Sesame Apricot Chicken with Charred Scallions Recipe
This Sesame Apricot Chicken with Charred Scallions is a flavorful and easy-to-make baked chicken dish featuring tender chicken breasts marinated with toasted sesame oil and soy sauce, topped with sweet apricot preserves and a spicy chili crisp. Charred scallions add a smoky depth, while the dish is perfectly served over fluffy rice and fresh cucumbers for a balanced and satisfying meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Asian-inspired
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 10 cracks of freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
Vegetables and Toppings
- 10 scallions, sliced in half lengthwise
- 1/4 cup apricot preserves
- A few tablespoons of chili crisp
- Rice, for serving
- Optional: Cucumbers or other fresh vegetables, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and place an oven rack in the top third of the oven to prepare for baking and broiling.
- Prep scallions: Slice the scallions in half lengthwise to expose the inner layers, allowing them to char beautifully in the oven.
- Prep chicken: Cut the chicken breasts horizontally into thinner pieces to ensure even cooking. Place the chicken pieces on a sheet pan and season them evenly with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Drizzle the toasted sesame oil and reduced-sodium soy sauce directly over the chicken to marinate and flavor the meat.
- Add scallions: Toss the halved scallions in some of the toasted sesame oil to lightly coat them with flavor before adding them to the sheet pan.
- Bake: Arrange the scallions on top of the chicken pieces on the sheet pan. Bake this assembly on the placed oven rack for 6 minutes. This roasting step cooks the chicken most of the way and softens the scallions.
- Broil: Switch your oven to the broiler setting and broil the chicken and scallions for 1 to 2 minutes. Watch carefully to achieve a small amount of charring on the scallions, which adds smoky flavor, while finishing cooking the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add apricot preserves and chili crisp: Immediately after broiling, spoon the apricot preserves and chili crisp over each piece of chicken. The residual heat will gently melt the preserves, combining sweet, spicy, and savory flavors.
- Serve: Plate the chicken and charred scallions with a serving of rice and optionally fresh cucumbers or your chosen vegetables. Spoon extra pan juices or drizzle additional sesame oil and soy sauce over the top for added moisture and flavor. Enjoy this humble yet flavor-packed dish!
Notes
- Ensure chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F for safe consumption.
- Use reduced-sodium soy sauce to control salt levels but adjust seasoning to taste.
- Adjust the quantity of chili crisp according to your preferred spice level.
- If you don’t have apricot preserves, other stone fruit jams can be substituted.
- Serve with rice or any preferred grain to soak up the flavorful juices.
Keywords: Sesame Apricot Chicken, Charred Scallions, Baked Chicken, Asian Chicken Recipe, Apricot Preserves Chicken, Chili Crisp Chicken
