Apricot Chicken with Almonds

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 (6- oz) skinless boneless chicken breast halves
5/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

 

Making the Dish

Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F.

• Lightly oil a 13 x 9 inch non-glass baking dish.
• Pat chicken dry, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Arrange the pieces of chicken in the pan, leave at least 1/4 inch apart in baking dish.
• Bake for 10 minutes.

While chicken bakes, toast almonds, stirring until they have a golden tone, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a pot on the stove, cook apricot preserves, soy sauce, mustard, butter, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper over moderate heat, stirring, until preserves are melted.

• After the first 10 minutes of cooking the chicken, pour the sauce over chicken and then continue to bake until chicken is just cooked through, for another 10 minutes.
• Turn on broiler, broil chicken 4 to 5 inches from heat, basting once with the sauce, continue for about 3 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, and serve sprinkled with almonds.