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I make no joke when I say THREE ingredients.
This chicken, this magic chicken, is everything. It’s the perfect, go-to meal for a busy weeknight, or maybe even better for a night when friends are coming over, but as of yet, nothing is planned for dinner. Yep, this would be your meal!
Simple as that.
In full disclosure, I did not include the cauliflower rice in the 3 ingredients with the chicken. You can make the rice if you please… and you really should because it’s delicious, AND it completes the meal in a healthy way, but the chicken is what this post is all about.
The recipe comes from my grandma who got the recipe from her sweet neighbor (hi Mrs. Gonzalez). My grandma is the queen of making simple yet delicious meals that everyone loves. I first had this chicken around this time last year when my family traveled to Florida for Spring Break and Easter. Nonnie served it the first night we arrived, and well, between my dad, my mom, Kai, Asher, my Nonnie and Grandpa, and me, the entire meal was devoured. Even my picky-eating, no chicken thighs please, mother loved this recipe. It’s all about the sauce, it’s a combo I would have never thought up, but man it is so good.
So you ready? The magic three ingredients? Fair warning they are kind of weird, but like I said, SO GOOD.
….skin on chicken thighs (you can use chicken breasts as well)
….apricot preserves (try really hard to find a high quality brand without any corn syrup or other weird ingredients)
…Russian dressing (I made a healthier homemade version, but store-bought is what my grandma uses!)
I know, kind of odd…totally DELISH though.
When Nonnie served this, she had steamed white rice, corn on the cob and bread. I am going the slightly healthier route with my cauliflower rice, but um guys, I promise I will SO not be offended if you just make a pot of rice and call it a day. Nothing beats real deal steamed rice.
However, if you’re willing to branch out a bit, I highly recommend the Cauliflower Rice. I made mine with some coconut milk and then tossed in roasted cashews… healthy and yummy!
Whatever you do, just give this 3 Ingredient Apricot Chicken a try. Honestly, it’s SOOOO good. I can’t figure out if it’s more of an Asian flavor or an Indian flavor or maybe even a Russian flavor, but I really don’t care. All I care is that it’s completely amazing and the EASIEST thing ever to make. Like add your three ingredients to a Pyrex pan and bake.
DONE AND DONE.
Oh, and really quick, thank you so much for you kind words on yesterday’s post. I am thrilled you guys are so excited about the Better Homes and Gardens Blogger Awards, THANK YOU!
Now, let’s all celebrate with a little feast and an easy + pretty, healthy Wednesday dinner.
Sweet and Sticky 3 Ingredient Apricot Chicken with Cauliflower Rice.
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 708 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 6-8 skin on chicken thighs or 4 breasts
- 1 (13 ounce) jar high quality apricot preserves*
- 2 cups store bought or homemade Russian Dressing see my healthy recipe below
Cashew Cauliflower Rice
- 2 tablespoons coconut or olive oil
- 1 large or 2 small heads cauliflower finely grated*
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- salt + pepper
- 1/3 cup canned coconut milk
- 1/2 cup roasted cashews roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Lightly grease a 9x13 inch pyrex pan. Add the chicken. In a medium bowl, mix together the apricot preserves and Russian Dressing. Pour over the chicken.
- Bake for 30-40, minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. The time will depend on the size of your chicken pieces. If the tops of the chicken are getting too browned, cover the pan with foil halfway through cooking. Serve the chicken along side the cauliflower rice (recipe below). Spoon the sauce left in the pan, over the chicken. EAT.
Cauliflower Rice
- Heat a large, high sided skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Add the cauliflower and season with cumin, salt and pepper. Cook for 2 more minutes. Stir in the coconut milk. Cook until the cauliflower is tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat, then add the cashews and cilantro.
Notes
*Try to buy apricot preserves without any corn syrup, loads of sugar or other added ingredients that you cannot pronounce. Ideally there should only be apricots and a little sugar. *You can either finely chop the cauliflower or run the heads through a blender or food processor. For the best consistency, I like to blend 3/4 of the cauliflower in the blender and then finely chop the remainder for a little texture.
Healthy Red Russian Dressing.
Servings: 2 Cups
Calories Per Serving: 144 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup plain full-fat or 2% greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup organic ketchup
- 1/4 cup pickle brine/juice the juice from the pickle jar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley + dill
- salt + pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl or glass jar and whisk to combine. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Keep stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Yes lets… and then maybe even help ourselves to another plate…or two. 🙂
P.S. Don’t forget, you can vote once a day through March 7th for your favorite food blogger!! Just click on the badge above to link you to the Better Homes & Gardens site to vote! THANK YOU for all your continuous support! 
I can’t quite rate this yet, it looks delicious – saw it in your cookbook borrowed from the library and went later to website. Wondering if the pickle juice for the Russian dressing is dill or bread and butter pickle??
Hey Cass,
I like to use dill pickle juice. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope this turns out well for you! xx
I did use dill pickle juice for the Russian dressing as decided with the apricot preserves we didn’t need it sweeter. The chicken was moist and delicious. Thank you!
Hey Cass,
Fantastic!! Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe out, I’m thrilled to hear that it turned out well for you:)
I also made the recipe in your cookbook. It was super easy and great for a weeknight meal! The broccoli is a good add and I always add more veggies. I used a higher end thousand island dressing and liked the combo of that with the apricot preserves and red pepper flakes for a little ‘kick’. Used plain rice. Very good. Thank you!
Hey JoAnn,
Happy Wednesday!❄️ I appreciate you making this recipe and I’m so glad it turned out well for you! xT
Hi
I made Nonnie’s Sticky Apricot Chicken from your book. Followed instructions to the “T” and it actually turned out pretty bland. The thighs were so pale and there was so much liquid on that baking dish. Didn’t use the cast iron since you also give the option of a baking dish. Anyhow, i should have follow my instinct and fry the things for a bit so they can get a bit crispier and some color and then add the sauce when putting them in the oven. I love your recipes but this one was a no no for me. Didn’t like the taste nor the smell of the salad dressing combination with the apricot.
Hi there,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed! xx
Hi Tieghan,
I want to make this tomorrow night. How does this compare to Nonnie’s Apricot Chicken in your cookbook? That recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken and this one seems to call for skin on chicken thighs or breasts. Which would be best to ensure a crispy chicken? Can I do bone in, skin-on breasts? Will they crisp up on top? Hope you can help! ~Lexi
Hey Lexi,
The skin will definitely create a crispier crust for you, but both recipes are pretty yummy! Let me know which one you try! xx
Hey Tieghan!
I made Nonnie’s, with the chicken breast 😊. It came out delicious.! I never thought the Thousand Island and the apricot would go so well but it did. The red pepper flakes added the right amount of heat. I made it for my inlaws with buttery soft rice on the side. I also fried up some bok choy because I had it. It was really yummy. Thanks Tieghan (and Nonnie!)
Hey Lexi,
Happy Monday!! I appreciate you giving the recipe a try and sharing your review, so glad to hear it turned out well! xT
Yet another family dinner delight! I had spaghetti squash so I used it in place of cauliflower and all the flavors were fantastic! I’ll try cauliflower next time. Your recipes are so reliably great! And it is so worth the effort to make the Russian dressing! This recipe makes chicken thighs feel a little special!
Hey Elaine,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and your comment, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT
Tieghan – Happy New Year!
This is one of my favorite go-to HBH recipes and I want to make for New Year’s Day dinner this evening. I’m wondering about making in our air fryer to get browner, crispier on the outside. Do you experiment with an fryer on your recipes?
Melissa Goodwin @SixthSenseStyling
Hey Melissa,
I’ve not tested this recipe in the air fryer, but I’m sure it would work well for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Simple and delicious, love the flavors. I served it with coconut rice
Hi Therese,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! xx
Thanks for this great recipe. The cauliflower rice is a taste sensation with the fresh cilantro, coconut milk, and toasted cashews that add a nice crunch. The chicken has a perfect blend of sweetness verse spice. My Family loved it, and it will be added to our dinner menu again soon.
Hey Darren,
I really appreciate you giving this dish a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Hope you’re having a great Wednesday! xT
Hi, made your apricot chicken recipe(with plain rice) and it turned out so good! My family loved it and it was super quick and easy to make. I have leftover sauce so will be making it again for dinner tonight.
Hey Shazray,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed it! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I don’t like cauliflower rice….update…I like THIS cauliflower rice! This dish was delicious!!!! I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s leftovers!!!
Hey Robin,
Amazing!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so excited it was enjoyed! Hope you’re having a great weekend! xx
My mom added a package of onion soup mix! So good! Thanks for including a Russian dressing recipe, it’s actually hard to find now.
Thank you Lisa! xTieghan
Looked really good, figured it was worth a try. I thought this was just ok…will not make again, sorry. Lots of calories for something I did not love.
Hi! I am really sorry about that. If there is anything I can help with, please let me know! Otherwise, I hope you enjoy some other recipes of mine! xTieghan
Thank you for making our dinners delicious! So easy and tasty. Love the homemade dressing. Fantastic!
As always, Thank you!
Cheryl
Aw you’re too kind! I am so happy to hear that you have been enjoying my recipes, Cheryl! Thank you and I hope you continue to! xTieghan
I’m having a HBH week of dinner recipes and this didn’t disappoint. Even my “I don’t like to eat meat” 20 month old gobbled it up. Her love of cashews really took over. For my small family of 3, I just did the 5 boneless skinless thighs I had in the freezer so I did two tablespoons per thigh then did a little bit more and spread it all around. That left enough dressing for me to freeze for another time! My sauce didn’t get sticky in the oven either so I poured it into a skillet and brought it to a bowl to reduce and thicken a bit and in a few minutes I had what I think she is describing. Just in case anyone ends up in the same boat! I seriously can’t wait to eat this again. And the frozen cauliflower rice from Trader Joe’s worked out great. Made for a super fast meal. Their apricot preserves are basically what she describes too! Not many ingredients and no corn syrup or things I don’t know what they are.
Wow that is so amazing that you all enjoyed this recipe Andrea! Thank you so much! xTieghan
Delicious. I used my homemade apricot jam and the homemade Russian dressing.
YUM! Thank you for trying this, Lisa! I am so glad you loved this! xTieghan
I wish there were a way to separate the “comments” from those who like the looks of the recipe from “reviews” by people who have made the recipe. Any chance that can be done?
And now for a question – other than not crisping up, is there any reason I can’t use boneless thighs? That’s all I have in the freezer right now
Thanks
Hey Janis, That is a really great suggestion, thank you! I will look into getting something like this added. To answer your question, yes you can use boneless thighs. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan