Easy Apricot-Glazed Chicken

 

This chicken is all about contrasts: Not only is it sweet and spicy, but it's also savory and sour. And the stickiness of the dish is offset by the crispy skin and tender, juicy meat.
Your tongue is hit with a little something different every time you take a bite — sharp ginger, honeyed apricots, aromatic garlic, earthy soy sauce — and yet all these various sensations and flavors mingle together in perfect harmony in one weeknight-friendly skillet dinner.

A Retro Dinner That's Sure to Get You Excited About Chicken Again

Chicken is a staple on so many dinner tables — mine included. It's easy and versatile but, to be completely honest, sometimes it just gets boring. This recipe will give you your chicken mojo back.
Apricot-glazed anything has a bit of a retro feel to it, and you may scratch your head as you're stirring all these contrasting ingredients together, but trust me — you'll be rewarded with a chicken dinner that's exciting.

Lots of fresh ginger and garlic, along with a good pinch of red pepper flakes, bite down on the fruit preserves' inherent sweetness and put it in its place with the help of salty soy sauce and bright, tangy rice wine vinegar.
The glaze melts over the crispy-skinned chicken thighs and forms so much wonderful sauce that the only way to serve this should be over a bed of cooked rice so that you can soak up every bit.

Easy Apricot-Glazed Chicken

• 3/4 cup apricot preserves
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh peeled ginger
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup lightly packed chopped fresh cilantro
• Cooked rice, for serving

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F.

Place the apricot preserves, vinegar, tamari or soy, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl and whisk to combine; set aside.

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large cast iron or oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the chicken skin-side down and cook until the fat is rendered and the skin is crisp and golden-brown, adjusting the heat if the skin begins to burn, 6 to 8 minutes.

Flip the chicken thighs and carefully pour the glaze evenly over them. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook, spooning some of the glaze in the skillet back over the chicken halfway through, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, 10 to 12 minutes total. Sprinkle the chicken with cilantro and serve, with plenty of the sauce, over rice.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.