Apricot Chicken

Easy coconut rice topped with saucy shredded Apricot Chicken. This healthy and delicious dinner can be ready in 30 minutes or less!

3 Reason We Love This Apricot Chicken Recipe

1. Healthy Choices: This recipe uses good-for-you ingredients like olive oil and less sugar, making it a great choice for a healthy weeknight dinner. (Save this indulgent Creamy Sausage Pasta for one of those nights you’re craving comfort;)
2. Tasty and Fresh: It’s full of delicious flavors from the apricot sauce, and the cucumber salad and avocado add a nice, fresh touch.
3. Easy Chicken Options: You can grill the chicken or use a rotisserie chicken, making this apricot chicken simple and versatile to cook.

Ingredients In Apricot Chicken

For the Chicken:

1. Chicken Breasts or Prepared Rotisserie Chicken: The main protein of the dish.
2. Olive Oil: Used for grilling the apricot chicken.
3. Garlic and Ginger: Combined to enhance the flavor of the chicken sauce.
4. Apricot Preserves: The key ingredient for the chicken’s sweet sauce. Slather extras over a fresh slice of Honey Whole Wheat Bread.
5. Rice Wine Vinegar and Lite Soy Sauce: Combined to add tanginess and umami flavor to the chicken’s sauce.
6. Cornstarch and Water/Broth: To thicken the chicken’s sauce.
7. Sugar: For a slight sweetness in the chicken’s sauce.

For the Coconut Rice:

1. Basmati Rice: The base grain for the apricot chicken.
2. Lite Coconut Milk: Used to cook the rice for a creamy, coconut flavor.
3. Salt: To season the rice.

How To Make Apricot Chicken

1. Cook Rice: Simmer basmati rice in lite coconut milk and salt until absorbed; let it stand covered.
2. Grill/Shred Chicken: Grill seasoned chicken breasts or shred rotisserie chicken.
3. Prepare Sauce: Sauté garlic and ginger, add apricot preserves, soy sauce, vinegar, and thicken with cornstarch mix.
4. Combine Chicken and Sauce: Mix the chicken with the prepared sauce.
5. Cucumber Salad: Toss sliced cucumbers in olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
6. Assemble: Top coconut rice with sauced apricot chicken, cucumber salad, and avocado slices.

Chicken Cooking Options

• Rotisserie Option: This is your fastest option: Buy plain seasoned rotisserie chicken, shred for use.
• Use Meat Thermometer: Aim for 160°F, allowing carryover heat to reach 165°F. Avoid undercooking or overcooking.
• Grill: Season chicken with olive oil, salt, pepper. Grill at 450°F for 4-5 minutes each side until 165°F. Slice or shred your apricot chicken.
• Bake: At 425°F on parchment-lined sheet for 18 minutes, flipping halfway. Rest covered for 5-10 minutes. Slice or shred.
• Sauté: In oiled pan, cook chicken 4-6 minutes each side. Rest covered for 5-10 minutes. Slice or shred.

More Easy Chicken Dinners

• Avocado Chicken Salad
• Honey Lime Chicken
• Chicken Ramen
• Chicken Stir Fry
• Coconut Curry Chicken

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Apricot Chicken

5 from 4 votes

- Review this recipe

Easy coconut rice topped with saucy shredded Apricot Chicken. This healthy and delicious dinner can be ready in 30 minutes or less!

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

Apricot Chicken

5 from 4 votes

- Review this recipe

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

Easy coconut rice topped with saucy shredded Apricot Chicken. This healthy and delicious dinner can be ready in 30 minutes or less!

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, Healthy

Keyword apricot chicken

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 2 servings

Chelsea Lords

Calories 520kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $6.29

Ingredients

• ▢ 3/4 cup basmati rice
• ▢ 1 can (13.5 ounces) LITE coconut milk
• ▢ Fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
• ▢ 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or 1 and 1/2 cups prepared rotisserie chicken (Note 1)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• ▢ 1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic (~3 cloves)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon freshly minced ginger (~1 inch piece)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons apricot preserves
• ▢ 4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, divided
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lite soy sauce
• ▢ 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (add to heat preference)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1/2 cup water (or chicken broth/stock)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon white sugar
• ▢ 2 Persian cucumbers (or sub 1 English cucumber)
• ▢ 1 large ripe avocado

US - Metric

USMetric

Instructions

• RICE: In a small pot combine rice, coconut milk, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until milk is fully absorbed, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and let the rice stand (still covered) for 10 minutes or until everything else is ready to eat. Fluff rice with a fork.
• CUCUMBERS: Meanwhile, slice cucumbers into 1/4-inch thick slices. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar (reserve rest for later), 1 tablespoon olive oil (reserve rest for later), salt and pepper (I use 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper). Add cucumbers and toss to coat; set aside. Toss again before serving.
• CHICKEN: See Note 1; if using rotisserie chicken, simply shred or cut the chicken off the bones. If grilling, preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (about 400-450 degrees F.) Generously oil the grill (I drench a roll-up paper towel in vegetable oil and, holding it with tongs, rub it over the grill grates). Halve the chicken breast(s) horizontally and pound the pieces to even thickness (you don't need the chicken super flat, just even thickness so it will cook evenly). Drizzle each side generously with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Flip pieces over and repeat -- oil, salt, pepper, seasoning. Place the prepared chicken on the grill. Cook for 8-10 minutes, flipping once halfway through, or until chicken juices run clear and internal temperature is at 160 to 165 degrees F. (160 degrees will carry over heat to get to 165 degrees F). Tent chicken with foil and let stand for 5-10 minutes. Thinly slice or shred.
• SAUCE: Heat remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. When oil is shimmering, add ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes (add flakes to heat preference). Sauté, stirring, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add apricot preserves, soy sauce, and remaining 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon rice vinegar. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium and cook until reduced by half, about 2-3 minutes. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1/2 cup water until smooth. Gradually add the cornstarch mixture to the pan while whisking constantly. Cook, continuing to whisk, until sauce has thickened, about 2 more minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in salt and pepper to taste (I add in 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Add sugar if desired. Toss shredded/thinly sliced chicken in sauce until well coated.
• ASSEMBLE: Divide coconut rice between plates or bowls. Top with sauced chicken, then cucumbers, and lastly avocado (remove skin and pit and very slice thinly or dice). Drizzle over any remaining apricot sauce from pan. Enjoy while hot!

Recipe Notes

Note 1: There are a few ways to prepare the chicken for this meal. I highly recommend using a rotisserie chicken or grilling the chicken for best flavor, but see blogpost for how to saute or bake the chicken for this meal.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 42.1g | Protein: 6.2g | Fat: 38.6g | Cholesterol: 3.1mg | Sodium: 91.1mg | Fiber: 0.8g | Sugar: 10.6g

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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