Sheet Pan Sticky Apricot Chicken
Sheet Pan Sticky Apricot Chicken…sounds amazing, right? What if I was to also tell you that it only takes 30 minutes? Would you be doing the happy dance? Would you be throwing your dish towel up in the air? Would you be hooting and hollering? Just checking the pulse of my wild reader base…
Anyhow, yes, you should be doing all of the above because this is the perfect dish for a weeknight Asian-inspired meal. It’s quick, easy and utterly delectable!
My mom used to make a roasted apricot chicken dish. It was very tasty but with the addition of soy sauce and ginger, it becomes a different dish. Now, it’s a dish that will satisfy that Chinese-food craving you might be having.
This recipe begins by dredging your chicken pieces, that are coated in egg, in flour. Those pieces get baked in the oven for a while and then the asparagus gets added to the same sheet pan. Don’t you love one-pan dinners? I know my honey does his happy dance when he sees how little we have to clean up!
It only takes a few more minutes in the oven for the chicken to cook through. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Combine the apricot preserves, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic & ginger in a glass jar or bowl. Pour the sauce over the chicken pieces and toss them.
Back to the oven it goes for a few more minutes. Watch it closely, though…it can burn!
I am not really a rice person, but I thought I’d give this dish a try over coconut rice and I have to say that it was one of the most delicious ways to make rice that I’ve ever tried. It has a mild coconut taste, is fluffy and works beautifully with the sticky apricot chicken! I added a bit of slivered basil to the rice but, hey, you do you!
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Sheet Pan Sticky Apricot Chicken
Makes: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour, or gluten-free flour
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, or sesame oil
- 3/4 cup high quality apricot preserves
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 1/2 – 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 bunch asparagus, or broccoli, chopped (see Chef’s Notes)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- Sesame seeds, for serving
Coconut Rice:
- 14-ounce can coconut milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp slivered basil, optional
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 475° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with oil.
Add the chicken, egg, and a pinch of pepper to a bowl. Toss to combine. Add the flour to another bowl. Dredge the chicken in batches through the flour, tossing to coat. Place the chicken on one side of the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, start the coconut rice. Combine coconut milk and water in a medium pot. Bring to a low boil. Add jasmine rice, butter, and a salt. Stir to combine, cover, then turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible. Allow the rice to cook 10 minutes on low, then turn the heat off completely and let the rice sit, covered, for another 15-20 minutes (don’t take any peeks inside!). Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in basil slivers, if desired.
After 12 minutes of cooking the chicken, flip the chicken, then add the asparagus to the other side of the pan. Toss with 1 tablespoon oil, salt, and pepper. Return to the oven another 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Reduce the oven temperature to 425°F.
Meanwhile, mix the apricot preserves, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a glass jar or bowl.
Pour the sauce over the chicken, tossing to combine. Return everything to the oven for 3 minutes, until the sauce coats the chicken, watch close the sauce can burn.
Serve the chicken, asparagus, and sauce over bowls of rice topped with basil and sesame seeds.
Chef’s Note:
If using broccoli, add the broccoli to the sheet pan when you begin roasting the chicken as it will take longer to cook than the asparagus.
Recipe inspired by Half Baked Harvest
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