2019 Stagecoach Road Pinot Noir with Chicken and Roasted Figs
Fall 2022 selections: Chicken and Roasted Figs
This simple roasted chicken thighs recipe is great for any night of the week. A touch of sweetness from honey and carmelized figs accentures the ripe fruit of our 2019 Stagecoach Road Pinot Noir for a meal that will keep you warm on a chilly fall evening.
Recipe by Adeena Sussman via Sunset Magazine
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons good-quality (cask-aged) red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup honey
2 pounds (4 to 6) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large shallots, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves, plus 2 tbsp. whole leaves
8 to 10 figs, stems trimmed, halved (quartered if large)
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup water, the vinegar, and cornstarch. Whisk in honey and set aside. Sprinkle chicken on both sides with 3/4 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.
2. Heat a heavy 12- to 14-in. ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add oil and swirl to coat, then add chicken skin side down and brown until skin is deep golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn over and brown other side, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
3. Discard all but 2 tbsp. fat from frying pan, reduce heat to medium, and cook shallots until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add cornstarch mixture, chopped oregano, and remaining 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper; cook until mixture bubbles and thickens, 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Set chicken skin side up in frying pan and add figs. Roast in oven until figs soften and caramelize slightly and meat is no longer pink at bone, about 15 minutes. Divide chicken, figs, and sauce among plates and top with whole oregano leaves.
Why It Works
Our 2019 Stagecoach Road Pinot Noir is on the fuller-bodied side of the spectrum for Pinot Noir, giving it enough tannin and body to stand up to the richness of dark-meat chicken thighs. With its ripe black fruit and underpinning of herbal notes, it mingles well with the sweet-and-savory flavors of the roasted chicken and figs.