Name: Apricot-Glazed Chicken Breasts
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: 1 (10- to 12-ounce) jar apricot preserves; 1/2 cup orange juice; 3 tablespoons lemon juice; 1/4 cup quartered dried apricots; 4 split bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts; 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Why This Recipe Works

For our Apricot-Glazed Chicken Breasts recipe, we use bone-in, split chicken breasts for the best flavor and moistest texture. Browning the chicken on the stove in a skillet ensured that the skin crisped and also improved the flavor of the chicken. The fond—browned bits of chicken that stuck to the skillet—added valuable flavor to the sauce. Most recipes rely solely on apricot preserves thinned with orange juice, but we found the flavor of this approach lacking. We developed a much richer tasting sauce by adding dried apricots and tart lemon juice.

Before You Begin

To make sure that the chicken cooks evenly, buy large, split chicken breasts that are similar in size--about 12 ounces apiece. Stovetops vary, so check the chicken after about 6 minutes to make sure it isn't browning too quickly.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk apricot preserves, orange juice, lemon juice, apricots, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper together in medium bowl. Season both sides of chicken breasts with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place chicken breasts, skin side down, in skillet, and cook until well browned and most fat has rendered, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn chicken and lightly brown on second side, 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Transfer chicken to medium baking dish and set aside. Discard fat in skillet and add apricot mixture. Simmer vigorously over high heat, stirring constantly, until thick and syrupy, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour glaze over chicken and turn chicken skin side down.

Bake, turning chicken skin side up halfway through cooking, until thickest part of breast registers 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 12 to 16 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter and let rest 5 minutes. Meanwhile, transfer glaze remaining in baking dish to small bowl. Serve chicken, passing extra glaze separately.