Recipe: Apricot Barbecue Chicken

The baked chicken dish Dana taught me was so good that I made it again a few weeks later for a dinner party. It's tangy yet sweet, with a little crunch from the onion soup mix -- it could also be prepared with mixed vegetables. I like it over brown rice with a side salad and think it's a modern take on a down-home meal.

Dana gave the recipe from memory and I made it on the spot, so proportions were eyeballed and approximate. Taste the sauce as you go! With these easy ingredients, you really can't go wrong.

Apricot Barbecue Chicken

Ingredients (Recipe is approximate and to taste):
-Count on about 1 chicken breast per person (or use whatever pieces you prefer). Double or triple the chicken if you want to make multiple meals to freeze.

-1 medium to large jar apricot jam or spread, preferably low-sugar.

-1 medium jar barbecue sauce

-1-2 packs Lipton's Onion Soup Mix

-1/3 small onion

Instructions:
*Note: A "glug" is along the lines of the 1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi counting technique, which is both a useful tool for approximate recipes and some ironic cooking humor since I live very close to the actual Mississippi.

Pre-heat oven to 375.

Trim and slice chicken -- I cut breasts into about four pieces each.

Using a large plastic freezer bag, combine barbecue sauce, jam, and one packet soup mix. For 4-6 chicken breasts (or as many will fit in the plastic bag), use about 4 *glugs sauce, 4 non-leveled tablespoons of jam, and 1 packet of soup mix. Mix well, then add chicken and massage bag until chicken is well coated.

The proportions on this really are to taste, and depend on how much sauce you want, how sweet you want it, and the flavors in the barbecue sauce. Both times, I've used more jam than I would have expected. The second time, I made less sauce.

Pour bag contents into appropriate sized Pyrex or baking dish(es). Top with sliced onion.

You can also mix the ingredients in a bowl or the Pyrex itself before adding the chicken; just make sure the chicken is coated well.

Bake for around 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked.