Baked chicken is my family’s Sunday night dinner ritual. It’s so easy, versatile and full of flavour, and nourishing for the week ahead. This simple yet delectable combination of fig, lemon, garlic and oregano has been used in Mediterranean cooking well before we knew about these ingredients’ benefits for our health. Lemons are high in vitamin C, an essential nutrient for fighting inflammation, figs are a great source of fibre and garlic provides a good source of prebiotic inulin. Carvacrol, the most abundant phenol in oregano, has a bunch of benefits too, and is shown to stop the growth of several types of pathogenic gut bacteria.
Ingredients 11
1.4 kg chicken leg quarters, organic
60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
125 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 lemon zest, unwaxed
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 handful oregano, coarsely chopped
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, medium, quartered
375 ml chicken bone broth
1 tbsp apple-cider vinegar, unpasteurised
3 figs, ripe, roughly torn in half, only use if in season
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Method 5
Arrange the in a large, deep baking dish.
In a small bowl, combine the with the freshly squeezed , , finely chopped , and chopped . Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour the mixture over the , rubbing it into and under the skin to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and up to 8 hours.
When ready, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/ Gas Mark 4).
Scatter the quartered around the . Pour in the and and drizzle with a little extra . Cook, uncovered, for 50 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through – the juices should run clear when a fork is inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. If using , add them for the final 15 minutes of cooking.
Remove the and (if using) from the baking dish. Place on a plate, cover and keep warm. Pour the cooking liquid from the baking dish into a small saucepan and simmer for 3–4 minutes, or until reduced to a sauce that thinly coats the back of a spoon. Return the chicken and figs to the baking dish and coat in the sauce before serving.
The Beauty Chef's tips
If figs aren’t in season, you can use pear instead. Simply peel, core and cut into thick slices and add to the dish with the chicken.
