cook like james

Baked Apricot-Orange Chicken with Almonds

Boneless chicken breasts are pretty common for dinner but can get a bit boring. I’m always looking for new ways to prepare them and this apricot version is a nice change of pace. I like to serve the chicken with green beans and brown rice.

Download Baked Apricot Orange Chicken recipe

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each), trimmed and patted dry with paper towels

Salt and pepper

2/3 cup apricot preserves

½ cup dried chopped apricots

½ cup orange juice

4 tablespoons honey

3 teaspoons cider vinegar

3 teaspoons soy sauce

1 ½ teaspoon curry powder

½-1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon water

4 tablespoons sliced almonds

1.     Adjust an oven rack to the upper position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Lightly spray a baking dish with vegetable oil spray and place chicken breasts in dish.

2.    Whisk the apricot preserves, dried apricots, orange juice, honey, vinegar, soy sauce, curry powder, and Tabasco together in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer, whisking often, until the mixture has thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.

3.    Quickly stir together the cornstarch in the water to dissolve, then whisk into the honey mixture until combined and thickened slightly. Pour the apricot sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with the almonds. Bake until the chicken registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 18 to 22 minutes.