Ingredients
Chicken and apricot glaze
- 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs 680 g; about 6 small thighs, excess fat trimmed
- 1/2 cup apricot preserves 160 g; regular preserves, not fresh apricots
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup water 60 mL, plus small splashes if needed
- 2 garlic cloves minced, about 6 g
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley optional garnish
Equipment
- 1 12-inch skillet with lid
- 1 Small mixing bowl and whisk
- 1 Tongs
- 1 Measuring cups and spoons
- 1 Knife and cutting board
- 1 Instant-read food thermometer
Instructions
- Whisk the apricot preserves, Dijon mustard, reduced-sodium soy sauce, cider vinegar and 1/4 cup water in a small bowl. Keep the minced garlic separate.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; do not rinse it. Unfold the thighs and season both sides with the black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the thighs in one uncrowded layer and cook for 4–5 minutes per side, until browned. Transfer to a clean plate; the chicken may not yet be cooked through.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the garlic to the skillet and stir for about 30 seconds, until fragrant but not browned. Pour in the glaze mixture and scrape up the browned bits. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Return the chicken and its juices to the skillet. Spoon sauce over the thighs, cover and simmer gently for 6–10 minutes, turning once, until the thickest part of each thigh reaches at least 165°F (74°C) on a food thermometer. Add a tablespoon of water if the sauce becomes too thick. Thicker pieces may need longer.
- If the sauce is thin after the chicken is done, transfer the chicken to a clean serving plate and simmer the sauce uncovered for 1–3 minutes, stirring, until it lightly coats a spoon. If it is too thick, add water a tablespoon at a time. Return the chicken to coat, divide into four portions and garnish with the optional parsley. Serve with your chosen sides.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (one-quarter of recipe)Calories: 365kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 31gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 3.5gCholesterol: 137mgSodium: 360mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 24g
Video
Notes
Timing and texture: Times are estimates for similarly sized boneless thighs. Check each piece with a thermometer. Keep the heat gentle after adding the preserves; sugary glaze can catch on a hot pan.
Storage: Refrigerate in shallow covered containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. Keep at 40°F or below and use within 3–4 days. Reheat chicken and sauce to 165°F, adding a little water as needed.
Nutrition: Estimated per quarter of the recipe, assuming all sauce and oil are consumed. Representative ingredient labels and food data were used. Optional parsley and sides are excluded; brands, trimming and cooking losses change the result.
Estimated cost: About $8 for the whole recipe, or $2 per serving in USD, based on the portions of ingredients used. This is not a local shopping quote; optional parsley, sides, tax, delivery and energy are excluded.
Video: Little Sunny Kitchen demonstrates a similar boneless-thigh skillet method. Its version uses honey, ginger, paprika and green onions; this recipe uses Dijon, cider vinegar and optional parsley instead, with different amounts. Follow this card for the apricot-Dijon version.
