madbaker | I'm not fond of figs; Donata's not fond of olives.

This week's Resolution Recipe: Chicken with Figs, Olives, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

1/4 cup olive oil
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts or legs
salt and pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced or mashed
2 cups white wine
1 cup chicken stock
8 oz (about 2 cups) sun-dried tomatoes, cut into strips (not the ones stored in oil)
8 oz (2 cups) dried Mission figs, stemmed and quartered
1 cup pitted green olives, halved
1/2 cup capers
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup red wine vinegar (I used half red wine and half balsamic)
1 bunch fresh oregano, chopped
couscous or rice (I used quinoa)

Heat half the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Add chicken to the hot pan without crowding (do in batches if needed), browning on both sides for about 10 minutes total per batch. Transfer chicken to a plate as they are ready.

Add the remaining oil and add garlic; stir and add in wine and simmer, scraping any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Reduce by half, about 10 minutes. Add any chicken juices from the plate along with stock, tomatoes, figs, olives, capers, and bay leaf. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar, vinegar, and oregano. Return chicken to the pan and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat, discard bay leaf, and serve over bed of grain as noted above.

What worked: It was all right. It didn't cause any mouthgasms, but nobody refused to eat it, either. Despite the wordiness of the instructions this is a pretty simple dish and it could be quite showy.

What didn't: I didn't add all the sugar and vinegar, and I should have. It needed more zing.

Will I make it again? Probably not.