1fryer chickenbroken into 6 or 8 pieces (I just used 6 drumsticks and 2 thighs both with skins on)
For the sauce
½cup(118g)balsamic vinegar
½cup(112g)fig preserves
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 °F (218 °C)
In a small bowl, mix together butter with half the garlic, half the rosemary, half the salt, and half the pepper.
1/4 cup unsalted butter, 3 cloves garlic, 3 sprigs rosemary, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Place chicken into a 9-inch cast iron skillet then rub the butter on the outside of the chicken pieces.
1 fryer chicken
Put in the oven to begin roasting. In the meantime, whisk together balsamic vinegar, fig preserves, the remainder of the garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper. See notes on this below.
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup fig preserves
Pull the chicken out of the oven and brush majority of the sauce on the chicken. Place back in the oven to cook and baste the chicken with the sauce in the pan every 10 minutes or so.
Cook until chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 °F (74 °C), about 25 minutes. Pour remainder sauce on top then place skillet aside to cool before serving.
Notes
For step 4: yes, ideally, you can just wait to put the chicken into the oven until after you've glazed it so you aren't pulling the chicken in and out of the oven. This recipe is published as written in the Cast Iron Gourmet cookbook with the understanding that recipes can be flexible so please do what you are most comfortable with.Recipe from Cast Iron Gourmet, reprinted with permission as part of a cookbook launch promo in 2017.