Spicy Apricot Chicken

I can't even remember how I came across the original recipe for this dish. Seems like I've been making it for a couple of years now. I tried making it the other night, but I just couldn't get the flavors quite right. I threw in some chili powder and BAM! there it was. It was a huge hit. I thought it was a bit too spicy, but the guys really liked it. With the chili powder, my BF thought it was a new recipe.

My motto: there's nothing a little chili powder can't fix. Reaffirmed.

Chili powder is a umami. Other umamis include avocado and salt (but I'll use Bragg's if I'm going for a umami). Umami is a Japanese word that means something I can't remember. But! the concept is simple. When your dish is just "missing something," toss in a umami and it will usually fill the flavors right out.

You'll notice that I call for quite a bit of jam. In this recipe, it's a good idea to use no added sugar, all fruit preserves. Yes, I know they're much more expensive than the high fructose corn syrup ones, but it's totally worth it, I promise. You can use all apricot preserves if you like (that's how I used to do it), but I think the bitterness from the orange peel in the marmalade adds another layer of depth to the dish. Don't like it spicy? Just leave out the red pepper flakes and use about half of the chili powder. I would still recommend using the chili powder because, seriously, it was amazing, but you can reduce the amount if you have a sensitive palate.

BTW, did you know that certain flavors will counteract one another? For example, sweet counteracts spice. So if you accidentally put too much chili powder in, you can counter that with a little honey or agave. Soy milk counters nutritional yeast (had to use that one a few times). Too salty? Add something acidic (vinegar, lemon juice, etc). So, while it's best practice to start with less and add more, there are little things you can do to fix things if you goof.

Ingredients:
3-4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 T. olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
1/2 c. apricot preserves
1/2 c. orange marmalade
1 T. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 T. chili powder
1 T. Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or use slightly less soy sauce)

Directions:
Trim any visible fat from chicken breasts. Cut into bite sized pieces and set aside.

Drizzle olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. I usually add a little cooking spray here as well. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion starts to caramelize. Add chicken chunks and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.

While chicken is cooking, combine remaining ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk until combined.

Drain off excess liquid from chicken mixture. Pour sauce over chicken and stir to combine. Bring back to a simmer. If sauce is too runny, combine a tablespoon of arrowroot powder and a little cold water and stir into sauce.

Serve over cooked brown rice or quinoa.