Okay, those boneless, skinless chicken thighs were on sale at the grocery store and really cheap this week, so you bought a big package. Now what do you do with them? One especially good option that's a little different is to make Bacon and Fig Chicken Thighs. The thighs are wrapped in bacon, browned, and then braised in the slow cooker in a savory-sweet sauce that includes onions, garlic, and dried figs. To keep the sauce interesting, balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard brighten up the mix. The thighs are succulent, and the sauce incredible atop rice, potatoes, or pasta. The recipe also is great because you can get it started and in the slow cooker earlier in the day and have it ready and waiting for dinner with minimum additional fuss. So get out your package of cheap thighs and get cooking!
Slow Cooked Bacon and Fig Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs -- Serves 4+
2 teaspoons of canola oil
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
8 slices of bacon
1 medium-large onion, chopped
3-5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
2 cups of reduced sodium chicken broth (or reconstituted "Better than Bullion")
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
8-10 dried figs, stems removed and halved or quartered, depending on the size
2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
1/4 cup of flour whisked with 1/4 cup of water
Chopped parsley (optional)
Spritz the insert of a slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Heat the oil in a large chef's pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Wrap the bacon around the chicken thighs, securing it with kitchen string or toothpicks. When the oil is hot, add the bacon-wrapped thighs to the pan. Brown the thighs for a few minutes on one side, then flip them to brown the other sides. You want the bacon to brown a bit and the fat to render. Place the bacon wrapped chicken in the slow cooker. Pour off all but about a tablespoon of the fat, and add the onion to the chef's pan. Saute the onion for a few minutes until it begins to soften. Then add the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper and saute them with the onion for a minute or so. Add the chicken broth, balsamic vinegar, figs, and Dijon to the pan and stir to combine the mixture and loosen the bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Pour in the flour/water mixture and stir everything together until the sauce thickens a little. Pour the sauce over the chicken in the slow cooker (it will thin out with the chicken juices as it cooks). Cover the slow cooker, and cook the chicken on high for 3-4 hours or low for 4-5 hours or until the chicken is very, very tender. Sprinkle the chicken with a little chopped parsley if you'd like before serving it.
