.apricot balsamic chicken.

Tonight I had planned to make lemon chicken, but remembered I used up my lemon the other day making blueberry crisp (recipe to come). So I had to think up Plan B and thought I would try out a new recipe. I have to say I was a little skeptical. I didn't think there would be a lot of flavor or that apricot and balsamic would go well together. I really couldn't have been more wrong. It was awesome!



The sweetness and slight tartness mixed with the bold acidic flavor of the balsamic matched very very well. Then throw in some crushed pepper flakes and rosemary? Oh momma. It wasn't hot and the kick was exactly what made this so delicious.



This chicken doesn't take horribly long to make either. The sauce is made in a matter of minutes. No marinating needed. Just grill up your chicken and when it's about done, start slathering with the sauce to caramelize.



Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat.



Once melted, add 1/2 cup apricot preserves. I used Polaner because it doesn't contain corn syrup - which the recipe recommends.



Add 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar.



1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes



1/2 tsp rosemary leaves



And a generous pinch of sea salt.



Lower the heat to medium low and let this cook on the stovetop until it gets a little thick.



Remove from the pan and pour into a dish to let cool. Bring to room temperature. This can be made days in advance and held in the fridge. When you're ready to use it, just put it in the microwave for a minute to loosen it up a little.



Take your chicken pieces and season both sides with salt and pepper. I used thighs only because we like dark meat. You can use whatever you want.

Put the chicken on a heated bbq grill. Make sure the heat is on low so you don't burn the chicken on the outside and it still be raw on the inside.



When the chicken is cooked (touch the center and if it's still spongy it's not cooked! It needs to be a little firm.) brush on the glaze.

Turn and glaze the other side. Do this until you've used up all of your sauce and the chicken is nice and caramelized. Pull from the grill.
Serve with rice and veggies.


Printable version:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dg2vfjqm_80czkfc4c3