Seared Duck Breast with Fig Sauce

I saw this recipe on a cooking show and it looked so good.  I can never find duck breast, so I have used chicken thighs.  I would think chicken breasts would also work.

Seared Duck Breast with Fig Sauce

Ingredients

4  6-oz boneless duck breasts, skin scored in crosshatches, at room temperature  or
    boneless skin on  chicken thighs or breasts could be used
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 tsp. vegetable oil

1 shallot, minced
3/4 cup dry sherry
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup fig jam
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, chilled
Fresh chives, chopped for garnish

Directions

For the duck breasts, or chicken.  Sprinkle each piece with salt and pepper.  Heat the vegetable oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the duck skin-side down and reduce the heat to low;  cooking as the fat slowly renders and the skin becomes crispy, 8-10 minutes.

Once the skin is crispy and golden brown, flip and continue cooking until a duck breast registers 135 degrees, chicken should be 165 degrees.  Transfer to a plate or cutting board and allow to rest about 5 minutes.  Don't tent with foil in order to ensure the skin will stay crispy.

For the fig sauce:  Pour off all but 1 to 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet, reserving the excess for another use.  Over medium heat, add the shallots and cook until softened.  Add the sherry and reduce by half.  Next, add the chicken broth, fig jam and balsamic vinegar, and continue simmering until the sauce has thickened and is syrupy, another 5-7 minutes.  Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and whisk in the butter.  Garnish with chopped chives.

Serve the sauce alongside thinly sliced meat.