Baked Apricot Chicken Thighs (Easy Dinner) 

Baked Apricot Chicken Thighs (Easy Dinner) 

Why You Should Give This Recipe a Try

One quick look through my blog and you will quickly realize that chicken dinners are my specialty. This Baked Apricot Chicken Thighs (Easy Dinner) recipe is my latest creation and it absolutely does not disappoint! 

Bone-in chicken thighs are smothered in a flavorful sauce of apricot jam and dried apricots infused with classic poultry herbs of fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme. Sprinkle the finished project with chopped toasted pecans for a surprising little crunch. The whole meal comes together quickly and easily and if you have the appropriate skillet, it can even be a one pot meal. All in all, it is one of those delicious, family favorite recipes you will be turning to again and again. 

Some of the best features of this recipe:

Flavorful: With two different apricot ingredients, tons of fresh herbs, and a hearty sprinkle of chopped toasted pecans there is no shortage of flavor.

Easy: No complicated cooking techniques required. Brown some chicken thighs, add in the other ingredients, and pop everything in the oven. It couldn’t be simpler.

One Pan Possibilities: Provided you have an oven-safe skillet, this can be a one pot meal, a great time saver. 

As with all of my recipes, Baked Apricot Chicken Thighs (Easy Dinner) is rich in flavor but simple to make with no complex cooking techniques, no special equipment, and with basic ingredients you can find in any grocery store.

Recipe Ingredients

½ cup chopped pecans

4 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 shallots

1 tbsp fresh rosemary

1 tbsp fresh sage

2 tsp fresh thyme

1 cup apricot preserves

1 cup chopped dried apricots

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

Salt and pepper

Helpful Tools

• Sheet pan
• Large skillet
• 9×13 baking dish (or large oven-safe skillet)
• Tongs
• Large plate or platter
• Dry measuring cups
• Liquid measuring cup
• Measuring spoons
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Instant read thermometer

Ingredient Notes

Chicken: Bone-in, skin on chicken thighs are moist and flavorful, so they are my go to choice for this recipe. You can use boneless, skinless thighs but reduce the cooking time to 20-30 minutes. The cooked temperature is still 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Apricot preserves: Apricot preserves are the jam type that has pieces of fruit – which is exactly what we want here. I like to use a good quality jam like Bonne Maman since it is the basis of the recipe.

Herbs: I usually buy a set of herbs called “poultry mix” which has everything I need in one package. You can use dried herbs if you wish, but they are stronger than fresh. Reduce the amount of dried herbs by about ⅓ the amount of fresh.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Place the chopped pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast them in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned.

3. Prepare the other ingredients while the pecans toast. Begin by thinly slicing the shallots.

4. Chop the herbs.

5. Give the dried apricots a rough chop.

6. Measure out the low sodium chicken broth.

7.  Remove the pecans when they are toasted and set aside. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

8. Pat the chicken dry and lightly salt and pepper both sides.

9. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

10. Add the chicken skin side down and cook until browned, about 5 minutes per side.

11. Remove the browned chicken to a large plate or platter.

12. Add the sliced shallots to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 3-4 minutes. There should be enough oil in the pan from the chicken and olive oil, but you can add a touch more olive oil if the pan appears to be too dry.

13. Lower the heat to medium and add the herbs to the shallots. Cook until fragrant, stirring, about one minute.

14. Add the apricot preserves and dried apricots and cook, stirring, until the preserves begin to melt, about 3 minutes.

15. Stir in the chicken broth.

16. Return the chicken to the pan and toss with the sauce.

17. If you are using an oven-safe skillet, transfer it to the oven. If you are using a baking pan, add the contents of the skillet to the pan and place it in the oven.

18. Cook until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 165 degrees, 30-40 minutes.

19. Sprinkle with the toasted pecans. I also recommend serving Baked Apricot Chicken Thighs (Easy Dinner) over cooked orzo pasta or rice. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and the side dish.

Check out the printable recipe card, below, for the complete step-by-step directions.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Tips & Tricks

An oven-safe skillet is one that can be safely placed in a 400 degree oven. That refers to the handle as well as the pan. I have a large Cuisinart nonstick skillet and it is NOT oven-safe at that temperature. Always check with the manufacturer’s directions before placing it into the oven. Remember to be extremely careful removing the skillet from the oven.

As I said, chicken dinners are sort of my specialty. Here are some of our favorites:

Easy One Pot Coq au Vin

Easy One Skillet Creamy Tuscan Chicken Dinner

Easy One Pot Creamy Chicken Marsala

Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes

One Pot Mediterranean Chicken with Orzo (Easy Dinner)

Best Greek Yogurt and Lemon Marinated Chicken Recipe