Sticky Apricot Basil Chicken Thighs

Yum! This is a great recipe from the Heartbeet Kitchen blog, and it’s all about the sauce.

I made just a few changes.

My herb garden is only in its first stages, and I forgot to buy a package of fresh basil. So I used 2 teaspoons of pesto; a little more would be even better. Remember to check the ingredient list on the jar if there are allergies among family members or guests; it usually contains nuts of some kind.

I’ve doubled the sauce ingredients, because it’s so good and because it was nice to serve the whole thing on rice. I would prefer a wild-rice mix, but I grabbed two packages of cooked rice from the pantry this time (a handy shortcut for those busy days). Quinoa cooked in chicken broth would work well, too.

For those of you who are queasy about eating meat from bones (Hi, Sis!), this would work well with boneless chicken thighs and breasts. The cooking time would need to decrease, and without the skin, you would want to cook the chicken on lower heat.  The bonus — besides reducing fat — is that you wouldn’t lose any of the scrumptious sauce by ripping off the skin before you eat it. If you like the skin, never mind!

Sticky Apricot Basil Chicken

1 1/4 lbs., or 3 or 4 bone-in & skin-on chicken thighs
2 tbsp. olive oil, divided use
1/2 tsp. salt

Apricot Basil Glaze:

1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. mince shallot
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. smooth Dijon mustard
4 tsp. white-wine vinegar
1 cup apricot preserves
4 tbsp. (2 oz.) minced basil (or 1 tbsp. pesto)

Rub chicken thighs with 1 tablespoon olive oil and the salt, then let sit while you prepare the sauce so that the chicken comes close to room temperature.

For sauce, heat olive oil to medium high heat in a small saucepan. Add shallot and salt, cooking for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Stir in mustard, vinegar and preserves, smashing any chunks in the jam. Lightly simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened. Stir in basil (or pesto) and turn off the heat.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. (Note: Reduce all cooking times for boneless/skinless chicken, and use lower heat). Bring remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to medium high heat in a 12-inch oven-proof skillet. Wait until very hot, then add chicken thighs skin side down. Cook for 3 minutes, then turn heat down to medium and continue to cook for 8 more minutes so that it can “fry” in its own fat, until skin is golden brown. Flip and cook for 10 minutes. (For boneless chicken, check doneness to see whether you should skip the next step.)

Transfer skillet to oven and cook for 8-10 minutes longer, until meat is cooked through and juices run clear. Transfer to a plate (on which cooked grain has been spread), smother with glaze, and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.