Chicken Breasts With Apricot-Onion Pan Sauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 1/2 ounces dried apricots
2 -3 tablespoons apricot brandy (added to the water)
4 (9 ounce) skin-on boneless chicken breasts
salt
fresh ground pepper
1 pinch of curshed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350\u00b0F
In a bowl, cover the apricots with hot water & 3 Tablespoons of apricot brandy and let stand until soft, about 15 minutes; drain.
Meanwhile, dry the chicken with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
In a stainless steel skillet, heat the oil & crushed red pepper flakes, if using.
Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook over moderately high heat until golden brown, 5 minutes.
Flip and cook about 3 minutes longer.
Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet and roast for about 14 minutes.
Add the onion, garlic, thyme and bay leaf to the skillet.
Season with salt and cook over moderate heat until the onion is tender.
Add the wine and boil until reduced by half, scraping up the browned bits in the skillet.
Add the chicken stock, apricots and apricot preserves and bring to a boil.
Cook over high heat until the sauce thickens.
Off the heat, swirl in the butter until melted.
Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
Season the sauce with salt, & pepper.
Transfer the chicken to plates, spoon the sauce on top and serve.