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Peach Chicken
Serves 6 / Recipe revised from one online for apricot chicken
1-1/2 pounds peaches (I used 5 good sized peaches), peeled, pits
removed, and roughly chopped
1/3 cup peach preserves
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (I used 6 of these), cut into
1 to 2-inch pieces (you could use chicken breast pieces if you prefer)
Kosher salt
1 or 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 chopped onion
2 cups chicken stock or broth
2- to 3-inch sprig of fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
2 teaspoons Tabasco or other hot sauce (you can add more if you like)
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Place the chopped peaches in a large bowl. Stir in the peach preserves and the vinegar. Let sit while you brown the chicken in the next step.
2. In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches (and adding another Tablespoon of butter with the next batch if necessary), place chicken pieces in the pan, without crowding the pan, and brown them on each side. As the chicken cooks, sprinkle salt over it. (I go easy on the salt in case I want to add some low salt chicken bouillon for flavor later.) Once the chicken is browned, remove the pieces from the pan to a bowl and set aside.
3. Add the remaining oil to the pan and sauté the onion until it begins to brown. As the onion cooks and releases moisture, use a flat edged spatula or wooden spoon to scrape off the fond from the bottom of the pan.
4. Once the onions have browned a bit, add the chicken stock and lower the heat to medium.
5. Put about 2/3 of the peaches, along with any juice they have given up, into a blender and blend into a purée. Pour the purée into the pan with the chicken stock and onions.
6. Add the 5-spice powder, rosemary, Tabasco (I used 1-1/2 teaspoons and it was perfect) and some black pepper and taste. You may need to add some salt or chicken bouillon for flavor. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and gently simmer for 10 to 20 minutes.
7. When you are ready to serve, put the chicken and the remaining peach pieces into the pan and simmer gently for 5 or 10 minutes (I cooked mine about 10 minutes to make sure the dark meat was cooked). Serve hot with rice.
Note: You could make this with bone-in chicken thighs or whole boneless chicken breasts; just brown them well at the start and then let them cook in the sauce as it reduced.
The original recipe called for cinnamon only but I thought the 5-spice powder would be better and a little more subtle than a whole teaspoon of cinnamon. I was really glad I did it, as it had some cinnamon but wasn't overwhelmed by it and the 5-spice powder added a lot.
Someone online suggested using nectarines and thyme for the fruit/spice. I think it would be good with some curry powder, too.
Someone else suggested using a small amount of orange peel or zested orange on top to serve. If you served it on a platter, a pretty garnish would be sliced oranges, too.
Serves 6 / Recipe revised from one online for apricot chicken
1-1/2 pounds peaches (I used 5 good sized peaches), peeled, pits
removed, and roughly chopped
1/3 cup peach preserves
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (I used 6 of these), cut into
1 to 2-inch pieces (you could use chicken breast pieces if you prefer)
Kosher salt
1 or 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 chopped onion
2 cups chicken stock or broth
2- to 3-inch sprig of fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
2 teaspoons Tabasco or other hot sauce (you can add more if you like)
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Place the chopped peaches in a large bowl. Stir in the peach preserves and the vinegar. Let sit while you brown the chicken in the next step.
2. In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches (and adding another Tablespoon of butter with the next batch if necessary), place chicken pieces in the pan, without crowding the pan, and brown them on each side. As the chicken cooks, sprinkle salt over it. (I go easy on the salt in case I want to add some low salt chicken bouillon for flavor later.) Once the chicken is browned, remove the pieces from the pan to a bowl and set aside.
3. Add the remaining oil to the pan and sauté the onion until it begins to brown. As the onion cooks and releases moisture, use a flat edged spatula or wooden spoon to scrape off the fond from the bottom of the pan.
4. Once the onions have browned a bit, add the chicken stock and lower the heat to medium.
5. Put about 2/3 of the peaches, along with any juice they have given up, into a blender and blend into a purée. Pour the purée into the pan with the chicken stock and onions.
6. Add the 5-spice powder, rosemary, Tabasco (I used 1-1/2 teaspoons and it was perfect) and some black pepper and taste. You may need to add some salt or chicken bouillon for flavor. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and gently simmer for 10 to 20 minutes.
7. When you are ready to serve, put the chicken and the remaining peach pieces into the pan and simmer gently for 5 or 10 minutes (I cooked mine about 10 minutes to make sure the dark meat was cooked). Serve hot with rice.
Note: You could make this with bone-in chicken thighs or whole boneless chicken breasts; just brown them well at the start and then let them cook in the sauce as it reduced.
The original recipe called for cinnamon only but I thought the 5-spice powder would be better and a little more subtle than a whole teaspoon of cinnamon. I was really glad I did it, as it had some cinnamon but wasn't overwhelmed by it and the 5-spice powder added a lot.
Someone online suggested using nectarines and thyme for the fruit/spice. I think it would be good with some curry powder, too.
Someone else suggested using a small amount of orange peel or zested orange on top to serve. If you served it on a platter, a pretty garnish would be sliced oranges, too.
