Roasted Chicken Legs with Balsamic Fig Sauce, Mashed Potatoes and Cranberry Pecan Slaw

This recipe transforms simple chicken legs into a show-stopping meal with a glossy balsamic fig sauce that’s both sweet and tangy. Paired with velvety mashed potatoes and a crunchy broccoli slaw studded with dried cranberries and honey sesame pecans, every bite is a harmony of flavors and textures.

The magic lies in the pan sauce, made by deglazing the pan with fig jam and balsamic vinegar, then enriching it with butter. It’s so good you’ll want to lick the plate clean. Serve this dish for a special weeknight dinner or a cozy weekend feast.

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Ingredients

32 ounce Chicken LegsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

24 ounce Yukon Gold PotatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit ShallotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 ounce Honey Sesame PecansView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

8 ounce Broccoli SlawView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 ounce Dried CranberriesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon MayonnaiseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

8 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 pack Lemon JuiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon Fig JamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2.5 tablespoon Balsamic VinegarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup MilkView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Vegetable OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in upper position. Pat chicken legs dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of vegetable oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken skin-side down and cook without moving until skin is golden and crisp, 4-5 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the other side, 3-4 minutes. Transfer chicken to a baking sheet and roast in oven until cooked through (no longer pink near bone), 20-25 minutes. Drain excess fat from skillet, leaving a thin layer; set aside.
2. While chicken roasts, cut potatoes into ½-inch cubes. Place in a medium pot, cover with cold water by 1 inch and add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are fork-tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to pot.
3. Meanwhile, halve, peel and thinly slice the shallot. Roughly chop the honey sesame pecans. In a medium bowl, combine pecans, broccoli slaw, dried cranberries, mayonnaise, half the sour cream and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Set slaw aside.
4. Return the reserved skillet to medium heat. Add sliced shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, 2-3 minutes. Stir in fig jam and balsamic vinegar. Let simmer until syrupy, about 1 minute. Add chicken stock concentrate and ⅓ cup water. Cook, stirring, until sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. If sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of water. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons butter until melted. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter, remaining sour cream and ¼ cup milk to the pot with potatoes. Place over low heat and mash until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Add more milk if needed for desired consistency.
6. Divide mashed potatoes and slaw among plates. Arrange roasted chicken legs on top of potatoes and spoon the balsamic fig sauce over everything. Serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken legs?

Yes, chicken thighs work well. Adjust cooking time as needed; they may cook slightly faster than legs.

What can I substitute for fig jam?

You can use any fruit jam like apricot or raspberry, though the flavor will differ. Add a little extra balsamic vinegar to balance sweetness.

Can I make the slaw ahead of time?

Yes, the slaw can be prepared up to a day in advance. Keep it refrigerated and toss again before serving.