Sticky-Sweet One-Pan Apricot Chicken & Pumpkin (Super Easy One-Pan Meal!)

I’m gonna show you how to make this awesome Apricot Chicken Bake! It’s a one-pan dish, really nice and simple, and perfect for the whole family. It’s also such a cozy, sticky-sweet meal that it works great as a low-effort date-night or Valentine’s dinner too. Let’s get on with it!

I’ve made this a few times now, and every time the chicken comes out sticky, sweet, and so juicy—everyone goes back for seconds.

Why You’ll Love This

If you haven’t tried something like this before—a simple tray bake, one-pan meal—oh, you don’t wanna miss it! It is absolutely magnificent.

• Super easy, quick, simple, and low mess.
• Looks good and tastes even better.
• Gives you that warm and fuzzy feeling when you serve it up.
• Feels special enough for a cozy at-home date night, but still relaxed and fuss-free.

What You’ll Need

Special Equipment:

• Large roasting pan or baking tray
• Microwave-safe bowl
• Meat thermometer (highly recommended)

The Ingredients:

• Chicken: 6–8 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on preferred for juiciness)
• Apricots: 1 x 800 g (28 oz) jar or can of apricots in syrup
  • Important: We’ll use some of the syrup in the glaze and the fruit on the tray.
• Marmalade: 2 tbsp orange marmalade
• Sweet Soy Sauce: 3–4 tbsp kecap manis (divided use)
• Onion: 1 red onion, cut into 6 wedges
• Pumpkin: ½ butternut or Kent pumpkin, unpeeled, cut into chunks
• Beans: 1 cup frozen green beans
• Seasoning: White pepper and salt
• Garnish: Toasted almonds and chopped fresh parsley
• Serving: Microwavable brown rice (or your favorite side)

Let’s Get Cooking!

1. Make the Glaze

First up, we need to make that glaze. Take your big jar of apricots in syrup—we aren’t just using the fruit; we’re using that “liquid gold” too.

Pour about 2 tablespoons of the apricot syrup (just some of the syrup from the can, not all the liquid) into a microwave-safe bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of orange marmalade and 2–3 tablespoons of kecap manis (sweet soy sauce).

2. Heat it Up

Pop the bowl into the microwave for about 30 to 40 seconds—just a little bit of heat to make the marmalade more viscous so you can mix it all through. Whisk to combine.

3. Separate the Basting Sauce (Crucial Step!)

Before you get the chicken involved, pour about ⅓ of this sauce mixture into a separate small bowl. Add an extra splash (about 1 tablespoon) of kecap manis to this small bowl and set it aside.

We will use this for basting later, and we don’t want to waste a drop or mix it with raw chicken.

4. Season and Marinate

Season your chicken thighs with white pepper and a bit of salt—this meal can handle a bit of extra salt, no problem there.

Place the chicken into the large bowl with the remaining glaze (not the reserved stuff!). Add the red onion wedges and toss to coat. Let it sit for 30–45 minutes.

Tip: Around 10 minutes in, give them a flip to make sure that marinade gets in nice and evenly.

5. Prep the Pumpkin

While the chicken is marinating, preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F).

Now, prep the pumpkin. No real rocket science here, and you don’t even need to peel it! Just cut it into nice little chunks.

6. Assemble the Tray

Scatter the pumpkin chunks into a large roasting pan.

Arrange the marinated chicken and onions in between the pumpkin pieces. Pour any marinade left in the chicken bowl over the tray.

Finally, top everything with the apricot fruit from the jar—spread the apricot halves around so every scoop gets some.

7. First Bake

Place the tray in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

8. Baste and Add Beans

Remove the tray from the oven. Brush the chicken with that reserved basting sauce you set aside earlier.

Then, take the frozen green beans and scatter them straight over the top—they’ll cook in due course, no problem at all.

9. Finish Baking

Return the tray to the oven for another 15–20 minutes, or until the chicken is golden, the juices run clear, and it reaches an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F).

10. Serve

While the chicken finishes, microwave your brown rice (quick and inexpensive!).

Top the tray bake with the toasted almonds and fresh parsley.

Serve immediately! For a more “date-night” feel, you can bring the whole tray to the table and share straight from the pan.

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Awesome Apricot Chicken Bake (One-Pan Meal)

Recipe by Sana ReiCourse: DinnerCuisine: Modern FusionDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

Approx servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

520

kcal

Chill Time

30

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

25

minutes

A sticky, sweet, and savory tray bake featuring tender chicken thighs, roasted pumpkin, and a glaze made from apricots, marmalade, and kecap manis. A super easy family dinner with minimal cleanup that also works as a cozy date-night meal.

Ingredients

• Equipment Needed:

• Roasting pan

• microwave-safe bowl

• meat thermometer

• Ingredients

• 6–8 chicken thighs (approx. 1.2 kg)

• 1 (800 g / 28 oz) can apricot halves in syrup

• 2 tbsp orange marmalade

• 4 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), divided

• 1 red onion, cut into wedges

• 500 g pumpkin (butternut or Kent), unpeeled, cut into chunks

• 1 cup frozen green beans

• ½ tsp white pepper

• 1 tsp salt (plus more to taste)

• ¼ cup almonds, toasted

• Fresh parsley, for garnish

• 1 packet brown rice (for serving)

Directions

• Prepare the Sauce: In a bowl, mix 2 tbsp apricot syrup (from the can, not all the liquid), 2 tbsp marmalade, and 3 tbsp kecap manis. Microwave for 30 seconds to melt together, then whisk smooth.
• Reserve Baste: Pour about one-third of this sauce into a separate dish for basting later. Add an extra tablespoon of kecap manis to this basting portion and set aside.
• Marinate: Season chicken with salt and white pepper. Add chicken and onion wedges to the main sauce bowl. Marinate for 30–45 minutes, turning once halfway.
• Preheat: Set oven to 200°C (390°F).
• Tray Setup: Cut pumpkin into chunks (skin on) and place in a roasting pan. Nestle chicken and onions among the pumpkin. Pour over any remaining marinade from the bowl and top with the apricot halves.
• Bake: Cook for 20 minutes.
• Add Veg: Remove from oven. Baste chicken with the reserved sauce. Scatter frozen green beans on top.
• Finish: Bake for another 15–20 minutes until the chicken is golden, the juices run clear, and the internal temp reaches 74°C (165°F).
• Toppings: Sprinkle with toasted almonds and fresh parsley. Serve hot with brown rice (or your favorite side).

Notes

• Pumpkin Tip: Don’t peel the pumpkin! The skin softens beautifully in the oven and holds the chunks together.
• Basting Safety: We separate the basting sauce before adding the raw chicken to the main bowl. This keeps it safe to brush on halfway through cooking.
• Less Sweet Option: Use 3 tbsp kecap manis instead of 4, and drain off a little extra apricot syrup if you prefer it less sweet.
• Rice: I use microwave rice for speed, but you can cook fresh rice or serve this with mashed potato or creamy polenta if you prefer.
• Date-Night / Valentine’s Twist: Serve this in the center of the table straight in the roasting pan, with two plates, a simple green salad, and maybe a glass of something you like. Add a few extra apricot halves and parsley on top to make it look a bit special.