Ginger Apricot Chicken

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

49 people added this to their Recipe Box

This recipe makes 6 servings

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Ingredients

1 1air-chilled chickenchickens, (3-1/2 pound/1.75 kg) or equivalent weight of thighs
1 tsp ground ginger 1 1tsp tspground ginger
1 tsp salt 1 1tsp tspsalt
1-1/2 cups dried apricots 1-1/2 1-1/2cups cupsdried apricotdried apricots
1-1/2 cups boiling water 1-1/2 1-1/2cups cupsboiling water
1 tbsp olive oil 1 1tbsp tbspolive oil
1 tbsp butter 1 1tbsp tbspbutter
1 large onion , finely chopped1 1large oniononions, finely chopped
1-1/2 tsp sugar 1-1/2 1-1/2tsp tspsugar
2 tbsp finely grated gingerroot 2 2tbsp tbspfinely grated gingerroot
1 cinnamon stick , roughly separated1 1cinnamon stickcinnamon sticks, roughly separated
8 green cardamom pods , lightly crushed8 8green cardamom podgreen cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1/4 tsp ground cloves 1/4 1/4tsp tspground cloves
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper 1/4 1/4tsp tspfreshly ground pepper
1-1/2 1-1/2cups cupsfinely chopped canned plum tomatoes
2/3 cup tomato juice 2/3 2/3cup cuptomato juice
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh coriander 1/3 1/3cup cupfinely chopped fresh coriander

Preparation

With kitchen shears, cut along both sides of chicken backbone; cut off wing tips. Reserve backbone and wing-tips for stock. Cut chicken in half along breastbone, then each side into 4 pieces: thigh, drumstick, and breast cut on diagonal to produce 2 more or less equal pieces. Cut off wings if desired. Pull skin off chicken pieces, cutting drumsticks around joint to release skin easily; trim off excess fat.

Place in bowl. Combine ginger and salt ; sprinkle over chicken pieces, rubbing well to coat pieces evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or for up to 12.

Meanwhile, cover apricots with boiling water; let stand for 30 minutes.

In shallow Dutch oven or large deep skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown chicken pieces on all sides; transfer to plate.

Drain off any fat; reduce heat to medium. Melt butter; stir in onion, sugar, half of the fresh gingerroot, cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves and pepper. Cook, stirring, often until tender and golden, about 8 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes, tomato juice, apricots and their soaking water. Bring to boil over high heat, stirring up brown bits; boil for 5 minutes or until tomatoes meld into the liquid. Add all but 2 tablespoons (25 mL) of the coriander. Return chicken to pan and reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer, turning chicken once, until juices run clear when chicken is pierced, about 20 minutes.

Place remaining ginger in fine sieve; press out juice. Sprinkle over chicken. Turn to distribute evenly. Arrange chicken and sauce on warmed platter; sprinkle with remaining coriander.