It’s said that the Australian version of apricot chicken, whose simple ingredients were apricot nectar, a packet of dried French onion soup, and chicken parts, became popular in the 1970s; many adults Down Under grew up on it. My version takes more of a “from-scratch” approach for richer flavor.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 8 skin-on chicken thighs, any excess skin trimmed
- 2 large onions, peeled and cut lengthwise into strips
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 cups no-sugar-added apricot juice or nectar
- 1 cup homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken broth
- 12 dried apricots
Directions
Step 1
Heat the oven to 375°F. Mix the flour, pepper, and salt in a pie plate.
Step 2
Dredge the chicken, one thigh at a time, in the flour. Heat a 5-quart Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-high heat. When hot, add the olive oil. Add the chicken thighs to the pan in a single layer, skin side down, working in batches. Sear for 5 minutes, flip, and sear the undersides for 5 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and add the onions; sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes, then place the chicken in an even layer on top of the vegetables. Add the juice and broth to the pan, then arrange the dried apricots between the chicken thighs. Cover the pan and place in the oven. Bake for 1 hour.
Step 3
When done, serve from the pan or, if the sauce is too thin, transfer the chicken and apricots to a platter and put the Dutch oven back on the stovetop. Boil down the liquid over high heat for 5 to 10 minutes.
Serves 4