Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken Recipe
This slow cooker apricot chicken is the perfect blend of a sweet and savory sauce over tender juicy chicken. It is a super easy recipe that comes together in minutes and cooks all day so that dinner is ready at the end of a busy day!
I love a slow cooker meal. I love being able to throw everything together at the beginning of the day so I can get dinner on the table in no time. It frees up a lot of mental space for me knowing that dinner is done and all we have to do is serve it up! I love it even more when my whole family agrees that a meal is delicious! This crockpot apricot chicken recipe is one of our favorites. The sauce is so delicious and the chicken is nice and tender.
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FAQ & Recipe Tips for Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken
What to serve with Crockpot Apricot Chicken-
This easy apricot chicken is great served over white rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice or quinoa. It is also great with a basic veggie side dish like broccoli or green beans. I like to keep it simple for a super easy dinner.
Do I have to sear the chicken?
The first step in making this tender chicken is to brown the chicken in a skillet. This helps seal in the juices and get a head start on delicious flavor. If you are in a hurry and need to skip this step that’s ok! Just season the chicken and place it directly in the crock pot.
Shred the cooked chicken
Once the chicken is cooked it is tender and falling apart so it is very easy to shred. If you prefer to shred it and serve it over rice or other side with a spoonful of extra sauce you can. To make shredding easier you can use skinless boneless chicken thighs or breasts.
How to store & reheat this recipe-
This apricot chicken is delicious as leftovers! Just store it refrigerated in an airtight container. Leftover apricot chicken can be reheated in the microwave, in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes, or if you have shredded the chicken you can place it in a pot on the stove to reheat over medium heat.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
If you want to prep this recipe ahead of time you can! I like to mix up the sauce ingredients and place them in an container in the refrigerator. You can make the sauce 2-3 days in advance so it is ready to put in the crock pot. You can also season the chicken thighs ahead of time and place them in an air tight container or zip top bag until they are ready to cook. Don’t combine the chicken and sauce until you are ready to cook.
Ingredients for this Crock Pot Apricot Chicken Recipe
Bone in Chicken Thighs- Bone in chicken with the skin on has a ton of flavor and it is nice and juicy. However if you prefer boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breast for this recipe. Just keep in mind if you use chicken breasts or chicken tenders that the flavor and texture will be a bit different.
Garlic Powder– Garlic powder adds delicious flavor to this slow cooker chicken, but if you prefer fresh garlic or minced garlic you can use it instead.
Onion Powder– Make sure your onion powder is fresh for the most delicious flavor!
Smoked Paprika– Smoked paprika is one of my favorite seasonings in everything! It adds a delicious spicy smoky flavor that we love! If you prefer plain paprika feel free to swap it out.
Apricot Jam or Preserves– Jam tends to have smaller pieces of fruit while preserves have larger or whole pieces, you can use whichever you prefer in this recipe. If you can’t find apricot jam peach jam makes a great substitute.
French Dressing– French dressing has a great sweet and savory flavor that is super tasty on this chicken. If you are looking for a substitute you can use Catalina dressing or Balsamic vinaigrette. For a creamy option you can use Russian dressing. For less sugar content you can use sugar free French dressing. If you prefer to make things from scratch you can easily make homemade French dressing with just a few ingredients.
Dry Onion Soup Mix– I love cooking with dry soup mixes, they add great flavor so easily. If you don’t love onion you can use dry vegetable soup mix. You can also make your own onion soup mix which is great to have on hand anytime.
How to make Apricot Chicken in the Slow Cooker
To start mix the garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and smoked paprika together in a small bowl.
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and then sprinkle with the seasoning mix on both sides.
Heat a small amount of your favorite cooking oil over medium high heat in a large skillet.
Place the thighs in the skillet skin side down, heat for about 5 minutes or until the skin starts to brown.
In a medium bowl combine the apricot jam, French dressing and dry onion soup mix.
Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker and pour the apricot sauce evenly over the top of the chicken.
Place the lid on the slow cooker and set on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours.
Serve warm over rice if desired.
Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 6 Bone in Chicken Thighs
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
- ½ tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 1/2 cups Apricot Preserves
- 1 cup French Dressing
- 1 1 oz Envelope Dry Onion Soup Mix
- Olive Oil or other Cooking Oil
Instructions
- To start mix the garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and smoked paprika together in a small bowl.½ tsp Garlic Powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp Black Pepper, ½ tsp Smoked Paprika
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and then sprinkle with the seasoning mix on both sides.6 Bone in Chicken Thighs
- Heat a small amount of your favorite cooking oil over medium high heat in a large skillet.
- Place the thighs in the skillet skin side down, heat for about 5 minutes or until the skin starts to brown.
- In a medium bowl combine the apricot jam, French dressing and dry onion soup mix.1 1/2 cups Apricot Preserves, 1 cup French Dressing, 1 1 oz Envelope Dry Onion Soup Mix
- Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker and pour the apricot sauce evenly over the top of the chicken.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and set on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours.
- Serve warm over rice if desired.
