Apricot-Lacquered Chicken Thighs (Secret Recipe Club)

by Dorothy Reinhold on May 25, 2014


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In my continual search for new chicken recipes, I stumbled across one that rang all my chimes – sweet, hot, meaty and satisfying. Oh and easy. It rang the easy chime.

It makes use of jam or preserves, and a few other refrigerator and pantry staples to amp up the flavor. To make it super easy, I’ve used Gourmet Garden herbs in a tube. Have you seen them yet? They’re a lifesaver when you don’t have time to prep fresh herbs and aromatics or you can’t find them in your market.

Apricot-Lacquered Chicken Thighs | www.ShockinglyDelicious.comChicken again? Why yes, we’re looking forward to this dish…again!

Apricot-Lacquered Chicken Thighs | www.ShockinglyDelicious.com

Recipe: Apricot-Lacquered Chicken Thighs

Summary: Sweet, spicy, meaty and satisfying, this easy Apricot-Lacquered Chicken dinner is on repeat rotation at my house.

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 pound bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (this is 4 meaty thighs)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Gourmet Garden Garlic Paste (or 3 garlic cloves, finely minced)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Gourmet Garden Ginger Paste (or a 1 1/2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely minced)
  • 1/4 cup apricot preserves
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon chile powder (I used Melissa’s Produce Mild Hatch Chile Powder)
  • 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (I used A&B American Style Small Batch Pepper Sauce; or use Sriracha or Tabasco or whatever you prefer)

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350F degrees. Lightly mist an 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
  2. Snip any large globs of fat off chicken and discard (I leave the skin on because I like it!), and place chicken in prepared dish.
  3. To a small bowl, add garlic, ginger, apricot preserves, soy sauce, chile powder and hot sauce, and stir well to combine.Apricot-Lacquered Chicken Thighs | www.ShockinglyDelicious.com
  4. Spoon most of sauce over chicken, spreading to cover with the back of the spoon. Reserve a little bit of sauce (maybe ~ 4 teaspoons) for serving time.
  5. Bake for 50 minutes. Remove pan from oven and allow chicken to cool for about 5 minutes.
  6. Serve, spooning remaining sauce over top if you like. Accompany with a green salad, another vegetable like carrots or broccoli, and rice or potatoes if you like.
  7. Serves 4.

Quick notes

Source: Adapted from Peach Lacquered Chicken Wings by Hapatite, who said she adapted it from Gourmet magazine June 2009.

Secret Recipe ClubSecret Recipe Club button on Shockingly Delicious

Here is a list of what I have made for the Secret Recipe Club since I joined the group. Check it out!

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Diet tags: High protein
Number of servings (yield): 4
Culinary tradition: USA (General)
My rating 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 

I found this recipe while deep-diving into the food blog Hapatite for this month’s Secret Recipe Club. The blog is run by Nicole, a twentysomething living in the DC metro area who descends from a family that is ethnically Chinese, Cherokee, German, and American, but culturally Hawai’ian. So hapa means “half” in Hawai’ian — slang for people of mixed racial heritage who are partially Asian or Pacific Islanders. She put together “hapa” + “appetite” = Hapatite.

She tempted with her Baked Onion Rings, and I almost succumbed to her Rhubarb Ginger Crumble Bars. Just the word crumble makes me swoon. 

But it had to be chicken, and the idea of this dish appealed to me. I changed it from wings to thighs (more meat so it can be dinner for my surfers), tweaked around with the amounts in the glaze, and I didn’t want to tend it under the broiler so I roasted the chicken for more hands-off time. It did not disappoint! In fact, I made it twice this month already! Thanks, Nicole, for a delicious dinner and a fun month exploring your blog.  

Meanwhile, browse the photo array below to see what else the Secret Recipe Club cooked up this month!


{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }

hapatite May 29, 2014 at 2:18 pm

Your chicken looks great! I like the idea of using a different cut than wings. I can’t believe I didn’t think of roasting it (the babysitting it under the broiler is the worst part!!). I have some apricot jam I’ve got to use up and you’ve just reminded me how good these tasted when I made them last!

Thanks for visiting Hapa-tite & I’m glad you enjoyed the chicken!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold May 29, 2014 at 4:51 pm

Oh yeah, try it with thighs and roast. I don’t care for the babysitting part, either, which is why I switched it. It’s so good!

Reply

Couscous & Consciousness May 29, 2014 at 1:39 am

What a great choice, Dorothy – it looks delicious. I’m glad you made some changes to suit your own needs, and that this dish has clearly become part of your regular rotation. Looks like a great family dish.
Sue

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold May 29, 2014 at 8:57 am

Sue,
Oh yes, it HAS become a part of our rotation. Chicken thighs for dinner? OH YES!

Reply

bakingaddict May 27, 2014 at 2:40 pm

I love easy chicken dishes and this looks delicious. Great SRC pick!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold May 27, 2014 at 3:45 pm

Baking Addict,
Me too. Easy is crucial.

Reply

Rebekah @ Making Miracles May 27, 2014 at 6:46 am

Mmm… I can smell it through the screen – I am always on the hunt for new, tasty chicken dishes; this one looks fantastic! Great pick this month!!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold May 27, 2014 at 9:22 am

Thanks Rebekah!
I have to beat them away with a stick when this comes out of the oven!

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susan @ the wimpy vegetarian May 26, 2014 at 1:39 pm

This looks so easy and so fantastic. PERFECT for summer!!

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Dorothy Reinhold May 26, 2014 at 2:13 pm

Thanks Susan!

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Cathy | She Paused 4 Thought May 26, 2014 at 1:06 pm

This is on my to-do list. I hate to admit this but I love Gourmet Garden herbs. Sometimes you just need a few time-savers.

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold May 26, 2014 at 2:14 pm

Cathy,
Very OFTEN we need time savers!

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Karen @ Karen's Kitchen Stories May 26, 2014 at 1:06 pm

Hello fellow chicken maker! Great minds think alike. These look sooooo good. Pinned!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold May 26, 2014 at 2:14 pm

Karen,
Can never, ever have too many good chicken recipes! Thanks!

Reply

Amy @ Fearless Homemaker May 26, 2014 at 12:29 pm

I’m always looking for new chicken recipes, too, and this one looks SO wonderful. Excellent choice for the SRC!

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Dorothy Reinhold May 26, 2014 at 2:14 pm

Thanks Amy! Chicken thighs rule!

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Lentil Breakdown May 26, 2014 at 10:48 am

That photo makes me want to ingest some lacquer!

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Dorothy Reinhold May 26, 2014 at 2:15 pm

Ha, Adair! I don’t think chicken is vegan, girl. 🙂

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Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel May 26, 2014 at 9:36 am

This sounds awesome! I love sweet and savory dishes… especially with chicken. My hubby’s grandma makes a ton of apricot jam every summer so I always have a ton on hand!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold May 26, 2014 at 10:11 am

Jess,
This will be a great use for it!

Reply

Tara May 26, 2014 at 8:24 am

Oh yum! My husband would love this. Great pick!

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Dorothy Reinhold May 26, 2014 at 8:36 am

Tara,
This is family-pleasing food!

Reply

Sarah E. May 26, 2014 at 6:54 am

My husband would LOVE this recipe – he loves apricots and hot sauce. Great pick – happy reveal day!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold May 26, 2014 at 7:31 am

Sarah,
If you have sweet/hot lovers at your table, this is for YOU!

Reply

Melissa May 26, 2014 at 6:39 am

Chicken thighs are a favorite in this house. What a delicious way to make them. Great pick this month 🙂

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold May 26, 2014 at 7:31 am

Melissa,
Thighs are the only part I buy anymore. We just love them so much!

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Wendy, A Day in the Life on the Farm May 26, 2014 at 5:32 am

Wow, that glaze definitely sounds like a keeper.

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Dorothy Reinhold May 26, 2014 at 7:33 am

Wendy,
You could put that glaze on other things….pork? Tofu?

Reply

sallybr May 26, 2014 at 5:07 am

This is the exact type of chicken I like… never used apricot as a glaze, sounds perfect!

Happy Reveal Day!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold May 26, 2014 at 7:33 am

Sally,
Remedy that, pronto!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold May 26, 2014 at 8:13 pm

Paused/Cathy,
Thanks! I do, too!

Reply

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