This crock pot apricot chicken is sweet, tangy, and fall-apart tender. Four ingredients, ten minutes of prep, and the slow cooker does everything else. A family dinner everyone asks for again.
I started making this apricot chicken years ago when I needed something dead simple on a weeknight and had a jar of apricot preserves sitting in the back of the fridge. I threw it in the slow cooker with some chicken and a couple other things and honestly did not expect much.
It was one of those happy accidents that never leaves your recipe rotation.
The sauce is sweet but not cloying, with a subtle savory depth from the onion soup mix that balances everything out. The chicken gets incredibly tender over the long slow cook and absorbs the sauce all the way through. Served over rice, it’s the kind of dinner that disappears fast at the table and gets asked about at least once a week in my house.
If you love easy slow cooker chicken dinners, you also need to try my crockpot chicken thighs for another set-it-and-forget-it recipe that never disappoints.
➡️ You should try this recipe next: Dump and Go Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Only 4 main ingredients and 10 minutes of hands-on time
- The slow cooker does all the work while you go about your day
- Sweet, tangy sauce that tastes way more complex than the ingredient list suggests
- Works with chicken thighs or breasts
- Kids and adults both love it
- Great for meal prep — tastes even better the next day
What You Need
Chicken thighs are my first choice here. Boneless skinless thighs stay juicy through a long slow cook in a way that breasts sometimes don’t. That said, chicken breasts work perfectly fine too — just check them at the earlier end of the cook time so they don’t dry out.
Apricot preserves are the star of the sauce. A full cup gives you a sauce that’s properly sweet and thick enough to coat the chicken. Use a good quality preserve with real fruit in it rather than a thin, artificially flavored spread. The quality here translates directly to the finished dish.
Russian dressing or Catalina dressing adds the tangy, slightly savory element that keeps the apricot from being one-note sweet. Russian dressing is the more traditional choice. Catalina works and is a touch sweeter. Either one is great.
Onion soup mix sounds like a shortcut ingredient and it is, but it adds a savory depth to this sauce that would otherwise take a much longer ingredient list to achieve. One packet is all you need.
Optional: A tablespoon of soy sauce or Dijon mustard stirred into the sauce before cooking adds an extra layer of complexity if you want it. Not necessary but a nice addition.
How to Make Crock Pot Apricot Chicken
Mix the apricot preserves, Russian dressing, and onion soup mix together in a small bowl until combined. That’s your sauce. Place the chicken thighs in the bottom of the slow cooker in a single layer. Pour the sauce over the chicken and use a spoon to make sure every piece is coated.
Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. The chicken is done when it’s fall-apart tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened around it.
If you want the sauce thicker, remove the chicken when it’s cooked and pour the liquid into a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes until it reduces to your liking, then spoon it back over the chicken.
Serve over steamed white rice with the sauce spooned generously over everything. Scatter fresh parsley on top if you have it.
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Tips
Don’t skip coating the chicken well. Spoon the sauce over every piece before you put the lid on. The parts that sit in the sauce the whole cook time absorb more flavor than any spots that are left dry.
LOW and slow gives the best result. The chicken is more tender after a longer low cook than a shorter high one. If you have the time, LOW for 5 to 6 hours is worth it.
Thicken the sauce if you want it glossier. The slow cooker releases liquid from the chicken during cooking which thins the sauce slightly. Reducing it on the stovetop for a few minutes after cooking makes it noticeably thicker and more restaurant-looking when you plate it.
Taste before serving. Give the sauce a quick taste when it’s done and adjust if needed. A tiny splash of apple cider vinegar brightens it up if it tastes too sweet. A pinch of salt if it needs more savory depth.
Leftovers are incredible. The chicken soaks up even more sauce overnight in the fridge. Day two of this recipe is arguably better than day one.
Variations
Make it spicy. Stir a teaspoon of sriracha or a pinch of red pepper flakes into the sauce before cooking. The heat plays really well against the sweetness of the apricot.
Add Dijon mustard. A tablespoon stirred into the sauce adds a slight sharpness and complexity that takes the flavor somewhere a little more interesting without changing the overall character of the dish.
Use peach preserves. Swap the apricot preserves for peach and the result is very similar but with a slightly warmer, mellower sweetness. Both work beautifully.
Try it with pork. Boneless pork chops or a pork tenderloin in the same sauce for the same cook time. The apricot and pork combination is genuinely excellent. Pairs really well alongside the oven roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
Serve it different ways. Over mashed potatoes instead of rice. Shredded over biscuits. Inside a wrap with some shredded cabbage and rice. The sauce is versatile enough to go a lot of directions.
Substitutions
Chicken thighs can be swapped for chicken breasts — reduce cook time slightly and check at 4 hours on LOW. Bone-in thighs also work and add extra flavor to the sauce, just increase cook time by about an hour.
Apricot preserves can be swapped for peach preserves, orange marmalade, or a combination of the two. The flavor shifts slightly but the method is identical.
Russian dressing can be replaced with Catalina dressing or a French dressing. Each one brings a slightly different level of sweetness and tang.
Onion soup mix can be replaced with a combination of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and dried thyme if you want to avoid the packet. Use about 1.5 teaspoons total of mixed seasonings.
Storage
Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The sauce thickens considerably as it chills. Reheat in the microwave in 60-second intervals with a splash of water or chicken broth to loosen the sauce back up, or warm gently on the stovetop over low heat.
This also freezes well. Cool the chicken completely, portion it into freezer-safe containers with plenty of sauce, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen chicken?
It is not recommended to put frozen chicken directly in a slow cooker. The meat can sit in the temperature danger zone too long at the start of the cook. Always thaw the chicken completely in the fridge overnight before using.
My sauce is too thin. What do I do?
Remove the cooked chicken and pour the liquid from the slow cooker into a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and let it reduce for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. It will thicken as it reduces. Pour back over the chicken before serving.
Can I cook this on HIGH?
Yes. Cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. The chicken will be cooked through and tender. LOW for 5 to 6 hours gives a more fall-apart result since the connective tissue has more time to break down, but HIGH works fine when you need dinner faster.
What goes well with apricot chicken?
Steamed white rice is the classic pairing since it soaks up the sauce perfectly. Mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or cauliflower rice all work too. A simple green salad or some steamed broccoli on the side rounds the meal out without competing with the sauce.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes. Double all the ingredients and use a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Cook time stays the same. This is a great one to batch cook since leftovers reheat so well.
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Description
This crock pot apricot chicken is sweet, tangy, and fall-apart tender. Four ingredients, ten minutes of prep, and the slow cooker does everything else. A family dinner everyone asks for again.
Ingredients
Optional:
To Serve:
Instructions
- Mix together apricot preserves, Russian dressing, and onion soup mix in a small bowl until well combined.
- Place chicken thighs in the slow cooker in a single layer. Pour the sauce over the chicken and spoon it over every piece to coat evenly.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Optional: Remove the chicken and reduce the sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes until thickened, then return chicken to the sauce.
- Serve over steamed rice with sauce spooned generously over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 6
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 380kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 12g19%
- Saturated Fat 3g15%
- Cholesterol 130mg44%
- Sodium 740mg31%
- Total Carbohydrate 32g11%
- Sugars 26g
- Protein 34g68%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Coat every piece of chicken well with the sauce before cooking — the parts fully submerged in the sauce absorb the most flavor.
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