Apricot Chicken

4.88 from 8 votes

Persian-style apricot chicken with bone-in chicken legs roasted in a homemade dried-apricot sauce. Saffron, warming spices, honey, and lemon give the sauce its fragrant, sweet-tart flavor. Serve with rice, couscous, or potatoes to catch the sauce.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Total Time1 15

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Persian

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose

Servings:

Calories: 355.1kcal

Author: Mersedeh Prewer

Ingredients

1 cup dried apricots, divided
1 pinch saffron threads, ground (or 1/8 teaspoon ground saffron)
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 bone-in, skin-on whole chicken legs (thigh and drumstick together)
Kosher salt
Black pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow or white onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 thumb-size piece of ginger, finely grated
1 red chili, finely diced
1/2 lemon, juiced, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon honey
Freshly chopped mint and parsley, for garnish

Instructions

Soak the apricots. Place 1/2 cup of the dried apricots in a bowl with 2 cups warm, but not boiling, water. Soak until plump, 10 to 15 minutes.
Bloom the saffron. Mix the ground saffron with 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Set aside to infuse the water with its flavor and color.
Mix the spices. In another small bowl, combine the turmeric, coriander, cumin, and cinnamon.
Blend the apricots. Blend the soaked apricots with all their soaking water until smooth. Set aside.
Season and sear the chicken. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper, then dust with half the spice blend. Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-safe 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil glistens, add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate while you make the sauce.
Make the apricot sauce. Add the onion to the same skillet and cook until golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, ginger, and chili, followed by the remaining spice blend. Slice the remaining 1/2 cup dried apricots and stir them into the skillet, then add the blended apricot mixture.
Finish the sauce. Add the lemon juice, honey, and bloomed saffron with its water. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce over medium heat for about 10 minutes, lowering the heat if needed to prevent burning. Taste and adjust with more salt, honey, or lemon juice as needed.
Heat the oven. While the sauce reduces, heat the oven to 400°F.
Roast the chicken. Place the chicken on top of the apricot sauce, skin side up, and spoon a little sauce over it. Roast uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is crisp. The thickest part of each leg should reach at least 165°F on a thermometer, without touching the bone.
Finish and serve. Sprinkle with freshly chopped mint and parsley. Serve with plenty of apricot sauce and the softened pieces of fruit.

Notes

Shop this recipe: Visit our shop for the olive oil, honey, and spices used in this dish.
Other chicken cuts: You can use thighs or drumsticks instead of whole legs. Boneless chicken cooks more quickly, so check it sooner and reduce the roasting time as needed.
Storage: Refrigerate the chicken and sauce promptly, within 2 hours of cooking, in an airtight container. Use within 3 days.
Reheating: Warm in the microwave or a moderate oven until the chicken reaches 165°F throughout. Cover with foil when reheating in the oven to keep the chicken from drying out.

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