Chicken Thighs With Fennel And Dried Apricots Recipes

CHICKEN WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Combine apricots in a bowl with vinegar, wine and 1/4 cup water. Let soak while you brown the chicken.
• Turn the heat to medium high under a 12-inch nonstick skillet, and add chicken pieces, skin side down. Cook, rotating but not turning pieces so they brown evenly. When they are nicely browned - take your time - turn them so they are skin side up. Make a little space to add the onion, and cook, stirring the onion occasionally until it has softened a bit, a minute or two.
• Add apricot mixture and bring to a boil; cook for a minute, then turn heat to low and cover. Cook until chicken is done, 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover, raise heat and season chicken well with salt and pepper. Boil away any excess liquid; sauce should not be too watery. Serve with white rice or any other cooked grain, or bread.

APRICOT CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Combine all but chicken and dried apricots.
• Mix well, set aside.
• Trim excess fat from chicken.
• Rinse chicken with cold water, pat dry.
• Place chicken in a 12 x 8 x 2" baking dish.
• Pour reserved apricot nectar mixture over chicken.
• Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
• Uncover, and place aproicot halves in apricot nectar mixture.
• Continue baking, uncovered, 15 minutes or until chicken is tender.
• Remove chicken to a warmed serving platter, discarding apricot nectar mixture.
• Garnish each thigh with 2 apricot halves.
• Serve immediately.

CHICKEN THIGHS WITH OLIVES AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the chicken and cook until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side; remove to a plate.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the fennel chunks, leeks and garlic; season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon coriander, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to wilt and brown, about 3 minutes. Add the olives and lemon slices and cook until the lemons brown around the edges, about 2 minutes.
• Return the chicken to the skillet and add the chicken broth. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Uncover and increase the heat to medium high; bring to a boil and cook until the sauce is reduced, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the fennel fronds. Top each serving with parsley.

CHICKEN THIGHS WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Sprinkle chicken with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup of Nectar, 2 Tablespoons of preserves, 2 Tablespoons mint, 1 Tablespoon of oil, vinegar, curry powder and garlic. Pour over chicken; seal bag. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
• Using a gas grill, preheat grill, reduce heat to minimum, place chicken on grill. Grill, covered, 12 to 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (180 degrees F), turning once halfway through grilling. Add apricots to grill, cut side down, during last 5 minutes of grilling or until lightly browned.
• For sauce: In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup apricot nectar, 4 Tablespoons preserves, 2 Tablespoons mint, 1 teaspoon olive oil, the green onions, 3 Tablespoons pistachios, the mustard, mustard seeds and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Drizzle sauce over chicken and apricots. Sprinkle with remaining nuts.

BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH CARAMELIZED FENNEL

Steps:

• Trim fennel bulbs, and set aside fronds. In a blender or food processor, pulse about 1/2 cup fronds, garlic, lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon salt until finely chopped. Add 1/3 cup oil and purée.
• Halve fennel bulbs lengthwise. Slice thinly with a mandoline or very sharp knife.
• Season chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Brown chicken until skin is crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate, leaving drippings in pan.
• Stir fennel seeds into skillet and cook for 30 seconds. Add sliced fennel and onion, seasoning with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cook, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes. Add Pernod and scrape up any browned bits in the bottom of the skillet; cook until liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute.
• Lay chicken on top of the fennel-onion mixture. Pour 3 tablespoons water into the pan. Cover skillet and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until chicken is just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Uncover and cook off any excess liquid if necessary. Stir in lemon juice.
• Serve chicken and vegetables topped with generous dollops of the fennel frond purée.

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN WITH DRIED APRICOTS & PRUNES

Steps:

• Combine all above ingredients (****EXCEPT brown sugar & white wine) into marinade. Place chicken in a zip lock bag or a baking dish that can be tightly sealed. Cover the chicken with marinade. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight if possible.
• One hour before baking: Time to arrange in the baking dish and bring to room temperature before cooking.
• Distribute chicken in single layer in baking pan, DO NOT discard the marinade. Pour it over the chicken with all the other marinade ingredients. Sprinkle brown sugar over the chicken breasts and pour white wine around the breasts.
• Preheat oven: Cook UNCOVERED at 325 for 50 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. Cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts. Cook to 165°F
• Arrange cooked chicken breasts on a platter, top with the sauce and other ingredients.
• NOTE:.
• This recipe yields a lot of sauce, so you can double the chicken content without having to double the marinade. It's nice because you can make it all ahead of time!

CHICKEN THIGHS WITH FENNEL AND DRIED APRICOTS

Steps:

• Place first 4 ingredients in slow cooker sprayed with cooking spray. Add chicken; sprinkle with seasonings.
• Pour nectar over ingredients in slow cooker; cover with lid.
• Cook on LOW 7 to 8 hours (or on HIGH 3-1/2 to 4 hours).