Apricot glazed chicken

"Quick and easy...and delicious."  Those words go together well for those who lead and live a very hectic life, but still would like to eat well.

I love to come up with dishes that are relatively fast, and easy.  I remember when I worked for a billion dollar company, and put in some long hours.  I came home so tired, cooking was the last thing on my mind.  Anything that was quick, was usually at the top of my list, but one can only eat so much processed food, and take-out...enter my apricot glazed chicken.

When it comes to grilling chicken, give me boneless, skinless chicken thighs over breasts, any day of the week.  I have yet to make an exceptionally moist and tender grilled chicken breast.  Thighs are much more forgiving, and are packed with a lot more flavor.  They are also usually cheaper, and that is a big point in their favor.

Ingredients:

3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, rinsed and patted dry (I've also used pork chops with this glaze)
12 ounce jar of apricot jam (I can my own, but you can buy it, too) or orange marmalade
Fresh rosemary, about 3-4 sprigs, chopped
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Directions:

To a small bowl, add the jam and chopped rosemary.  Whisk until well combined.  If it's too thick, add a teaspoon of water at a time until it smooths out.  It should be the consistency of runny jam.  The kind that will drip off the edge of your morning toast.

Pour marinade into a Ziploc bag, and add the chicken, tossing it around to coat each piece.  Allow to marinate overnight, or all day prior to grilling.  Whatever works in your schedule.

When ready to cook, fire up your grill.  Remove chicken from the bag, reserving any remaining marinade.  Grill your chicken until fully cooked, transfer to a large plate, and tent with foil.

Place the remaining marinade into a small saucepan, add the tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, and over medium heat, simmer until bubbly and slightly thickened.  About 3-4 minutes.

Slice chicken, plate and drizzle with just a bit of the glaze.

I served mine with lemon and rosemary orzo, which was leftover from another meal.  I found the recipe here, and I highly recommend it.

What I love most about this recipe is that the chicken and the glaze re-heat beautifully in the microwave, so don't be afraid to load up.  A few minutes in the kitchen, and you have more than one meal.