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This pan-roasted chicken with figs and olives from The New Yiddish Kitchen is an easy and satisfying one-pan paleo meal.

I know, I know. We’re well into spring and I’m trying to get you to roast things. However, this pan-roasted chicken with figs and olives (and kale and potatoes, if you want!) is worth heating up the kitchen a bit. It’s delicious right when you make it because the perfectly crispy chicken skin goes so well with the sweet figs, tart olives, and silky pan juices, and it’s almost more delicious heated up the next day or the day after that, when the flavors of the sauce have deepened.

Plus, this post isn’t just about the recipe–it’s about my new favorite cookbook, The New Yiddish Kitchen: Gluten-Free and Paleo Kosher Recipes for the Holidays and Every Day. This gorgeous tome is written and photographed by Simone Miller of Zenbelly and Jennifer Robins of Predominantly Paleo. It has over 100 gluten-free, paleo, and kosher recipes that I think will appeal to everyone, whether you’re eager to get your hands on traditional Jewish holiday recipes made with real-food ingredients or just really miss bagels since going grain-free. The book includes recipes and complete menus for all the major Jewish holidays, including Sukkot, and an impressive array of sweet and savory baked goods, too. There are FIVE different bagel recipes, including one that’s free of eggs and nuts, plus bialys and bagel dogs. I basically can barely handle how much good stuff is in this book! If you’re not sold yet, let me tell you this: there’s also chocolate babka (see page 195). Also, I’m giving away a copy of the book to one of you–just leave a comment on this post to enter (details at the end of the post).

The book is not just treats and holiday dishes, though–it’s also got plenty of dinner recipes for everyday eating. I’ve also tried the Simple Roast Chicken (page 114), which only calls for two ingredients but really is one of the best-tasting roast chickens you can make (and so easy!). Next on my list to try are Crispy Chicken Thighs with Pomegranate Sauce (page 130), Smoky Beef-Stuffed Eggplant (page 134), and Lemon-Coriander Grilled Lamb Chops (page 126).

And this pan-roasted chicken with figs and olives has already become a favorite around here. It calls for a cup of wine, but I’ve also tested an easy modification that makes the dish Whole30-compliant and still amazingly tasty. The first time I made this was on a Sunday and I didn’t have any wine, and in Tennessee you can’t buy it on Sundays. We’re only a few miles from the Georgia border, but I didn’t have the energy to cross state lines in search of spirits, so I used a cup of chicken stock and a tablespoon of my favorite sherry vinegar instead. It worked perfectly. The next time I made this I got my hands on a bottle of wine and used that, and it’s of course also great that way, too. In fact, I’d be hard pressed to pick a favorite! The recipe makes a pretty big batch and since there are just two of us here, I always have leftovers to pack for lunch. And every single time I heat this up at work, I have at least two coworkers tell me that my lunch smells amazing. Trust me–you really need to try this!

I did make a few changes to the original recipe (I’m a tweaker–I can’t help it!). I used chicken thighs instead of a whole chicken, and I added some potatoes and kale to the pan to round out the meal and give us something else to sop up all those delicious pan juices.

If you’re looking to expand your library of real-food cookbooks (and who isn’t??), I highly recommend The New Yiddish Kitchen. It’s such an inspiring book to flip through, and is also just really fun to read. There are funny little blurbs of advice from Jennifer and Simone’s bubbes (grandmas) that will keep you smiling as you decide what to cook. It’d be a perfect gift for anyone who eats kosher, anyone who wants to expand their kitchen repertoire, anyone who likes bagels…basically just anyone. There’s no other book like it!

Interested in winning a copy? I’m giving one away, and all you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post. You can say whatever you’d like, but if you need some inspiration, I’d be curious to hear what your favorite kind of bagel is and/or what food you miss most since going grain-free! I’ll leave the giveaway open until Monday, May 23rd at 9 pm EST.

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Figs and Olives

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

This pan-roasted chicken with figs and olives from The New Yiddish Kitchen is an easy and satisfying one-pan paleo meal.

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Ingredients

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (or 1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 2-3 shallots, peeled and sliced
• 12 dried figs, stemmed and halved
• 1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite-size pieces (optional)
• 1 small bunch kale, destemmed and torn into bite-size pieces (optional)
• 1 cup pitted kalamata olives
• 1 cup white wine (or 1 cup chicken stock plus 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar)
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, plus more for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat a very large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. While the pan is heating, season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
2. Add the avocado oil to the hot pan and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook for about 10 minutes, until deep golden brown. Turn the chicken over and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
3. Add the shallots, figs, and potatoes to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes. Add the olives, wine, and thyme and let the wine bubble away for a minute, using a spatula to dislodge any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat and stir in the kale.
4. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables, skin side up, and transfer the pan to the oven. Roast for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken measures 165°F with a meat thermometer. Serve hot with pan juices, garnished with additional thyme if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 330Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 609mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 6gSugar: 12gProtein: 11g

The nutrition label provided is an estimate for informational purposes only and may not be accurate. I am not a nutritionist or medical professional.

I received a complimentary copy of The New Yiddish Kitchen from the publisher for review purposes. They’re also providing a copy for the giveaway. I only write about books I absolutely love!

This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.