Apricot-Glazed Chicken Tenders

Also great for a main dish

Original recipe yields

4–6 servings

Cooking day instructions

For marinade: In large freezer bag, combine marinade ingredients. Add chicken pieces, toss to coat, and marinate at room temperature one hour. (If preparing for that day, chill 6–8 hours or overnight. Prepare glaze below and refrigerate.) Meanwhile, prepare the apricot glaze following the directions below. After one hour of marinating time, freeze.

For apricot glaze: In saucepan, cook onion in butter over moderate heat, stirring until softened. Add vinegar and continue cooking until liquid has reduced by one-half. Add preserves, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, spices, salt, and pepper. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until thick. Place mixture in a food processor or blender and puree. Freeze apricot glaze in a separate, smaller freezer bag. Store in freezer together with marinated chicken.

Serving day instructions

Thaw chicken pieces and discard marinade. Place chicken on rack of broiler pan and broil 6 inches from heat, 5 minutes on each side. Baste chicken generously with apricot glaze and broil 3 minutes on each side or until well glazed and brown. Adjust cooking time if using thicker cuts of chicken.

Hint

Chicken can also be prepared on a charcoal or gas grill. To bake chicken, place pieces in a large baking dish. Bake at 425 degrees for approximately 25–30 minutes, basting with apricot glaze and turning every 10 minutes. Do not overcook. Shortly before chicken is done, put the chicken under the broiler and broil until golden brown and bubbly.