Apricot Glaze Chicken

This recipe started because I had a jar of apricot preserves sitting in the fridge and needed to do something with it. It’s sweet, it has a little kick, and it’s honestly one of the easiest ways to level up chicken thighs without doing a ton of work.

Special Equipments and Ingredients

Special Equipment/Instruments:

• Large oven-proof skillet (Cast iron or stainless steel)
• Tongs
• Whisk
• Small mixing bowl
• Cutting board and knife

Ingredients:

The Chicken & Veggies:

• 6 Chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
• 1 tsp Salt (plus more to taste)
• 1 tsp Black pepper
• 2 tbsp Vegetable or Canola oil (for searing)
• 3 Bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow, 1 orange), roughly chopped
• Fresh Cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

The Apricot Glaze:

• 1 cup Apricot preserves (or apricot jam)
• 2 tbsp Soy sauce (Low sodium preferred, or regular)
• 1 tbsp Rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp Garlic, minced
• 1 tsp Fresh Ginger, grated
• 1-2 tbsp Brown sugar (packed)
• ½ tsp Red chili flakes (adjust to taste—less for kids!)

The Only Way to Prep the Chicken

If you want the chicken to actually be juicy, you have to use bone-in, skin-on thighs. That skin acts like a lid that keeps all the moisture inside.

When you season it, use salt and black pepper on both sides. Don’t just do the top. We’re eating the whole chicken—front and back—so season the whole thing. Take a second to actually massage the seasoning into the skin. It makes a difference.

Get a Real Sear

Use an oven-proof skillet so you don’t have to wash two pans. Get some oil in there, get it hot, and put the chicken in skin-side down. You want that skin to get brown and crispy before it ever touches the oven.

The Sauce

While the chicken is doing its thing in the pan, mix this up in a bowl:

• Apricot preserves (or jam)
• Soy sauce
• Fresh ginger and garlic
• Rice vinegar
• Red chili flakes (Leave these out if you don’t want the heat)

The trick: Stir in a little brown sugar at the very end. It helps the sauce turn into a sticky glaze instead of just staying watery.

The Stovetop-to-Oven Move

Once the chicken is browned, turn off the heat. Throw some chopped bell peppers into the pan around the chicken and pour that sauce all over everything.

Put the whole skillet into the oven at 350°F.

How to Get it Sticky

Let it bake for about 15 minutes, then flip the broiler on high. Stay right there and watch it for about 10 minutes. The broiler is what bubbles that sauce down until it’s thick and sticks to the chicken.

The Finish

That’s it. You get the sweetness from the jam, the salt from the soy, and that hit of vinegar. Throw some cilantro on top if you have it. Serve it over rice, and you’re done. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s delicious.

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Quick & Easy Apricot Glazed Chicken

Recipe by Sana ReiCourse: DinnerCuisine: Asian, FusionDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4-6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

35

minutes

Calories

450

kcal

Total time

50

minutes

A sweet, savory, and sticky Asian-inspired chicken dinner made in one pan! Bone-in chicken thighs are seared to perfection and finished in the oven with a rich glaze made of apricot preserves, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic.

Ingredients

• Equipment Needed

• Oven-proof skillet (12-inch)

• Whisk

• Tongs

• Full ingredients list

• 6 Chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)

• 1 tsp Salt

• 1 tsp Black pepper

• 2 tbsp Vegetable oil

• 3 Bell peppers (mixed colors: red, yellow, orange)

• 1 cup Apricot preserves

• 2 tbsp Soy sauce (low sodium recommended)

• 1 tbsp Rice vinegar

• 1 tbsp Garlic, minced

• 1 tsp Ginger, grated

• 2 tbsp Brown sugar

• ½ tsp Red chili flakes

• 2 tbsp Fresh cilantro, chopped (garnish)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Season chicken thighs thoroughly on both sides with salt and black pepper, rubbing the seasoning into the meat.
• Heat oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken skin-side down and sear until golden brown (approx. 5-6 minutes). Flip and sear for 2 minutes on the other side. Turn off the burner.
• In a small bowl, mix apricot preserves, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and chili flakes. Whisk until smooth.
• Add chopped bell peppers to the skillet around the chicken. Pour the apricot marinade over the chicken.
• Place skillet in the oven and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
• Remove momentarily to baste the chicken with the pan sauce.
• Switch oven to “Broil” (High). Return skillet to oven for 5–10 minutes to let the sauce thicken and glaze the chicken (watch carefully to prevent burning).
• Remove when chicken reaches 165°F internal temp and sauce is sticky. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve.

Notes

• Skin-On is Key: Keep the skin on and bone in! It keeps the moisture inside so the chicken doesn’t dry out.
• Spice Control: If you have kids or don’t like heat, skip the red chili flakes. It’s still delicious without them.
• Salty Soy: If you use regular soy sauce instead of low-sodium, hold back a little on the salt when seasoning the raw chicken to balance it out.
• Sugar Swap: No brown sugar? Don’t worry about it. White sugar works fine, too.
• Pairing: Serve this with brown rice, white rice, or broccoli to soak up that extra sauce.