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When it comes to getting a tasty meal on the table quickly you can’t beat a stir fry. Plus, it’s a wonderful way to get your veggies in as well. This apricot chicken stir fry has an intriguing mix of both umami and sweet flavors that brings a simple chicken and veggie dish to new levels of flavor.
To start with you’ll need to have 1 pound of chicken cut into cubes. Sauté this and then add in the broccoli, onion, and carrots.
While the veggies are still a bit firm add in your sauces and flavorings. The main flavor aside from the chicken and veggies is apricot in the form of preserves. To boost that fruity flavor a little there’s also some orange juice in the mix as well.
The supporting roles in this stir fry are played by honey, soy sauce, and BBQ sauce. Just a little of each enhances the dish without distracting from the wonderful fruitiness of the sauce. Isn’t it interesting how as soon as you add some fruit flavor to a meaty recipe it just brings the protein to life somehow?
It’s the contrast of flavors that really makes this dish so delicious- savory, sweet, and fresh all at the same time.
The final touch is to add some sesame oil, sesame seeds, and some chopped green onion to complete the dish. Trust me- you don’t want to skip these last steps as they push this over the edge into crazy yummy territory.
For a great take on a fruity chicken dish you can have this meal on the table in little more than a half an hour. So quick and tasty that you can even make it on a weeknight for special dinner without much effort.
Apricot Chicken Stir Fry
Serves 4-6
20m prep time
20m cook time
532 calories
Diet: Low-Lactose
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 lb diced chicken breast
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 head broccoli chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped small
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup apricot jelly or preserves
- 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Preparation
- Heat oil in large skillet or medium stockpot over medium-high heat. Sear chicken to develop flavor, about 8 minutes or until browned at the edges. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add onions, broccoli, carrots, and garlic to pan and cook for 1 minute. Add orange juice to deglaze pan. Cook for 2 minutes, then reduce heat to medium.
- Add onion powder, garlic powder, apricot preserves, BBQ sauce, and honey to pan.
- Let simmer uncovered for 6 minutes or until vegetables are softened and chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165˚F. Remove from heat and drizzle with sesame oil.
- Pour chicken and sauce over rice and top with green onions and sesame seeds.
Recipe adapted from Savory Nothings.