Sweet and savory come together beautifully in this Apricot Chicken recipe. Tender chicken thighs are coated in a rich sauce made with apricot preserves, Dijon mustard, and soy sauce for a flavor-packed dish that’s ready in no time.
Perfect for busy weeknights or casual entertaining, this recipe is as simple as it is delicious.
Apricot Chicken
This Apricot Chicken is one of those easy dinners that delivers a lot of flavor without a lot of fuss. The sweet and savory apricot sauce coats the chicken perfectly and creates a meal that feels just a little special while still being simple enough for a busy night at home. Best of all, it’s made with simple pantry ingredients and comes together without any complicated steps.
I’ve skipped the old shortcut versions made with soup mix or bottled dressing and kept the focus on simple, real ingredients that still give this dish all the flavor it’s known for. It’s the kind of comforting dinner that’s easy to make and always disappears fast at our table.
My go-to tips for delicious Apricot Chicken:
Prepare the Chicken
Use bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces for the best flavor and juiciness. The skin helps retain moisture, and the bones add depth to the dish.
Spoon Sauce Over the Chicken
Halfway through the cooking time, spoon some of the sauce back over the chicken to help it caramelize and infuse with flavor as it bakes.
Bake Uncovered
Bake the chicken uncovered so the sauce can thicken and develop a rich, glossy finish during the cooking process.
Check for Doneness
Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 180-190°F for perfectly cooked, tender meat.
What readers are saying
This has become one of my go-to weekly meals. Easy, inexpensive, and sooo tasty. ~ Jan
Baked Apricot Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken - I use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. You could also use skinless chicken thighs.
- Apricot Jam - Homemade or store-bought works fine. I have also used peach jam in this recipe.
- Onion and Garlic - finely chopped
- Dijon Mustard - adds the perfect flavor
- Soy Sauce - adds a depth of flavor to the sauce. Use low-sodium if you have it.
- Apple Cider Vinegar - Adds a tangy flavor to the sauce.
- Honey - adds a bit of sweetness.
- Seasoning - dried ginger powder and red pepper flakes
How to make Apricot Chicken
- Make sauce - place all ingredients in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until the jam has melted and everything is heated through.
2. Trim any excess fat or skin from chicken thighs. Place in a lightly greased baking dish and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Pour sauce over prepared chicken and place uncovered in a 375°F preheated oven.
4. Bake for 20 minutes and then baste the sauce over the thighs. Just use a spoon and scoop up any sauce in the pan and pour it over each chicken thigh.
5. Return to oven for another 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked through and the chicken is beginning to brown.
6. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. If desired, top with freshly chopped parsley.
7. Skim any grease off the remaining sauce and serve the sauce on the side
Apricot Chicken Recipe Tips
- Use any size casserole dish that will hold the chicken. I used an 8x11-inch dish.
- Bake chicken uncovered.
- When the chicken is baked through, you can place it under the broiler for a few minutes to help caramelize the chicken. Keep a close eye on the chicken so it doesn't burn.
- The extra sauce is great to serve on the side. Just skim any excess grease off the sauce first.
- Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Serving Apricot Glazed Chicken
My favorite way to serve apricot-glazed chicken is with rice or mashed potatoes, so the sweet sauce has something to soak into. I usually add a simple green vegetable, like green beans or sautéed peas, to round out the meal.
How to store Apricot Glazed Chicken
Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months.
The chicken can be reheated in the microwave for 60-90 seconds until heated through, or it can be placed in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes until it is fully heated.
Frozen apricot chicken should be fully thawed before reheating.
More delicious chicken recipes
- Italian Dressing Chicken
- Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
- Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wraps
- Cast Iron Chicken Thighs
- Pesto Chicken Sandwich
- Creamy Chicken Orzo
- Baked Honey Chicken Thighs
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Be certain to check out all my delicious dinner recipes!
Apricot Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- Glass Baking Dish 7x11
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1 cup apricot jam
- ¼ cup finely diced onions
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Chicken
- 6 chicken thighs
- fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Sauce
- Make sauce - place all ingredients in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until the jam has melted and everything is heated through.1 cup apricot jam, ¼ cup finely diced onions, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Chicken
- Trim any excess fat or skin from chicken thighs. Place in a lightly greased baking dish and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.6 chicken thighs
- Pour sauce over prepared chicken and place uncovered in a 375°F preheated oven.
- Bake for 20 minutes and then baste sauce over thighs. Just use a spoon and scoop up any sauce in pan and pouring over each chicken thigh.
- Return to oven for another 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked through and the chicken is just beginning to brown.
- Remove chicken from the pan and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Top with freshly chopped parsley, if desired.fresh parsley for garnish
- Skim any grease off of remaining sauce and serve sauce on the side
Notes
- Use any size casserole dish that will hold the chicken. I used an 8x11 inch dish.
- Bake chicken uncovered
- Chicken is fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165°F. However, chicken thighs can benefit from cooking longer until 180-190°F. This allows the dark meat to become more tender and will still be juicy.
- When chicken is baked through, you can place under the broiler for a few minutes to help caramelize the chicken. Keep a close eye on the chicken so it doesn't burn.
- The extra sauce is great to serve on the side. Just skim any excess grease off the sauce first.
- Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Shannan says
Super tasty and simple too! I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs which were perfectly cooked for 20 minutes at 375°. Thank you!
Kathy says
Thanks so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for your tips on using boneless thighs. 🙂
Kathy says
This recipe was a winner with my family! Easy to make. We used boneless/skinless thighs and were very satisfied with the result.
Kathy says
Thanks so much! 🙂
Katy Lautenschlager says
Not as much flavor as my family likes.
Kathy says
Okay
Lorna says
Made it tonight. Absolutely loved it, put it under the broiler to caramelize turned out great made, made rice with it and put the sauce over. It worked out awesome. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe.
Kathy says
Thanks so much! So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Melanie says
Made this last night. The sauce was delicious but the chicken had no flavor and no one in my family liked it. Going to try shredding the chicken today and cooking it in the sauce so it will absorb the flavor. I think it will be good over rice.
Kathy says
I hope you enjoy it as leftovers! 🙂
Sandy says
One of our favorite chicken thigh recipes. Delicious & easy.
Kathy says
Thanks so much! So glad you enjoy them! 🙂
DONNA says
We are only going to do two bone in chicken thighs how much less of the ingredients for the sauce thanks
Kathy says
Hi Donna,
You'd have to cut the sauce down and just make a 1/3 of the recipe. The amounts of many of the ingredients will just be a pinch. You don't need to be too precise with the sauce ingredients.
Kathy 🙂
Sara Bailey says
This was yummy. Don't overthink it, and use what you have. Thanks for the tip!
Kathy says
Thanks! 🙂
lil says
What about using plain orange marmalade
Kathy says
Hi Lil,
You could certainly use orange marmalade instead of the apricot jam.
Enjoy! 🙂
Leah says
I could not find a reply button after my air fryer question. I went ahead and used mine to fix it. It worked very well. I used a pan meant for the air fryer and cooked 4 thighs.
Kathy says
Thanks so much for letting me know! I'm so glad it worked!
Loretta Cross says
I had fresh apricots put them in a pot added a little sugar a little orange juice cooked it down then added all the rest of the ingredients. Used chicken breast cooked 35 min it was amazing. Will make again
Kathy says
Thanks so much!
Mary says
Way to sweet
Kathy says
The jam certainly adds sweetness.
Helene says
This will be a great Passover recipe. I am definitely keeping it around for next year. Thanks
Kathy says
Yay!!! Glad you found it! You don't have to wait until then to make it though! 🙂
Jennifer c Lee says
Can you use chicken breasts?
Kathy says
Hi Jennifer,
Yes, you can use chicken breasts. Keep a close eye on them while they are cooking. The baking time will need to be adjusted. Boneless will probably take less time (about 25-30 minutes )and bone-in may take more time depending on the size.
Kathy
Karen MacIntyre says
Made this for dinner tonight. The only change I made was to use fresh ginger and I browned the chicken first. Very tasty and not too sweet like the apricot jam and Catalina salad dressing recipes. Served with a bit of rice and roasted vegetables.
Kathy says
Hi Karen,
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks so much!!! 🙂
Kathy
Leah says
Could you use am air fryer to cook this?
Kathy says
I have not used an air fryer so I don't know how this chicken would work using one.
Donna says
Any idea how this would be using boneless breasts and done in Instantpot?
Kathy says
Hi Donna,
I'm afraid I haven't made this in an Instant Pot.
Kathy
Don says
Fantastic! Great flavor, tender, and easy to make. Wife not a fan of apricots, any other jam ideas?
Kathy says
Hi Don,
How about peach jam. You could also try orange marmalade or for a totally different taste, apple jelly!
Enjoy,
Kathy 🙂
Velva says
Kathy this is a fantastic weeknight chicken dish. The sweetness of the jam cooks right into the chicken, and helps form a delicious crust. Thanks for sharing this recipe idea.
Velva
David @ Spiced says
Oooo-what a fun idea! I especially love that you used homemade apricot jam for this. I know I could use store-bought jam, but I want to track down some fresh apricots now. We have a huge fig tree in our yard...maybe I can find someone who wants to trade! Thanks for the inspiration, Kathy!
Kathy says
Store bought jam works perfectly! Now about those figs...
Don says
Can I use frozen chicken?
Kathy says
Hi Don,
If using frozen chicken, the baking time will increase - maybe even double in time. I'd start just the chicken first and then add the sauce later so it doesn't burn. I haven't tried cooking it from frozen, so I don't know how much time it would actually take.
Kathy 🙂