The hallmarks of a Joanne Weir recipe are fresh flavors with a Mediterranean bent, like this grilled chicken and figs recipe. It’s topped with a bright fig, pistachio, lemon, and shallot relish that dresses up a main dish for weeknights.
Dress Up Your Chicken with Relish
The relish will become something that you will want to make on its own to use in sandwiches or other proteins: tofu or pork could work well too! Shallots and parsley get seasoned with lemon—both the juice and zest—and olive oil. Just these ingredients would be a gremolata. The Joanne Weir recipe takes it a step further, adding in roasted pistachios for crunch and figs for a touch of fruity sweetness.
Chicken and Figs Recipe: What Kind of Figs to Use
Sun-Maid and Orchard Choice Golden Figs would be the best choice here with their tangy delicate fruit flavor, though you could use Mission Figs for that familiar fig taste. The relish might work nicely as a sauce for pasta or pasta salad.
Great Grilled Chicken Every Time
A trick from restaurants: chicken that is the same depth. This ensures consistent results in cooking. Place a chicken breast in between two sheets of plastic wrap. Then, pound the chicken with a meat mallet until thin and uniform in thickness.
Warm the oil the frying pan and cook the chicken in a single layer until golden. Season the chicken with salt and pepper (that has been set aside for just the chicken in a tiny pinch pot) and cook for several minutes before flipping to the other side to cook for a few more minutes. Then, transfer to a plate.
Joanne pairs this chicken and figs recipe with delicately peppery watercress. You could easily serve this with a whole grain—farro or brown rice come to mind.
Grilled Chicken with Fig, Pistachio, Lemon and Shallot Relish
Ingredients
For the relish:
- 10 Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid California Figs about ½ cup, stemmed and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup pistachios roasted peeled and salted
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons fresh coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 shallots finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the chicken and serving:
- 4 chicken breasts boned
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 bunches watercress stems removed
- Lemon wedges as a garnish
Instructions
- For the relish, in a small bowl, stir together the figs and pistachios. Add the olive oil, lemon zest, parsley, shallots and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Place one chicken breast at a time between two pieces of plastic wrap and with a meat mallet, pound the chicken breast evenly until it’s 3/8-inch thick.
- Warm the oil in two large frying pans and cook the chicken in a single layer until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the chicken, season with salt and pepper and continue to cook until done, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and place on individual plates.
- To serve, place a spoonful of the relish in the center of the chicken and top with the watercress, dividing the relish and watercress evenly between the plates. Garnish with a lemon wedge and serve immediately.