Fancy Apricot Chicken: For Days When You Don't Know What To Cook For Dinner

Monday morning here on The Farm.  I have done the school bus run and am sitting down with my second cup of coffee for the morning contemplating the week to come.  Lots to do, so in typical fashion,  I have decided to blog first to put off looking at my "to do" list just yet.

OK - for today I am going to hit you with my all time favourite dinner to cook when I can't think of anything else.  Everyone eats it and the ingredients are easily available.  As a child of the seventies I think you can't go past Apricot Chicken as a "go to" recipe.

Now I have two versions - the basic one and the fancy one.  The basic one is ridiculously simple - mix a tin of Apricot Nectar with a packet of French Onion soup in a jug.  Put chicken pieces in a dish, pour mixture over and bake until done.  It's easy, it works and that many Mums from the 1970s can't be wrong....

However so you don't think I am a complete slack tart I am going to explain the fancy, schmancy gourmet Apricot Chicken recipe I have come up with. (I never thought I would see the words gourmet and Apricot Chicken in one sentence in my lifetime, let alone a sentence written by me!)

Here it is - Fancy Apricot Chicken


Ingredients

• skinless chicken thighs (about 800g)
• a tin of Apricot Nectar
• packet of French Onion soup
• handful of dried apricots
• one biggish leek (can use an onion if leekless)

Ingredients

Chop the leek and roughly chop the dried apricots.  In a casserole dish which can also go on the stove top (use a frypan and tip the contents into a casserole later if you don't have one) fry your leeks in a little oil.  Then add the chicken and brown it a little (I don't chop the chicken up - thighs seem to be the perfect size for this just as they are).  Also throw in the dried apricots.

Chopping

Frying

In a jug mix up the nectar and the soup mix.  Pour this mix over the browned chicken and softened leek.  Put the whole lot in a moderate oven for about 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked.  You may have to stir it a few times as it cooks.

Pouring

I serve this in lots of ways.  Over rice, noodles or with vegies and mashed potatoes.  I have even used it as a filling for pies....

It is super easy and really yummy.  

The Finished Product

OK - no more procrastination.  I am off to put more hay in the chooks laying boxes because this is the first job on my list.  Living on the edge in the country here people!!