Apricot Chicken with Olives - This Is How I Cook (2024)

Need a new twist on the traditional apricot chicken? This Mediterranean version with fresh olives, sumac and shallots is a winner!

Apricot chicken is traditionally made with an apricot jam glaze.

My mom used to make it like that. I think she combined it with soy sauce, but there are a myriad of ways to prepare it.

This honey baked chicken with apricots and olives isn’t quite Chicken Marbella, but its preparation is similar.

Basically this chicken is marinated overnight and then baked the next day.

Totally easy and totally luscious, this simple chicken is perfect for friends and family.

Citrus is a predominant flavor in this recipe with both lemon and orange juice as part of the marinade.

The other fun ingredient that you may have not used much is sumac.

Sumac?

Sumac is a red spice made from the flowers of the sumac bush and is a common household spice in the Middle East.

Sumac helps brighten the flavors of many dishes and also adds color.

Tart and lemony, sumac can be used on most anything that requires lemon, however lemon is stronger and more astringent than sumac.

Treat yourself at your favorite spice store or order it from Amazon. Kroger even carries sumac now.

I find myself sprinkling it on most anything now that I have it in my cupboard.

Perfect on chicken or fish or even lamb, if you find yourself needing a lemon, sumac might just work instead.

When making this chicken dish, be sure to have the right sized chicken.

Honestly it is hard to find a chicken that isn’t huge. Sometimes buying parts of chicken is easier.

I prefer the smaller 3.5 to 4 lb chickens. If they are larger one should cut the breasts in half. Also adjust the marinade accordingly.

The proper sized chicken makes it easier to cook this chicken dish more accurately.

Apricot Chicken Marinade:

Begin by salting the chicken and sprinkling with pepper. Set aside while making the marinade.

In a large bowl or a zip lock bag combine fresh lemon juice, orange juice, honey, 4 to 6 garlic cloves, thyme, sumac, olive oil, apricots and olives.

Let marinate overnight. The next day it’s as simple as adding shallots and white wine and letting the chicken roast at a high temperature.

If there isn’t enough liquid, feel free to add more.

It doesn’t get much simpler than this untraditional apricot chicken recipe.

The fun part is you could swap out the apricots for other dried fruit such as plums or dates.

Not sure what type of dried apricots to use?

I prefer the Turkish apricot which is dried whole, though the pit is removed. Turkish apricots are lighter in color and have a slightly sweeter taste.

California apricots are split in half and then dried, giving them a more wrinkly exterior.

Everyone loved this easy and flavorful recipe. The apricots get a bit jammy and the olives are plentiful.

In fact if you aren’t an olive lover, feel free to sub in some capers or just cut back a bit on the olives and perhaps increase the shallots.

This chicken can be made ahead and kept for several hours until it is ready to be browned under the broiler. Just warm it up at 325 and once warmed, place under the broiler for browning.

Perhaps because it is so simple, this is a fun dish to make. But often, and certainly in this case, simple is best!

A great chicken dish for Fall. A great chicken dish for a Shabbat dinner. And certainly for Rosh Hashanah, this chicken with honey and sumac is perfect for any holiday!

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