My first dahlia bloomed this month, which means summer is here in all its vibrant, cheerful glory. The explosion of flowers and vegetables in the garden is worth the constant wiping of sweat from my brow that comes every time I visit the garden these days. And in some cultures there is a saying that “hot inside” means “hot outside”, meaning eating spicy foods helps you sweat more, which in turn cools you down. I don’t know if that’s scientifically true, in itselfbut it’s a great excuse to just infuse a too little more spice in life. And my favorite means of doing so is through this old but delicious apricot habanero jam recipe from the early days of my blog way back in dusty old 2013. And one of my favorite ways to use said jam is by making it a glazed roast chicken of apricot habanero to accompany it.
I used jam as the base for the glaze on this roast chicken, as well as apricot halves, onions, salt and pepper. After roasting, the apricot halves hold their shape until you try to cut them, at which point they melt into a delicious apricot, thyme and chicken-flavored jelly, perfect for spreading on sliced chicken meat. It packs a punch thanks to the abundance of ginger in the jam, and the apricots add just the right amount of sweetness and tartness to the mix. The thyme and habanero add some herbal heat and freshness, and when you cover the chicken in the apricot habanero glaze and roast it until it caramelizes, you get something close to poultry perfection.
Now, when you have frosting with sugar in it,… ago brown the skin of the bird more quickly, so make sure you have some foil on hand to tent the bird to prevent it from browning too quickly. (This is also mentioned in the recipe instructions, but it doesn’t hurt to say it twice because it’s so important. Nobody likes a burnt patch of chicken skin.)
Also, I just want to point out that the apricot habanero jam makes more than you need for the chicken glaze. So definitely store the excess in a jar in the fridge and enjoy it with a myriad of toppings, from buttered toast to grilled cheese to a fancy cheese sauce. I’m still enjoying the last batch from a couple of weeks ago and it’s elevating my PB+J to a whole new level. AND our house in Portland is still on the marketFYI, so if you know anyone interested in moving to the city of roses, please let us know 🙂 No, look at me, pleaseserious buyers *only* (it takes a lot of energy, both physical and mental, to prepare for a presentation!) Have a great week, dear reader!
Apricot Habanero Jam
-
1
pound
apricots
pitted and chopped -
1
habanero
finely chopped -
2 inches
piece
fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped -
2 1/3
cups
granulated sugar -
2
spoons
fresh thyme leaves -
2
spoons
freshly squeezed lemon juice
-
Bring the apricots, habanero, ginger, sugar, thyme and lemon juice to a boil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the mixture, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until it has thickened significantly and has the consistency of jam, stirring about every 5 minutes.
-
Pour jam into sterilized 8-ounce jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at top. Close the lids as tightly as possible and leave the jars in the water bath for 10 minutes. Store jars in a cool, dark place and consume within 1 year. Once the seal is broken, store in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Facts
Apricot Habanero Jam
Quantity per serving
Calories 85
Calories from fat 2
% daily value*
Fat 0.2g0%
Saturated fat 0.01 g0%
Polyunsaturated fats 0.02 g
Monounsaturated fats 0.03 g
Sodium 1 mg0%
Potassium 58mg2%
Carbohydrates 22 g7%
Fiber 0.5 g2%
Sugar 21 g23%
Protein 0.3g1%
Vitamin A 396 IU8%
Vitamin C 4 mg5%
Soccer 5 mg1%
Iron 0.2 mg1%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Roasted Chicken with Apricot Habanero Glaze
This roasted chicken has a vibrant apricot and habanero glaze with thyme and ginger, for the perfect balance of sweet, savory and a little spicy.
Apricot Habanero Glaze
-
2
spoons
apricot habanero jam -
2
spoons
olive oil -
3/4
teaspoon
salt -
1/2
teaspoon
black pepper
Roasted Chicken with Apricot Habanero Glaze
-
1/4
cup
apricot habanero jam -
3
spoons
olive oil -
1
table spoon
fresh thyme leaves -
1
teaspoon
salt -
1/2
teaspoon
black pepper -
1
pound
apricots
halved and pitted -
1
large yellow onion
sliced -
1
roast chicken
about 3-5 lbs -
1
sprig of fresh rosemary -
2
cups
waterfall
Tools
- kitchen twine
-
tin foil
for curtains -
3
8 oz sterilized canning jars
Apricot Habanero Glaze
-
Mix all the ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
Apricot Habanero Roasted Chicken
-
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Start by preparing the bed of apricots and onions. Mix together the apricot habanero jam, olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Arrange the apricot halves and sliced onion on a baking tray and toss with the jam mixture until covered. Spread the onion slices to form a layer on the bottom of the pan and arrange the apricot halves around the edge of the pan.
-
Place the chicken in the center of the pan and generously rub the outside and inside of the chicken with the Apricot Habanero Glaze, gently sliding your hands under the skin of the chicken breast to get the mixture under the skin as well.
-
Stuff the cavity with the rosemary sprig and tie the legs together using a piece of kitchen string. Pour the 2 cups of water into the pan around the chicken. Cover the pan with foil, making sure it is secured and closed on all four sides, but poke a small 1-inch hole to allow excess steam to escape. Make sure the tent doesn’t touch the skin of the bird (otherwise it will cook on it and tear the skin when you remove the foil). This step is VERY important, because if you don’t cover the bird with foil, it will brown too quickly due to the high sugar content of the icing, and while the inside of the bird will still be moist and flavorful, the outside They will look *pretty* crunchy.
-
Place the pan in the oven on the lowest rack and roast for about 1 hour, brushing halfway through. At the end of the 40 minutes, remove the foil, reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and return the chicken to the oven to brown until the thigh joint reaches at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit, about 15 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let the juices cool for 15 minutes before serving. This way the bird retains more moisture, while if you cut it immediately the juices will come out of the meat more quickly. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Roasted Chicken with Apricot Habanero Glaze
Quantity per serving
Calories 630
Calories from fat 432
% daily value*
Fat 48 g74%
Saturated fat 11 g69%
Polyunsaturated fats 8g
Monounsaturated fats 25g
Cholesterol 164 mg55%
Sodium 1158 mg50%
Potassium 726 mg21%
Carbohydrates 16 g5%
3g fiber13%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 35 g70%
Vitamin A 3881IU78%
Vitamin C 21 mg25%
Soccer 54 mg5%
Iron 4 mg22%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
