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Apricot Chicken

Overhead photo of apricot chicken stir fry with bell peppers, onions, and pineapple chunks.
Spice up boring and bland family dinners with this easy Apricot Chicken recipe featuring chicken breasts stir-fried with onions, peppers, and pineapples in a sticky apricot preserve sauce. Made in one pan and ready in 30 minutes or less, this sweet and sticky chicken apricots is a delicious and hassle-free solution for busy weeknights!
Author: Cheyanne Holzworth
Total Time: 30 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
0 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

Equipment

  • 1 2-Cup Liquid Measure OR Small Mixing Bowl (for making apricot sauce)
  • 1 Wok or Large Skillet (for cooking chicken apricot)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Apricot Preserves
  • 2 TBS Light Brown Sugar - packed
  • 2 TBS Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
  • 2 TBS Rice Vinegar
  • 1 tsp Sriracha – or more to taste (can substitute crushed red pepper flakes)
  • 1 ½ pound Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – cut into 1’’ pieces
  • To Taste Kosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper
  • 3 TBS Neutral Oil – DIVIDED; or more as needed (vegetable or canola)
  • 1 large Yellow Onion – cut into 1’’ pieces
  • 2 medium Red Bell Peppers – cut into 1’’ pieces
  • 2 large Jalapeno – seeds and ribs partially removed or fully for a less spicy dish
  • 3 large Cloves Garlic – minced
  • 1 heaping tsp Fresh Ginger – grated
  • 1 (8 ounce) Can Pineapple Chunks - drained
  • Optional Garnishes: Sliced Jalapeños, Sriracha, Sesame Seeds, Chopped Cilantro, Sliced Scallions, Diced Avocado, Shredded Carrots, Chopped Cashews
  • Serving Suggestions: Rice, Grains, or Asian Noodles

Instructions

  • Make the Apricot Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together apricot preserves, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and sriracha. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.
  • Season Chicken Breasts: Place the chicken breast pieces on a clean work surface and then generously season all sides with salt and pepper.
  • Cook Chicken: Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil, swirling to coat. Working in TWO BATCHES, add half the chicken to the hot skillet. Cook the chicken, stirring, occasionally, until golden until golden and ALMOST cooked through, about 4-5 minutes total. Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken to plate and set it aside. Repeat the process, adding more oil if necessary, and cook the remaining chicken pieces. When almost cooked through, remove them to the plate.
  • Cook veggies: In the same pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil. Once shimmering, and add the onions, bell peppers, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook the veggies, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Then, add in the jalapeno and cook for an additional minute. Next, add the garlic and ginger to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Simmer Chicken in Apricot Sauce: Add the chicken and prepared apricot sauce to the pan and toss to combine. Next, add the pineapple and stir to combine. Reduce heat to maintain a rapid simmer and cook the apricot chicken for 2-3 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (165-degrees F) and sauce is thickened to your liking. Remove the pan from the heat and taste the chicken apricot before adjusting for seasoning with salt and pepper.
  • Serve Immediately: Serve sticky apricot chicken over rice, grains, Asian noodles, or veggies and garnish with sliced jalapeños, sesame seeds, and fresh herbs if using. Enjoy Immediately.

Notes

  1. Chicken Breast: You can substitute the chicken breast with boneless skinless chicken thighs.  Just make sure you cook the chicken in step 3 until it is golden brown and almost cooked through.
  2. Heat level: If you aren't a fan of spicy food, choose jalapeños that are smooth with zero white lines.  The smoother a jalapeño, the younger and more mild it is.  Also, make sure you completely seed and fully remove the ribs from the jalapeños as that is the source of the heat.  As well, omit the sriracha from the apricot sauce.
  3. Mise en place: Once you start cooking, this stir-fry recipe goes really quickly, so make sure you have everything prepped and ready to go before you start cooking!
Nutritional information is an approximation based upon 6 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.

Nutrition

Calories: 238kcal    Carbohydrates: 11g    Protein: 25g    Fat: 9g    Saturated Fat: 6g    Cholesterol: 72mg    Sodium: 335mg    Potassium: 566mg    Fiber: 1g    Sugar: 7g    Vitamin A: 1325IU    Vitamin C: 60.6mg    Calcium: 20mg    Iron: 0.8mg
Course: entree
Cuisine: Asian