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This easy apricot chicken recipe features juicy chicken thighs cooked in a sweet and savory glaze made with apricot preserves and barbecue sauce. Your family will love this summer dinner favorite served over mashed potatoes or rice.
If you’ve never tried apricot chicken, get ready because this sweet and savory combo is about to become a favorite. This apricot chicken recipe is prepared with juicy bone-in chicken thighs simmered in a sticky barbecue sauce and apricot preserves, creating rich pan juices that coat every tasty bite.
It’s similar to my pineapple barbecue chicken, but with a little extra depth and sweetness from the apricot. The best part is that there is no marinating required! Just rub the chicken with a simple chicken seasoning blend, sear it in a skillet, and let the oven do the rest. What you’ll get are tender, fall-off-the-bone apricot chicken thighs with that perfect balance of tangy, smoky, and sweet.
How To Make Apricot Chicken
- Prep the apricots. Slice 6 to 8 apricots in half, remove the pits, and sear them in a hot, oiled, oven-safe skillet for 1 minute per side. Remove and set aside.
- Sear the chicken. Add the chicken thighs to the same skillet and brown them for about 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Deglaze the skillet. Pour in chicken broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits. Stir in a couple tablespoons of apricot preserves. You can also use apple juice or apricot juice if preferred.
- Add barbecue sauce. Mix in your favorite barbecue sauce, or try my honey barbecue sauce. Let the sauce simmer and thicken for about 2 minutes.
- Bring it all together and bake. Return the chicken thighs and apricots to the skillet. Cover with foil. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Use an instant read thermometer to check for doneness. Chicken thighs are ready at 165˚F.
- Serve. Remove from oven, garnish with green onions, and serve over mushroom rice or zucchini noodles.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you don’t have chicken thighs, you can most definitely use chicken breasts, but you’ll need to adjust the cooking time. Breasts cook faster than bone-in thighs.
Yes, you can! If fresh apricots aren’t available, dried apricots are a great substitute. Just slice them in half and soak them in hot water (or a bit of broth) for about 10–15 minutes to plump them up before adding them to the dish. They’ll add the same sweet, fruity flavor and blend beautifully with the barbecue glaze.
Yes! Try this recipe with pork chops and drumsticks – you’ll love it!
How to Store and Reheat Apricot Chicken
Store any leftover apricot chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, warm it in a skillet over medium heat until the chicken is heated through and the sauce is bubbly.
You can also reheat it in the microwave in a covered, microwave-safe dish in 30-second intervals until hot.
What to Serve with Apricot Chicken
This sweet and savory chicken pairs perfectly with simple sides like rice or veggies. Try one of these easy recipes from the blog:
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Apricot Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 6 to 8 small apricots, cut in half and seeds removed
- 6 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon chicken seasoning blend, use more if you like, or less
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth, you can also use apple juice or apricot juice
- 2 tablespoons apricot preserves, try using sugar-free apricot preserves
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
- sliced green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 375˚F and rub the seasoning all over the chicken thighs.
- Cook down the apricots. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the apricots to the hot oil and cook for 1 minute per side. Remove the apricots from the skillet and set aside.
- Brown the chicken thighs. Add remaining vegetable oil to the same skillet and set over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs to the hot skillet and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until browned. You may have to cook the chicken thighs in batches if they don't all fit in your skillet. Please don't crowd the pan. Remove the chicken thighs from the skillet and set aside.
- Deglaze the pan. Return the skillet to heat and turn down to LOW. Stir in the minced garlic and cook and stir for 20 seconds. Slowly pour in the chicken broth and, using a whisk, scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Add the preserves and bbq sauce. Whisk in the apricot preserves and continue to whisk until fully incorporated. Then, whisk in the barbecue sauce and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
- Return the chicken and apricots to the skillet. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the chicken thighs and apricots back into the skillet. Flip the chicken thighs and apricots around so that they are covered with the sauce.
- Bake. Loosely cover the skillet with aluminum foil and bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Chicken is cooked when its internal temperature registers at 165˚F away from the bone. Use an Instant Read Thermometer to check for doneness.
- Finish and serve. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Spoon the pan sauce over the apricot chicken, garnish with green onions, and serve.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Delicious! Great way to use up apricots.
Sounds delicious, I am going to try it with chicken breasts, just do not like thighs. Think it should still work!
This looks absolutely delicious! Yummy!
I have never tried Apricot with chicken before, I will have to try this!