Revitalize your pantry: Chicken with dried fruits and nuts
Have you already sorted through your cupboards after the holidays? It's common to have leftover supplies of dried fruits and nuts. We often buy them for fruitcakes, compotes, and other dishes, and it's easy to overestimate how much we need. Although they can be stored for a long time, it's better to use them promptly. One delicious option is to prepare chicken with dried fruits and nuts.
Dried fruits and nuts can be used in many ways. You can add them to oatmeal, yogurt, or a cake. Incorporating them into a meat dish is a slightly less obvious approach. Dried plums or apricots go wonderfully with chicken. Baked with these fruits, drumsticks are perfect for a festive dinner.
Ensure they don't spoil
If you purchased too many dried fruits and nuts before the holidays, use them promptly and ensure proper storage. They will stay fresh longer if you store them in a dry, cool place. Avoid plastic containers and metal cans, as these can encourage mould growth. Instead, opt for cloth or paper bags, which allow the products to "breathe" and maintain high quality for longer. If your nuts or dried fruits are still in plastic bags, transfer them to another container and use them quickly.
New year, new flavours
Combining meat with fruits, both fresh and dried, isn't very common. However, this trend is slowly gaining popularity. Do you bake pork loin with plums during the holidays? Do you enjoy duck with apples or oranges? Similarly, you might like a chicken with dried fruits. You'll need plums and apricots, but you could also add a smaller amount of dried apples or pears. Nuts can enhance the flavour — walnuts and hazelnuts are particularly good choices.
Roasted chicken with dried fruits and nuts
Ingredients:
- 6 chicken drumsticks,
- 2 cloves of garlic,
- Salt, pepper, and paprika to taste,
- A sprig of fresh rosemary,
- 50 grams dried plums,
- 50 grams dried apricots,
- A handful of nuts,
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice,
- 160 millilitres of white wine or broth,
- 2 tablespoons oil.
Instructions:
- Rinse and dry the chicken drumsticks. Rub them with spices, then drizzle with oil and lemon juice. Let them sit in a cool place for about an hour.
- Next, arrange the drumsticks in an ovenproof dish. Place the fruits and nuts alongside them and pour over the wine or broth.
- Cover and bake the chicken for about 40 minutes at 180°C. Remove the lid, baste it with the sauce, add rosemary, and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Rice pairs perfectly with this chicken dish.
