Apricot Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds apricots, pits removed and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons Tabasco or other hot sauce, or more to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions

1. Toss the apricots into a large bowl with the sugar and vinegar, and give everything a good stir. Let them sit while you move on to browning the chicken.
2. Set a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, then warm 1 tablespoon of butter with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until the fat is hot. Add the chicken in batches so the pan has room to do its job, and brown the pieces on each side. Season with salt as the chicken cooks, then transfer the browned pieces to a bowl and keep them nearby.
3. Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil into the same pan, add the onions, and cook them until they start to take on a little color. While they soften and give off liquid, scrape up the browned chicken bits from the bottom of the pan with a flat-edged spatula or a wooden spoon. If the pan starts looking dry, splash in water, a tablespoon at a time, to loosen the onions from the surface.
4. When the onions have picked up some color, pour in the chicken stock and turn the heat down to medium.
5. Put 1 2/3 cups of the apricots aside for finishing the dish. Purée the rest of the apricots in a blender with any juices they have given off, then pour that mixture into the pan with the stock and onions.
6. Stir the cinnamon, rosemary and Tabasco into the sauce. Bring it to a simmer, reduce the heat, and let it bubble gently for 10-20 minutes, until it thickens a bit. Taste the sauce, then add black pepper to taste, along with more salt and Tabasco if needed.
7. Right before serving, return the chicken to the pan and add the reserved apricot pieces. Let everything simmer gently for 5 minutes, until the sauce is hot and the chicken is cooked through. Scatter chopped parsley over the top and serve with rice or egg noodles.