Chicken With Apricot, Tamarind and Chipotle Sauce

Recipe from Patricia Jinich

Adapted by Joan Nathan

Updated April 3, 2017

  • Darren Higgins for The New York Times
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Total Time
1 hour
Rating
4(209)
Comments
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This Passover dish from Patricia Jinich came to The Times in 2009. For Ms. Jinich, who grew up in Mexico, one of 40,000 to 50,000 Jews, European and Mexican influences ran through Passover and holiday cooking: chicken soups with matzo might feature jalapeños, while meat stews were paired with salsa. Ms. Jinich learned this recipe from Flora Cohen, a woman of Syrian background who taught her and other Jewish brides in Mexico City how to cook. Here, a combination of dried apricots and apricot preserves give this chicken a savory sweetness, while chipotles in adobo add a little heat. —Joan Nathan

Featured in: A Taste of Passover, With a Mexican Accent

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

  • 1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces

  • 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or to taste

  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

  • ½ cup kosher for Passover vegetable oil

  • ¾ cup dried apricots, roughly chopped

  • 3 tablespoons apricot preserves

  • 3 tablespoons tamarind concentrate

  • ¼ cup sugar

  • 2 tablespoons sauce from chipotles in adobo

  • 1 or more chipotle peppers from chipotles in adobo, optional

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 to 8 servings)

21 grams carbs; 113 milligrams cholesterol; 527 calories; 19 grams monosaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 37 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 475 milligrams sodium; 29 grams protein; 17 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Season chicken well with salt and pepper. Place a large heavy skillet over high heat and add oil. Add chicken pieces skin side down in a single layer. Reduce heat to medium and slowly brown, turning occasionally, until browned evenly on all sides.

  2. Step 2

    Pour 4 cups water over chicken, raise heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer. Stir in dried apricots, apricot preserves, tamarind, sugar and chipotle sauce, including 1 or more chipotle peppers if desired for more heat.

  3. Step 3

    Simmer, adjusting heat as necessary, until sauce has thickened enough to coat chicken, about 30 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
209 user ratings
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Comments

Alison

This was excellent! My modifications: I removed the chicken after browning and sautéed 2 cups of thinly sliced onion before going on to Step 2. At Step 2 I replaced 2 cups of the water with chicken stock. The recipe is very generously sauced with 4 cups of liquid, even after taking the chicken out at the end and reducing. Next time I think I'll limit it to just 2 cups of chicken stock. I served this with couscous to which I added toasted almonds.

Barbara

What would a substitute for tamarind be?

Tamar

Flora is my grandmother's sister! They're both amazing cooks, I'm so excited this recipe was featured here.

Seamus

This was delicious. I made the recipe per the instructions. When I tasted it just before serving it felt a bit flat. I added a splash of good apple cider vinegar to add some acid and it brought everything nicely into balance.

Evelyn

Halfway into recipe, realized I was out of chipotles in adobo, so I crossed my fingers and used mole sauce. Different, of course, but very good.

Rebecca

Used less water and added onions as some suggested. Those were great suggestions. Also used much less sugar but added as it cooked down to level of sweetness I liked. It was a big hit for Rosh Hashana dinner. It transported well and reheated well.

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Credits

Adapted from Patricia Jinich

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