Sticky, sweet, tangy deliciousness. This Apricot Chicken recipe is a much better version of that old recipe with onion soup, jam and Catalina dressing.
Many of you might be familiar with that old popular apricot chicken recipe. It’s impossible to find the origin as the recipe has been posted so many times on the internet by various authors. I do confess that it’s pretty darn tasty and very simple to make. See notes in recipe if you’re craving it.
I thought I’d try a homemade version (well, except for the jam) to cut back on the fat, sugar and salt. This version only has a few more ingredients and uses fresh onions.
So, does the result still have that sweet, tangy, fruity, onion-y taste? Definitely! Tip: One little trick I found is to add some cornstarch to the sauce before cooking to keep the sauce on the chicken instead of sliding off around it.
The recipe makes extra sauce to soak into whatever you’re serving the chicken with. Just throw all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add the chicken and coat well. Bake. If you want get some char on top of the chicken, broil it for a few minutes before serving. Then dig in. Perfect for the next holiday dinner or just a simple family meal.
Try serving the apricot chicken with rice, noodles or Basic Mashed Potatoes. I also love to serve it with Roasted Bok Choy and Broccoli or Easy Creamed Spinach.
Tailor To Your Taste
- Instead of apricot preserves (or jam), peach preserves or marmalade will work fine too.
- Garnish with fresh chopped chives, parsley or thyme.
Shortcuts
- Chop the onions in a processor for a few seconds instead of by hand.
- Or revert to the old 4-ingredient recipe: Mix a 10 oz bottle of Catalina, Russian or French salad dressing with 1 cup apricot preserves and a package or dry onion soup mix. Pour over chicken and bake at 350F for an hour.
Make Ahead Apricot Chicken Recipe
- You can let the chicken marinate in half the sauce for a few hours (or even overnight). Then pat the chicken dry a bit (if watery), add the rest of the sauce and bake before serving. Don’t marinate frozen chicken as the sauce will become watery.
Apricot Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 chicken bone-in, cut in 8ths, trimmed of extra fat
- Garnish: chopped parsley
Apricot Onion Glaze Sauce
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 3/4 cup apricot jam (peach or marmalade ok too)
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp garlic, minced (1 clove) or 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp each, salt and pepper (or to taste)
- 2/3 cup finely chopped onions, about 1/2 spanish onion (I chop in food processor)
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch (this will help sauce stay on chicken)
- 1/2 tbsp sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- MAKE SAUCE/GLAZE: In a large mixing bowl, add all sauce ingredients and mix to combine well. Taste and adjust if needed e.g. more salt, sugar, vinegar, etc. Add chicken and toss to coat evenly. Note 1 for make ahead.
- BAKE CHICKEN: Use a pan with 1-3 inch sides that will fit the chicken comfortably, but that is not too big. Line it with foil and spray with oil. Place chicken and sauce in the pan in a single layer, skin side up. Bake for 30-45 minutes, depending on size of chicken. Instant thermometer should read about 160F. Remove chicken and spoon sauce on top if some has slipped off. If desired, broil the chicken 8-10 inches from heat source for about 4 minutes to brown it on top. Watch that it doesn't burn.
- SERVE: Transfer to a serving platter, spooning extra sauce on top (or in a separate small bowl to pass around). Garnish with chopped parsley.
Notes
- Make Ahead: Make the sauce, toss with the chicken and put in the fridge for a few hours until ready to bake. To marinate overnight, use half the sauce. Then pat the chicken dry a bit (if watery) the next day, add the rest of the sauce and bake before serving. Don't marinate frozen chicken as the sauce will become watery. The baked chicken will keep warm for an hour in a warm 200F oven.
- Craving the old shortcut recipe? Mix a 10 oz bottle of Catalina, Russian or French salad dressing with 1 cup apricot preserves and a package or dry onion soup mix. Pour over chicken and bake at 350F for an hour.
Other easy baked chicken recipes you might like:
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