Moroccan Chicken with Apricot Glaze

This chicken recipe is spicy in an aromatic way without having a lot of heat.  The Moroccan flavours are actually a little on the sweet side, which is further enhanced by the Apricot Glaze.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp Moroccan Spice Mix
• 3 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 small yellow onion, sliced
• 3-4 large carrots, cut in 1″ pieces
• 1 cup apricot jam
• 1 Tbsp butter

Preparation

1. Mix 2 Tbsp of spice mix and 3 Tbsp of olive oil together to form a paste.  Rub the paste all over chicken breasts so they are evenly coated.
2. Put carrot chunks and sliced onions in a large bowl and add in 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp spice mix.  Stir to coat well.
3. Put chicken breasts onto a parchment covered baking tray. Add carrots and onions to the tray and spread them out evenly around the chicken pieces. Bake at 375F for 25 minutes.
4. Warm the apricot jam and butter, stirring well.  Brush liberally over chicken breasts and cook for a further 5 minutes.  Chicken should read 165F when tested with a meat thermometer.
5. Serve with Fruity, Nutty Couscous.  Serves 4.

Tips

• I know for our family of four we only need 2 large chicken breasts to make everyone happy.  They get sliced up and divided for serving.  I still cook 4 breasts, though, and use the extra 2 for another meal later in the week.
• If you use bone-in chicken breasts, the chicken will need 40-45 minutes to cook. (The photo above actually shows this made with chicken thighs, which are also great for this meal.  I love thighs because they just never get dried out.  But they’re not on sale this week, and the breasts are, so there you have it.)
• If you want to make extra apricot glaze to drizzle over the carrots and onions, your family probably thank you, but it is not necessary.
• I usually serve this with a simple, extra side vegetable like steamed green beans, broccoli, or cauliflower because I like to have an extra veggie on the plate.
• For an extra authentic Moroccan ingredient and some extra protein, you can also add a can of drained, rinsed chickpeas in with the carrots and onions.  The chickpeas could even be a substitute for the meat if you want to make the dish vegetarian. If you substitute the butter in the glaze for a vegan spread, you can also make the dish vegan.