Ingredients
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup all-fruit apricot jam
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
4 (4 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbsp. sliced almonds
1 cup dried apricots
1 cup boiling water
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme, minced
Preparation
Combine vinegar and jam in a small pot over medium to low heat. Cook, stirring often, until the jam is dissolved, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in salt and pepper. Let cool slightly and reserve ½ cup of sauce. Place chicken and remainder of sauce in a large re-sealable plastic bag. Seal and shake gently to coat. Place in refrigerator and let marinate for 1 to 2 hours.
In a small dry skillet, over medium heat, toast almonds until lightly browned, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat immediately and set aside.
Place dried apricots in 1 cup of very hot water for 2 minutes. Remove and set aside. Chop finely when cool.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium to high heat. Add shallots and thyme and cook, stirring often, until shallots soften, about 1 minute. Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade. Add the chicken to the pan and cook until it starts to brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Add the reserved apricot sauce and softened chopped apricots. Stir to fully coat chicken. Reduce heat, cover and cook until chicken is cooked through, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with almonds and serve immediately.
