ROAST CHICKEN with APRICOT HABANERO GLAZE ~ BLOG 366.361

ROAST CHICKEN with APRICOT HABANERO GLAZE Adapted from Adventures in Cooking

APRICOT HABANERO GLAZE
2 tablespoons apricot habanero jam
2 tablespoons avocado oil
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste

  • Mix together all of the ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
  • et aside.

CHICKEN
1/4 cup apricot habanero jam
3 tablespoons avocado oil
1 tablespoon FRESH thyme leaves
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 pound apricots halved and pitted
1 large Vidalia onion, sliced
3-5 pound roasting chicken
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 cups water

  • Preheat the oven to 425°.
  • Adjust rack to lowest position.
  • Mix together the apricot habanero jam, avocado oil, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
  • Place the apricot halves and sliced onion in a roasting pan and toss with the jam mixture until coated.
  • Spread the onion slices out so that they make a layer on the bottom of the pan and arrange the apricot halves around the edge of the pan.
  • 
Generously rub the outside and inside of the chicken with the apricot habanero glaze, gently edging your hands underneath the skin of the chicken breast to get the mixture underneath the skin as well.
  • Place in the center of the pan.

  • Stuff the cavity with the sprig of rosemary and tie the legs together using a piece of cooking twine.
  • Pour the 2 cups of water into the pan around the chicken.
  • Tent the pan with tin foil, ensuring that it is secured and closed on all four sides, but poke a small 1 inch hole in it to allow excess steam to escape.
  • Make sure the tent does not touch the actual skin of the bird! This step is VERY important, because if you do not tent the bird with tin foil, it will brown too quickly because of the high sugar content of the glaze, and while the inside of the bird will still be moist and tasty, the outside will look *quite* crispy.

  • Roast for 1 hour, basting halfway through.
  • At the 40-minute mark, remove the tin foil, reduce the oven temperature to 375 and cook another 15 minutes or so until the thigh joint measures 165°.
  • Remove from the oven and allow the juices to cool for 15 minutes before serving so that the chicken retains more moisture. If you carve it right away the juices will drain out of the meat too rapidly.
  • Enjoy!


BAKED APRICOT PINEAPPLE GINGER SALMON

BAKED APRICOT GINGER SALMON serves 4

4 – 6 ounce salmon fillets
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon avocado oil

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat.
  • Generously season fillets with FRESH ground salt and pepper.
  • Add fillets to skillet skin side up searing for 3-4 minutes depending on thickness.
  • Flip fillets over and cook 3-4 minutes more to get a crisp skin.
  • Pour sauce over fillets and place uncovered in the oven for 4-6 minutes until cooked through.
  • Remove from oven, foil tent and let stand 2 minutes.
  • Serve with rice pilaf and a fresh veggie.

APRICOT PINEAPPLE GINGER SAUCE
1/4 cup avocado oil
2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
2 tablespoons apricot pineapple preserves
1 tablespoon QUALITY honey
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon ground ginger or 1 tablespoon FRESH minced
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained

  • Blend preserves, vinegar, honey, ginger, salt and pepper in a mini food processor.
  • Add pineapple.
  • Add oil and blend JUST until emulsified. It will refrigerate in an air tight container for a week, but it never lasts that long around here.

BBQ APRICOT PINEAPPLE CHICKEN

BBQ APRICOT PINEAPPLE  CHICKEN adapted from Carrie at Northwoods Scrapbook

BBQ SAUCE
Avocado oil
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion (1 small onion)
1 tablespoon minced Fresno chile, seeds removed (1 chile)
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
13 ounce jar apricot-pineapple jam
1/2 cup fresh orange juice (1 large orange)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup jalapeño ketchup
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

  • Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
  • Add the onions and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Add the chile and garlic; cook an additional 2 minutes.
  • Stir in the jam; cooking until the jam melts, 3 to 4 minutes more.
  • Add the orange juice and cider vinegar, bring to a simmer.
  • Add the ketchup, honey and Worcestershire.
  • Adjust the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, 10-15 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
  • Transfer the sauce to a blender and puree until smooth.
  • Add salt to taste.
  • Remove 1 cup for basting the chicken; reserve the rest for serving.

CHICKEN
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon each FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
16 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Avocado oil
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

  • Preheat the oven to 375°.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
  • Pat dry chicken breasts.
  • Coat chicken breasts on both sides with avocado oil.
  • Generously sprinkle both sides with seasoning mix.
  • Place the chicken thighs on two foil-lined baking sheets.
  • Bake until the chicken is cooked through, 35 minutes.
  • Turn the oven to broil.
  • Generously baste the chicken pieces with BBQ sauce and broil until the sauce has caramelized and chicken is cooked through.
  • Remove to a platter, let rest for 5 minutes
  • Sprinkle the chicken with parsley.
  • Serve with the reserved BBQ sauce.

PAN SEARED CHICKEN BREAST with APRICOT RUM GLAZE

PAN SEARED CHICKEN BREAST with APRICOT RUM GLAZE
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons butter
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons rum
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup apricot pineapple jam
8-12 dried apricots, finely sliced
salt and pepper to taste

  • Melt butter in a large skillet.
  • Salt and pepper both sides of chicken pieces.
  • Brown chicken, turning once, until cooked through – about 4-5 minutes per side.
  • Remove from skillet and keep warm.
  • Reduce heat and add onion, sauteing until tender.
  • Add apricots, rum, wine, lemon juice and vinegar, simmering until reduced by half.
  • Add jam, blend well and simmer to desired consistency.
  • Serve over chicken and white rice with fresh kiwi.