Apricot Chicken Recipe

Top view of Skillet Chicken Thighs with Apricots and Oilves in cast iron pan with fresh basil

4.91 from 11 votes

This Apricot Chicken recipe is sweet and savory and made in one-pan. This is a delicious comfort food dish that’s excellent for a busy weeknight and interesting and lovely enough for entertaining on the weekend.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Total Time45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken for family dinner, comfort food recipes for fall and winter

Servings:

Calories: 473kcal

Author: Valentina K. Wein

Equipment

12-inch cast iron skillet

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 pounds chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
1 cup shallots, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons roughly chopped garlic, roots removed
¾ cup pitted Kalamata olives
½ cup pitted Manzanilla olives
¾ cup roughly chopped dried apricots
½ cup vermouth
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup fresh basil, washed and dried, roughly chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to a large skillet (cast iron is best). Place the pan over medium-high heat. Lightly sprinkle both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper and add them to the pan once it’s very hot. Sauté just long enough to lightly brown, about 1 minute per side. (Do this in two batches if it’s a tight fit.) Remove the chicken and set it aside on a plate covered with foil.
Turn the heat to medium-low and add the shallots. Stirring a bit, once they begin to soften, add the garlic and sauté for another couple of minutes. Add the olives and apricots and sauté, stirring often until everything begins to brown, about 4 minutes.
Move the pan away from the heat and add the vermouth. Turn the heat to medium-high and using a deglazing spatula, scrape any bits of the ingredients stuck to the bottom of the pan off, and into the mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Here’s How to Season to Taste.) When the vermouth has almost completely reduced, stir in the oregano.
Return all of the chicken pieces to the pan, placing them more or less beneath the olive-apricot mixture. Reduce the heat to low, drizzle evenly with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the honey, and cover. Cook just until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Sprinkle with the basil and serve.

Notes

Nutritional information is automatically calculated, so it should only be used as an estimate.

Nutrition