This Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken is sweet, tangy, and melts-in-your-mouth with flavor. It's an easy to make dinner with 7-ingredients that are simple to shop and affordable. Plus, it pairs great with rice or mashed potatoes.
We are always looking for more easy to prepare meals that are big on flavor for busy weeknights. This Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken is one of our new favorite recipes that the whole family loves.
The key to this recipe is the apricot jam, it's not something you'd think to pair with chicken; but after testing this recipe a couple of times, we turned it into the most delicious sweet, tangy, yet savory sauce you could imagine.
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To get this recipe ready for the crock pot, you only need 15 minutes - so no excuse for not making dinner! We love to serve this with our viral 3-ingredient rice or mashed potatoes.
If you love a Slow Cooker recipe, they happen to be some of our favorites too. Try our Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef or Crock Pot Chicken Spaghetti.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Flavorful Slow Cooker Recipe. If you're looking for a meal that's big on flavor, this apricot chicken recipe in the crockpot is definitely one you should give a try!
- 7-Ingredient Homemade Meal. With a handful of ingredients you can keep in your pantry, you can make dinner in a pinch!
- Easy to Pair with Side Dishes. Add roasted vegetables, a salad, rice, or potatoes as a side dish to make a complete meal.
Ingredients
Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Full Printable Recipe Card Below
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs: Be sure to buy boneless here for quicker cooking. The crockpot keeps the meat moist and tender.
- Apricot jam: The star ingredient of this chicken recipe, it adds a touch of sweetness without being overpowering.
- Onion soup mix: This adds a rich onion and spice flavor to the chicken recipe.
- Soy sauce: Adds a hint of saltiness and umami to every bite.
- Dijon mustard: Heightens all the flavors of the chicken dish and also gives a flavor boost.
- Garlic powder or fresh garlic cloves: We all love garlic and it pairs perfectly with the apricot jam.
- Ground ginger or fresh ginger: Adds a spicy, pepper kick with a hint of sweetness. A little goes a long way.
- Seasoning Salt (or Salt & Black Pepper): Enhances the flavor of the dish. Livia's Seasoning Salt is my favorite!
- Garnish options: Sesame seeds, sliced green onion, or chopped fresh parsley.
Tools You'll Need
How to Make Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken
- To a slow cooker, add apricot jam, onion soup mix, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, ground ginger, and seasoning salt. Shake ¼ cup water in the empty apricot jam jar, then add to the crockpot. Whisk until well combined.
- Add chicken breasts or thighs, ensuring the cutlets are well coated.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for about 6 to 7 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Once done, gently shred the chicken using two forks if desired, or serve whole. Spoon the sauce over the chicken for flavor. Garnish if desired.
- Once ready, serve by itself or over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.
Expert Tips
- It's easy to thicken the sauce if it's too runny. Simply mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 teaspoon water and stir into the slow cooker. Allow it to cook for another 20 minutes on low and stir to combine.
- Don't cook the chicken before adding it to the crockpot. This is not necessary as this is a shredded chicken recipe. It will be cooked until perfectly moist and juicy on its own.
- Use a low-sugar apricot jam if desired. Use your favorite brand you find at the store.
- If you want to make your own onion soup mix, it's easy! Simply combine 2 ½ tablespoons dried minced onion, 4 cubes regular or reduced sodium beef bouillon, crumbled, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Make it faster. Need a last minute dinner with this recipe? Simply combine all of the sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil then immediately lower the heat to simmer. Allow the mixture to simmer until the ingredients marry and it reaches your desired consistency. Lastly, fold in cooked leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken. You could also toss air fried chicken pieces in this sauce.
Storage and Freezing
This apricot chicken recipe is great for meal prepping and keeping in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop for a couple of minutes until warmed through.
You can also freeze any leftover chicken as well for up to two months. Thaw on the countertop or in the fridge overnight and then reheat as instructed above.
What to Serve with Crock Pot Apricot Chicken
There are so many options to make this a complete meal that still keeps it simple in preparation. Here are some of our favorite side dishes:
- 3-Ingredient Savory Rice
- Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Whipped Mashed Potatoes
- Italian-Roasted Potatoes
- Loaded House Salad
- Easy Cooked Vegetables
FAQs
Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or high for 2 to 3 hours until the chicken is moist and easy to shred.
It should be mostly covered in order to fully cooker correctly.
Simply mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 teaspoon of water in a small bowl. Stir into the slow cooker and cook another 20 minutes on low.
More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
- Crock Pot Marry Me Chicken
- Slow Cooker Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Crock Pot Chicken and Gravy
- Slow Cooker Green Chili Chicken
Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 ½-3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breakfast or thighs
- 13 ounces apricot jam
- 1 packet onion soup mix 1 ounce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 1-2 minced fresh garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger or 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- seasoning salt amount as desired
- garnish options: sesame seeds, sliced green onion, or chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- To a slow cooker, add apricot jam, onion soup mix, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, ground ginger, and seasoning salt. Shake ¼ cup water in the empty apricot jam jar, then add to the crockpot. Whisk until well combined.
- Add the chicken breasts or thighs, ensuring the cutlets are well coated.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for about 6 to 7 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Once done, gently shred the chicken using two forks if desired, or serve whole. Spoon the sauce over the chicken for flavor. Garnish if desired.
- Once ready, serve by itself or over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.
Notes
Expert Tips
- It's easy to thicken the sauce if it's too runny. Simply mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 teaspoon water and stir into the slow cooker. Allow it to cook for another 20 minutes on low and stir to combine.
- Don't cook the chicken before adding it to the crockpot. This is not necessary as this is a shredded chicken recipe. It will be cooked until perfectly moist and juicy on its own.
- Use a low-sugar apricot jam if desired. Use your favorite brand you find at the store.
- If you want to make your own onion soup mix, it's easy! Simply combine 2 ½ tablespoons dried minced onion, 4 cubes regular or reduced sodium beef bouillon, crumbled, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Make it faster. Need a last minute dinner with this recipe? Simply combine all of the sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil then immediately lower the heat to simmer. Allow the mixture to simmer until the ingredients marry and it reaches your desired consistency. Lastly, fold in cooked leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken. You could also toss air fried chicken pieces in this sauce.
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