Sweet & Tangy Chicken
I'm a huge fan of chicken. Not only is it generally easy to prepare, but also I believe it can be changed to suit any mood you're in; asian (sweet and spicy), italian (garlic, herbs, parm cheese), cajun (chili powders, peppers), french (cordon bleu, mushrooms, wine), etc. etc. you get my drift. This recipe, however, defies any sort of label or boundaries I've ever encountered in my limited cooking experience and that got my attention. With each ingredient on the list, your expression might grow bewildered but the product, the most delicious finger licking good sauce with the tender cut of chicken thigh (my new obsession for some reason), was BEYOND any of my expectations and I will continue to make this routinely from now on in order to satisfy the constant craving for this dish that now exists in the back of my brain, taunting me with sweet sweet memories of the last time we met. The best part... it's REALLY EASY. No lie. There are barely enough photos for me to put up in order to warrant a whole post, there are that few of steps, but it's that good. So read on and enjoy.
The ingredients:
4 chicken thighs, bone in (I like, no love, the skin...but that's personal preference)
1 package of dry onion soup mix
8oz of Russian dressing
1 small jar or 8-10oz of apricot preserves (sub. orange marmalade or peach preserves)
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| That's it... all the ingredients fit easily in this one pic |
First, salt and pepper the chicken thighs in a baking dish/pan. Mix the Russian dressing, onion soup mix, and apricot preserves together. Pour over chicken so that all is covered with the sauce.
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| Prepare to smother.... |
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| Ready for the oven! In the oven, at 400° for 1 hr and 15 min (depending on your oven, best bet is a meat thermomter. Internal temp should be 165°) One good thing to remember: baste the chicken a few times during cooking by spooning the sauce over the chicken. The way the sauce cooks with the fattiness of the thigh skin/meat creates a sticky yet pourable sauce. So it comes out like a glaze...yum! |
....annnnd this is where the "finger-lickin'" comes in.
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| That's it! Enjoy! I served it over just plain rice, with steamed veggies as a side. It's the perfect easy and quick weekday meal. I hope that you get to utilize it, because once you do you'll have it as a staple forever! |
