Apricot-Sage Chicken with Carrots

Dinner doesn’t get much easier than this eight-ingredient, one-pan dish. The secret is jarred apricot preserves; much more than a spread for toast, it balances the earthy sage and pungent mustard in the pan sauce and gives everything a glossy coat. You can also thin the preserves in a small saucepan over medium heat and brush over roasted pork tenderloin, salmon fillets, or a rustic apple tart. A little butter stirred in at the end adds body to the sauce.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 (4-oz.) skinless, boneless chicken thighs
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1/2 cup unsalted chicken stock
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cups thinly diagonally sliced carrots
4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage, divided
1 tablespoon thinly sliced garlic
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

How to Make It

Step 1

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 min- utes per side or until browned (chicken will not be cooked through). Remove chicken from pan (do not wipe out pan).

Step 2

Combine stock, apricot preserves, and mustard in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add carrots, 1 tablespoon sage, and garlic to pan; sauté 4 minutes. Add apricot mixture and chicken to pan; reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook 8 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove pan from heat. Place chicken and carrots on a platter. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and butter to pan, swirling until butter melts. Spoon pan sauce over chicken; sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon sage.