Chicken and rice is one of those classic combos with extreme versatility. By making different sauces, gravies, and glazes you can create so many different delightful dinners. This particular dinner is a delicious apricot glazed chicken over ginger rice. Apricot Chicken & Rice is bursting with flavor and very simple to make, perfect for a weeknight meal.

My personal choice for apricot preserves is Bonne Maman, but you can use your favorite. I do suggest that you use a preserve and not a jam. For one, preserves tend to have less sugar added because it uses the whole fruit and not mashed up fruit. And second, the large chunks of fruit are tasty bites of bright fruity goodness in the savory glaze.
Ready for the broken record? If you read my recipes often, you know that I never cook rice in water unless it is absolutely necessary. By using the broth you get so much more flavor into the rice, so that it is part of the dish and not just the forgotten side item.
I didn’t do a side dish because I made extra rice for my kiddos. They are serious about the amount of rice they choose to consume. If you wanted a little more meal, without more rice, I think I would have done some green beans or asparagus on the side.
Now Let’s Get Cookin’!
Apricot Chicken & Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Avocado Oil
For the Chicken
- 6 Chicken Thighs bone-in, skin removed
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Pepper
- 1 tsp Parsely
For the Glaze
- ½ cup Ketchup
- 1 cup Apricot Preserves
- ½ cup Soy Sauce
- ¼ cup Honey
- 1 tbsp Fresh Ginger grated
- 3 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
For the Rice
- 2 cup Long Grain Rice
- 1 qt Chicken Broth
- 1 tbsp Fresh Ginger grated
Instructions
- Add oil to large saute pan over medium-high heat. Evenly sprinkle chicken on both sides with seasonings. Add to pan and cook for 4 minutes on each side. Then remove from the pan. Leave oil in pan.
- In a sauce pan over medium high heat, add rice, ginger and broth. Cover with lid and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, but do not remove lid until ready to serve.
- In a small bowl, combine glaze ingredients. Reduce saute pan heat to medium. Add glaze and let simmer for 4 minutes. Then add chicken back to pan. Spoon glaze over top of each piece. Cover with lid and let cook for 25 minutes.
- Serve a portion of rice under piece of chicken and then ladle more sauce over top. Garnish with additional parsley, if desired.
Estelle Forrest’s self-published first cookbook – Homemade on a Weeknight: A Family Cookbook – was created after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS
Estelle self-published a second cookbook – Burgers on a Weeknight – recently. It has over 60 delicious burger creations! You can purchase your own copy here:
AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS
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This sounds really good! Visiting from Friday with Friends~
Jenna
This looks so good. I like to make my own apricot jam and make it not too sweet. But the Bonne Maman is good too!
I can’t wait to give this a try!
Thanks for sharing at the FWF party.
Hugs,
Rachelle
Homemade is always best for just that reason. I’m sure your on jam would be wonderful in this!