Roasted Chicken with Rich Apricot Glaze

I love apricot jam (especially on a freshly baked croissant)! The hubs suggested we bake some chicken in an apricot glaze, and of course I had to find a way to throw some liquor into my dinner- and Whisky it was!! I personally can't stand whisky, but if you cook off the alcohol, it lends a nice bright sweetness to a sauce.

This dish is super easy to make and while I did brine the chicken for 4 hours in salt water, 2 bay leaves, 3 garlic cloves and the juice and peels of one orange- it would still be great without a brine. Be sure to rinse the brine and pat the chicken dry before browning.

Glazing Ingredients:

1 tbs butter

1 shallot, diced

1/4 cup Whisky

3 tbs chicken stock

1/2 cup apricot jam

2 tbs dijon mustard

1 tsp paprika

Sea salt to taste

In a pan, melt butter.

Add shallot and cook until softened on medium heat- about 4 minutes.

Add whiskey and cook off alcohol and reduce about 6 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients and simmer on very low heat while you prepare the chicken.

A chef once told me to get a good crispy skin, to pour a generous amount of grapeseed oil in a pan, generously salt and pepper the chook,  then add it to the pan skin side down, THEN turn on the heat to medium high to get it crunchy. Takes about 8-10 minutes. If the skin is still sticking to the pan, then it's not crisp and not ready to be flipped. Here I bought a whole organic chicken, cut it into parts and made a rich stock with the wings and back. Waste not want not!

Glazed and ready to pop in the oven

 

I then placed the skillet in a 375 degree oven, poured about 1/4 more chicken stock in the pan and roasted with some baby yellow potatoes for about 40 minutes until cooked through. Drizzle with pan sauce, serve with some steamed asparagus and enjoy a terrific spring time dinner!

Skillet Potatoes for the hubby. Toss in a little butter and coarse salt before serving. (I steamed them for 20 minutes to par cook them before baking in about 1 tsp olive oil- makes them fluffy inside and crispy outside).

Crisping the skin before glazing makes the skin firmer and not soggy.