Gluten free Sticky Apricot Chicken is one of those sweet, sticky oven-baked dishes that busy families’ love. With gluten free soy sauce in your pantry, it's a gluten free dish the whole family will love. Smart cooks will make enough for two dinners.
I'd serve this with plain steamed rice and any green vegetable. Broccoli or green beans are always a good choice since they'll be more delicious with the sweet apricot sauce on them.
Ingredients
Chili sauce is usually gluten free and most people have a selection in their fridge. This recipe calls for the old-fashioned Heinz Chili Sauce (gluten free worldwide). My dad liked to eat this mild chili sauce on his eggs, some people put it on meatloaf and I use it for this recipe for Sticky Apricot Chicken.
- Chicken thighs - This is my cut of choice that can easily be portioned into different amounts to be used for a second meal or a dinner for one, because that sometimes happens too.
- Apricot jam - To keep pantry ingredients moving I buy a one-cup jar when I don't want one more jar to add to the jars in my fridge.
- Heinz Chili Sauce is a mild chili sauce that is gluten free worldwide. Once I buy a jar of this chili sauce I know I'm going to make this chicken recipe two or three times. Use the rest like a spicy ketchup on eggs or in meat dishes like meatloaf.
- Dry white wine - If you're not the kind of person who has leftover wine, or would open a new bottle of wine for this recipe, just use chicken stock.
- Gluten free soy sauce - I recommend you stock only one bottle of this kitchen staple. It's not worth keeping a gluten-free and a gluten-filled sauce. That increases the chance of a mistake, it's always sad for the gluten free eaters, and the pennies you thought you'd save are gone. No one needs this stress at home.
- Honey - This makes the sweet and sticky sauce that I can eat over rice even after the chicken is gone.
- Ginger - To have fresh ginger when you want it consider storing some in the freezer. It can be grated from frozen and put back in the freezer for the next recipe.
- Optional: Dried apricots
See recipe card for complete ingredient list and exact amounts.
Cook Once, Eat Twice
Everyone has a different opinion about leftovers so you need to figure out what works for you. I expect this recipe to make more than two meals for me. I always portion enough for a second dinner and put it in the freezer. For people running in different directions many nights of the week it may be more helpful to make single serving containers for the fridge or freezer. Because this chicken dish freezes well it is also perfect for giving when you have a friend in need.
Substitutions
I don't substitute the chili sauce in this recipe. In your kitchen you get to tweak recipes to your liking. Here's what I've learned in my kitchen.
- Thai sweet chili sauce is too sweet.
- Sriracha sauce is too garlicky.
- Sambal oelek is too hot.
- Heinz Chili Sauce is just right.
Top Tip: Organize For Success
To have lots of variety in your meals you need easy recipes in different categories and a well-stocked pantry. As well as this Sticky Apricot Chicken, two other oven-baked favourites are Cranberry Orange Chicken and Mango Chutney Chicken. I've made each of them enough times that I know the one ingredient I need in the cupboard to make them.
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Gluten Free Sticky Apricot Chicken
Ingredients
- 12 bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 jar apricot jam (8 oz/250 ml)
- ½ cup Heinz Chili Sauce*
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Optional garnish
- 4 dried apricots, sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place chicken thighs in large baking dish.
- Measure all sauce ingredients into a 4-cup pyrex measuring cup.
- Microwave sauce for 1 minute, stir and microwave for another minute.
- Pour sauce over the chicken and bake for 1 hour. Half way through cooking time spoon the sauce over the chicken so it doesn't dry out.
Cinde Little
Haven't made this for a long time and it is a delicious fall dish.
Alene
My former sister in law had a recipe for chicken with apricot jam and Lipton dried onion soup mix. It was a long time ago, but I vaguely remember it being stickier and sweeter. Now I'm going to have to Google it. This was good and certainly easy though. Thank you for the recipe!
Cinde Little
Hi Arlene. I've never heard of that recipe with onion soup mix but back in the day there were lots of those recipes being shared. I'm glad you liked this version. I like it because I usually have all the ingredients on hand.
Wendy
Sounds yummy. Love the description of the different chili sauces. Reminded me of the 3 bears description of the beds. I agree Thai sweet chili sauce is v sweet but have you tried making some oven potato wedges and serving them with sour cream and that sauce? Divine combination. An Aussie concoction. Thank me later😂.
Cinde Little
I know, I thought of the 3 bears too but I had 4 chili sauces. Ha ha! I will definitely try the potato wedges, that sounds yummy too, and thank you in advance!