8chicken thighsskinless, boneless excess fat trimmed, See NOTES section below
1mediumred onionhalved, then sliced 1/4 inch thick into half-moons
4clovesgarlic finely chopped, pressed or zested
1tablespoonfresh cilantroleaves and tender stems, chopped
1tablespoonflat-leaf parsleyleaves and tender stems, chopped
1cupwater
2tablespoonshoney
3/4-1cupdried apricotsseparated and cut into halves
⅓cupsliced almondsraw and unsalted
Instructions
Place almonds on a parchment or foil-lined tray and toast nuts for 2 minutes at 350 degrees until browned. Set a timer and keep an eye on them to avoid burning!
Make the wet rub by stirring together ground cinnamon, ground ginger, turmeric, pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 2 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Add chicken and turn to coat well.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then brown the chicken on one side for 10-12 minutes. Turn pieces over and cook undisturbed for an additional 8-10 minutes. Total cooking time 18-22 minutes. Thighs can vary greatly in size and therefore cooking times will vary. To check for doneness, use an instant-read thermometer and check temp by placing thermometer in the middle of the largest piece of chicken. It should read 165 degrees. Transfer chicken to a large plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
While chicken cooks, bring honey, one cup water, cinnamon stick, and apricots to a full simmer in a medium-sized saucepan, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until apricots are very tender and liquid is reduced by half, approximately 10 to 15 minutes total. Remove cinnamon stick and set apricot sauce aside until ready to use.
Using the same pan the chicken was cooked in (no need to wipe out), add onion, garlic and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt to the pan and additional oil if needed. Cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, about 3-4 minutes. Then add apricot mixture, chopped cilantro and parsley. Stir and cook for one additional minute. Add chicken back to the pan and combine with the onions and apricots. Cook for another minute. Total cooking time 5-6 minutes.
Finish by sprinkling almonds on top. I like serving quinoa with this dish.
Notes
You can use a combination of chicken parts or use all breasts, thighs, or drumsticks. It's up to you. The timing for this recipe was based on using all boneless, skinless thighs. If using other chicken parts and/or with bone-in, skin-on, the timing will need to be adjusted. Use the instant-read thermometer to avoid over or under-cooking the chicken.Craving more sauce? Double the water, honey, cinnamon stick but keep the apricot quantity the same.Want more crunch? Combine some whole blanchded almonds or almond slivers with the sliced almonds.Experiment with adding prunes to the apricot/onion mixture.