Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs with Fig-Date Sauce, Lemon Rice and Roasted Vegetables

This recipe brings together tender pan-seared chicken thighs and a luscious fig-date sauce with a hint of Dijon mustard. The sweet and savory sauce is perfectly balanced by bright lemon rice and a medley of roasted broccoli, carrots and onion. It’s a comforting yet fresh dinner that feels special enough for a weekend but simple enough for a weeknight.

The key to this dish is building layers of flavor: the chicken gets a crispy golden crust, the sauce is enriched with butter and chicken stock and the vegetables are roasted until caramelized. A final squeeze of lemon ties everything together. Serve it all on one plate for a complete, satisfying meal.

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Ingredients

1 unit Red OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Chicken ThighsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Fry SeasoningView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 ounce CarrotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.5 ounce DatesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

8 ounce BroccoliView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Fig JamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Dijon MustardView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.75 cup Jasmine RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

5 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425°F. In a small pot, combine rice, 1¼ cups water (2¼ cups for 4 servings) and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
2. While rice cooks, wash and dry produce. Trim, peel and cut carrots on a diagonal into ¼-inch pieces. Halve, peel and cut onion into ¼-inch-thick wedges. Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces if necessary. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Remove any pits from dates if necessary; halve lengthwise, then cut into ¼-inch-thick pieces. Zest and quarter lemon.
3. Toss carrots, onion and broccoli on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of oil, half the Fry Seasoning (you’ll use the rest in the next step), salt and pepper. Roast on top rack until veggies are tender, 15-20 minutes.
4. While veggies roast, pat chicken dry with paper towels; season all over with remaining Fry Seasoning, salt and pepper. Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook until browned and cooked through, 5-6 minutes per side. Lower heat if chicken begins to brown too quickly. Turn off heat; transfer chicken to a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm. Remove any burnt bits from pan if necessary (but leave any browned bits for flavor).
5. In a small bowl, combine jam, stock concentrates, mustard and ½ cup water (¾ cup for 4 servings). Heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for chicken over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites; cook, stirring, until softened, 1 minute. Stir in dates and jam mixture. Cook, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan, until thickened, 3-5 minutes. Turn off heat; stir in 2 tbsp butter (4 tbsp for 4) until melted. Add a squeeze of lemon juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper. If sauce seems too thick, stir in a splash of water.
6. Fluff rice with a fork; stir in lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper. Divide rice, veggies and chicken between plates. Top chicken with as much fig-date sauce as you like. Garnish with scallion greens. Serve with remaining lemon wedges and any remaining sauce on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use boneless chicken breasts instead of thighs?

Yes, but adjust cooking time as breasts cook faster. Pound them to even thickness and cook until internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Can I make this recipe vegetarian?

Absolutely! Replace chicken with firm tofu or chickpeas and use vegetable stock concentrate instead of chicken. The fig-date sauce pairs well with roasted vegetables.

How do I store leftovers?

Store components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan or microwave, adding a splash of water to the sauce if needed.