Sweet and Spicy Apricot BBQ Chicken Thighs

Sweet and tangy with the perfect amount of heat! Serve it by itself for a new twist at a BBQ or serve with rice! So tasty!

Total: 1 hr 35 min

Active: 50 min

Yield: 4 servings, 2 cups sauce

---

Ingredients

Apricot BBQ Sauce:

Canola oil

1 cup finely chopped yellow onion (1 small onion)

1 tablespoon minced garlic (4 cloves)

One 13-ounce jar apricot jam

1/2 cup fresh orange juice (1 large orange)

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons Agave

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Chicken Thighs:

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

Canola oil

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

** Serve with White Rice (Follow package) or By itself!

---

Directions

For the apricot BBQ sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the chile and garlic; cook an additional 2 minutes. Stir in the apricot jam; cook until the jam melts, 3 to 4 minutes more.

Pour in the orange juice and cider vinegar, bring to a simmer, and then add the ketchup, honey, Dijon and Worcestershire. Adjust the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

Transfer the sauce to a blender and puree until smooth. Add salt to taste. Remove 1 cup for basting the chicken; reserve the rest for serving.

For the chicken thighs: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small bowl, stir together the smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.

Place the chicken thighs on two foil-lined baking sheets. Lightly coat the thighs with canola oil and sprinkle liberally with the spice mixture on both sides.

Bake until the chicken is cooked through, 35 minutes. Turn the oven to broil. Baste the chicken with BBQ sauce and broil until the sauce has caramelized and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the chicken reads 160 degrees F, about 2 minutes. Remove to a platter, let rest for 5 minutes

Sprinkle the chicken with parsley, and serve with the reserved BBQ sauce.

When blending hot liquid, first let it cool for five minutes or so, then transfer it to a blender, filling only halfway. Put the lid on, leaving one corner open. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters, and pulse until smooth.

---

Love our recipes!? Follow us! Click “Follow” on the bottom right corner! We would love to share with you!