Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken
Slow cooker apricot chicken is an easy recipe using chicken thighs and dried apricots for a delicious dinner with big, fresh flavor and an intoxicating aroma - your kitchen will smell amazing!
Yield: 4 -6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup sliced onion
- 1 cup dried apricots, halved if desired
Instructions
- Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saute pan.
- Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Add to pan and cook for 5-6 minutes, until browned, turning once.
- Combine chicken broth, lemon zest and juice, mustard, garlic and thyme in slow cooker and whisk to combine. (Or you can stir it all together in a small bowl and add to your slow cooker.)
- Add onions, apricots and seared chicken thighs to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
- Serve chicken thighs and plenty of sauce over brown rice or whole wheat couscous.
Notes
Chicken Thighs - I highly recommend using chicken thighs and not substituting with breasts. I normally prefer chicken breasts myself, but the thighs here offer a greater depth of flavor and heartiness that’s needed to balance the light, sweet flavors of the dish. They also retain more flavor in the crockpot than breasts do, in my experience.
Apricots - We are using DRIED apricots, not fresh. They have a more concentrated flavor and hold up better to slow cooking. You can find them in the grocery store aisle with the raisins and other dried fruits.
Dijon Mustard - This adds to the tanginess that helps balance the sweetness from the apricots. I don't recommend subbing yellow mustard.
Chicken Broth - It adds some extra savory flavor, but water would work fine if you don't have any on hand.
Thyme - You can use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme or substitute 1 Tablespoon of fresh thyme.
Searing the chicken thighs in the pan first really helps seal in the flavor! I know it’s an extra step — and you know I like to take shortcuts and keep things simple — but please don't skip it.
Any apricots that are sticking out of the cooking liquid in the slow cooker may turn brown/black. They taste fine - not burnt - but you could also simply toss those pieces. There are plenty of apricots here!
Cooking temp: You can cook this on low or on high in the crock pot. Mine took about 6 hours on low and 3 hours 45 minutes on high, but slow cookers can vary so check your meat with a thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked through.
Save ALL of the juices! The sauce that gets made in the slow cooker is pure gold. You are going to want to drizzle it all over your plate - and you should!
Serving: You can serve this over steamed brown or white rice or with quinoa or couscous. You want something to help soak up those yummy juices!
Leftovers: Leftovers, once cooled, can be stored in a covered container for up to 4-5 days. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to 4-5 months. Be sure to store the chicken and apricots with plenty of the juices; they help to prevent the chicken from drying out when reheating.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 184mg | Sodium: 591mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g
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