5 ingredient Easy Apricot Chicken

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Do you ever keep eating something, trying to like it, even though you know you don’t like it? But for some twisted reason, you get it in your head that maybe if you just try it one more time, this time you’ll actually like it? I don’t know why I do that. And I have done that too many times to count with chocolate mint, among other foods. You see, I don’t like chocolate mint, but as a kid in the 1970’s, there weren’t a lot of other chocolate options available to us. And if you didn’t get in on the After Eight’s action, you were pretty much SOL for chocolate. So I kept trying to like it.

My Mom’s Honey Mustard Chicken is another one of those foods. Surprisingly, this 5 ingredient Easy Apricot Chicken recipe was actually born out of that very Honey Mustard Chicken recipe that I don’t like. Although,  this recipe is amazing! But all the same, it’s hard to tell your Mom that you don’t like one of her signature dishes, especially when everyone else loves it and it’s actually so well- loved that your Dad even requests it for his birthday dinner!

Uncomplicated chicken dinners:

I love uncomplicated, 5 ingredient dinner dishes; dishes you can dump and cook. My  5 Ingredient Caprese Sheet Pan Chicken Breast is another one of those quick and easy 5 ingredient chicken dishes. If you love easy chicken dinners, you should try it!

But I tell ‘ya, this easy oven baked apricot chicken recipe is a dream come true on those days when you have little to no meal inspiration and/or don’t want to hit the grocery store. It’s a one-pot meal that requires very little effort and uses staples from your pantry. The Dijon mustard and sweet red chili sauce give it a nice little kick and using apricot preserves with chicken is simply brilliant. I can say that because my Mom actually came up with the idea to use apricot jam in this chicken recipe. I just changed it a little and kicked it up a notch.

I have to say, though, Mom TOTALLY redeemed herself with this apricot jam chicken!

My Mom has known about my dislike for her Honey Mustard Chicken for a long time and unlike me, she doesn’t take it personally when someone doesn’t like her food. And now we will always have this delicious and Easy Apricot Chicken to bond over. We actually do bond over easy food.

And I finally stopped trying to like food that I know I don’t like because life is short and there are too many things out there to eat that I know for sure I actually like! It’s emancipating when I’m offered chocolate orange and I can say, “No thank you. I don’t like chocolate orange.” And even when others say, “What?! You don’t like chocolate orange?! Who doesn’t like chocolate orange?!” (people actually do say this),  I can hold my head high and say, ” No. I don’t like it and I don’t like chocolate mint either.” Plus, there are plenty more chocolate options available to me these days!

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Easy Apricot chicken

This 5 ingredient One Pan Easy Apricot Chicken recipe is a simple and quick meal. It uses staples you’d have in the house, like apricot jam and butter, as well as a package of chicken thighs. I serve it with instant brown rice and some frozen veggies for a quick make ahead or weeknight meal. It freezes well.

Course dinner, main, Main Course

Cuisine North American

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 308 kcal

Author Adapted from my Mom

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless and skinless chicken thighs chicken breasts can be substituted
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 cup apricot jam * I prefer to use reduced sugar apricot jam - homemade or store-bought
• 2 tbsp sweet red chili sauce

Garnish:

• additional apricot jam optional
• additional sauce optional
• crushed red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray an oven safe dish (casserole dish or small roaster) with non-stick cooking spray and place chicken on bottom

2. In a separate bowl, microwave butter for about 45 seconds, or until melted. Then whisk in apricot jam, dijon mustard and sweet red chili sauce. Pour over chicken

3. Bake for 1 hour, turning halfway through baking

Recipe Notes

*Note: You will end up with quite a bit of sauce, but I find that I really don't need it all. And using less sauce will, of course, reduce the calories and fat in this recipe.

*Note: You may also want to dab some additional apricot jam and spoon some sauce onto the chicken before serving to make it look more appetizing!

 

Nutrition Facts

Easy Apricot chicken

Amount Per Serving

Calories 308 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 14g 22%

Saturated Fat 6g 30%

Cholesterol 163mg 54%

Sodium 279mg 12%

Potassium 396mg 11%

Total Carbohydrates 22g 7%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 16g

Protein 29g 58%

Vitamin A 5.5%

Calcium 1.9%

Iron 7.8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

 

This recipe is part of The Country Cook’s Weekend Potluck!