Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 600 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
- 15 ml olive oil
Plum Sauce
- 300 g plums, pitted and diced
- 40 g shallot, finely chopped
- 10 g garlic, minced
- 10 g fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 40 g honey
- 30 ml sherry vinegar
- 50 ml chicken broth, low sodium
- 2 g fresh thyme, leaves only
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 31 g
- Carbohydrates
- 20 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 17 g
- Sodium
- 708 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 141 mg
- Potassium
- 574 mg
- Calcium
- 30 mg
- Iron
- 1.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 46 mg
- Phosphorus
- 310 mg
- Zinc
- 2.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 25 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 10 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 12 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.17 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.34 mg
- Niacin
- 9.0 mg
- Folate
- 15 mcg
- Water
- 212 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the chicken thighs on a clean cutting board. Season evenly on both sides with kosher salt and black pepper. Wash hands thoroughly after handling the raw poultry.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Using tongs, carefully add the chicken thighs and sear for 5 to 7 minutes per side. Cook until the exterior is golden brown and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 74C/165F. Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate and leave the rendered fat in the skillet.
Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add the finely chopped shallot, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Saute for 1 minute, using a wooden spoon to stir constantly and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Stir the diced plums, honey, sherry vinegar, chicken broth, and fresh thyme leaves into the aromatics. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the plums break down and the liquid reduces into a thick, syrupy glaze.
Return the seared chicken thighs and any resting juices collected on the plate back to the skillet. Use tongs to turn the chicken, coating each piece entirely in the plum sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes to meld flavors and ensure the chicken is hot.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Let the dish rest in the pan for 3 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to cling properly to the meat.
Chef's Notes
- For the best balance of sweet and sour, choose plums that are ripe but still slightly firm. Very soft overripe plums will disintegrate completely into a smooth puree, which offers great flavor but lacks rustic texture.
- To prevent cross-contamination, designate one cutting board and knife specifically for raw poultry. Wash all utensils, including the tongs used to turn the raw chicken during the initial sear, in hot soapy water before using them again.
- The sherry vinegar provides a complex, nutty acidity that elevates the stone fruit. If unavailable, apple cider vinegar makes an excellent, highly compatible substitute.
- Leaving the fond, the browned bits of meat stuck to the pan, and deglazing it with the aromatics and liquids is crucial for building a deep, savory foundation for the fruit sauce.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The sauce may thicken significantly when chilled.
Freezer: 2 months — Sauce texture may change slightly upon thawing but flavor will remain intact.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of water or broth to loosen the plum sauce.
Troubleshooting
Sauce is too thin and watery
Cause: The plums had very high water content or the sauce was not reduced for long enough
Fix: Remove the chicken to a plate and boil the sauce over medium-high heat for an additional 3 to 5 minutes until thickened
Prevention: Allow the sauce to simmer until it visibly coats the back of a spoon before returning the chicken
Sauce tastes too tart or acidic
Cause: The plums were underripe or particularly sour varieties were used
Fix: Stir in an additional 10g of honey or a pinch of sugar, tasting until balanced
Prevention: Taste your fruit before cooking to gauge natural sweetness levels
Cultural Context
The pairing of rich poultry with sweet and tart fruit sauces has deep historical roots across medieval European and Persian culinary traditions. This modern stovetop interpretation utilizes fresh summer stone fruit and sherry vinegar to create a quick, vibrant pan sauce that perfectly balances the savory, caramelized depth of seared chicken thighs.
