Apricot Chicken

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 pounds apricots, pits removed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or olive oil
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces
• Salt, to taste
• 1 onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons Tabasco or other hot sauce (or more to taste)
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
• Rice or egg noodles, for serving

PREPARATION STEPS

1. In a large bowl, stir the apricots, sugar, and vinegar together. Let sit while you brown the chicken in the next step.
2. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until hot.
3. Working in batches to keep from crowding the pan, brown the chicken pieces on each side. As the chicken cooks, sprinkle with salt. Once the chicken is browned, remove the pieces from the pan to a bowl and set aside.
4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and sauté the onion until it begins to brown.
5. As the onion cooks and releases moisture, use a flat-edged spatula or wooden spoon to scrape off the browned bits from the chicken (called fond) from the bottom of the pan. If the pan becomes dry, add water, a tablespoon at a time to help release the onion from the bottom of the pan.
6. Once the onion has browned a bit, add the chicken stock and lower the heat to medium.
7. Set aside 1 2/3 cups of the apricots for the finished dish. In a blender, puree the remaining apricots, along with any juice they have released. Pour the purée into the pan with the stock and onion.
8. Stir the cinnamon, rosemary, and Tabasco into the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Then, lower the heat and gently simmer for 10 to 20 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly. Taste and add black pepper to taste. Taste again and add more salt and Tabasco, if needed.
9. Just before serving, add the chicken and the reserved apricot pieces to the pan. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, or until the sauce is hot and the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with rice or egg noodles.