Fig and Balsamic Chicken

Ingredients:

Whole chicken

half of a cut lemon 

1/3 cup Just Jan's Kadota Fig Spread

2 Tbsp good quality Balsamic vinegar

1/2 chopped shallot

2 cloves minced garlic

1 - 2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Kosher salt - generous pinch

Ground pepper - to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Coat the chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place the lemon half and the thyme inside the cavity of the chicken and put it breast side down in a large roasting pan. Roast for 30 minutes. 

Remove the chicken from the oven and turn it breast side up, baste with the juices from the pan and season with salt. Roast for another 30 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking make the sauce.

In a medium saucepan heat the oil on medium high, then add the shallot and cook until opaque and softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and continue to cook another minute or two. Make sure not to brown the garlic.

Add the butter, fig spread, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Heat through until butter is melted and stir until thoroughly incorporated.

After 30 minutes, remove the chicken and brush the entire top of the chicken with the sauce. Set the oven temperature to broil and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes. Depending on how hot your broiler gets, may need a little less or more time. I wanted to get a nice caramelization of the sauce. Use what's left of the fig sauce to serve on the side or on cut pieces.

The chicken is finished cooking at 165 degrees F - mine got to about 172 degrees F and was juicy and delicious!