked through with no pink meat, and juices that run clear and the rice tender. Leave both to rest, covered with foil and insulated with clean tea towels, for about 10 minutes.
Carefully snip off the tiny stalk on each fresh fig and halve the fruit lengthways. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the figs briefly on each side, more for colour than to soften them. Season, then add the white condiment and honey, stirring to help the honey melt. This is supposed to glaze the figs but don’t cook them until they have collapsed – they need to keep their shape.
Put the chicken onto a warm serving plate and put the figs along each side, and drizzle with any cooking juices. Fork the rice, add the parsley and check the seasoning – you might want to add more lemon juice – and serve the chicken and figs with the rice.

Typical values per serving when made using specific products in recipe