Description
This Crockpot Cranberry Apricot Chicken is a deliciously tangy and sweet slow-cooked dish featuring tender bone-in chicken thighs glazed with a flavorful sauce made from apricot preserves, cranberry sauce, and a blend of spices. Perfect for an easy weeknight meal, the chicken is first seared to develop a golden skin before being slow-cooked to juicy perfection with a vibrant cranberry and apricot sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 8 bone-in chicken thighs
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt or powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon butter
Sauce
- 1 1/2 cups apricot preserves
- 1 cup French dressing
- 1 envelope dry onion soup mix
- 1 cup cranberry sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 cup frozen cranberries
Garnish
- Parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Sear the chicken: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic salt, onion powder, black pepper, and paprika. Season the chicken thighs all over with this spice mix. Place the chicken in the hot skillet, skin side down, and sear for about 5 minutes until the skin turns golden brown.
- Prepare the sauce: While the chicken is searing, stir together the apricot preserves, French dressing, dry onion soup mix, cranberry sauce, and brown sugar in a separate bowl until well combined.
- Transfer to slow cooker: Place the seared chicken thighs into the slow cooker. Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the chicken. Scatter the frozen cranberries on top to add texture and burst of flavor.
- Slow cook the chicken: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours, until the chicken is tender, fully cooked, and infused with the sweet and tangy sauce.
- Serve: Garnish the chicken with fresh parsley or extra cranberries if desired, then serve hot for a comforting meal.
Notes
- Searing the chicken before slow cooking enhances the flavor and develops a nice texture on the skin.
- Using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs keeps the meat moist and juicy during slow cooking.
- You can substitute fresh cranberries if preferred, just increase cooking time slightly to soften them.
- For a thicker sauce, remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat beautifully.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours (high) or 6 hours (low)
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: crockpot chicken, slow cooker chicken, cranberry chicken, apricot chicken, easy chicken recipe, slow cooked chicken thighs
