Fall Apart Oven Slow-Cooked Whole Apricot Chicken

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Not only is this Slow-Cooked Whole Apricot Chicken tender and juicy, but the meat also falls apart.

Slow-cooked in a dutch oven, you will never want to cook a whole chook any other way.

The first time I had apricot chicken, I was at a Girl Guide camp, and I have loved it ever since.

However, I am not a fan of the jar or packet bases. But my recipe for this is just as easy to make, with minimal ingredients needed.

Oh, and I make this with a whole chicken instead. And because it is slow-cooked, the flavour goes right through the meat.  

How to make Fall Apart Oven Slow-Cooked Whole Apricot Chicken.

You will need a dutch oven or an ovenproof dish large enough to fit a whole chicken with a lid for this recipe.

But if you have neither, you can use a slow-cooker; just cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until the chicken is cooked through.

Ingredients

• Whole Chicken
• Dried French Onion Soup Packets
• Tins of Apricot Nector (or you can make your own)
• Apricot halves (tined or fresh)
• Brown Onion
• Lemon
• Cornflour
• Fresh Parsley (for garnishing – optional)

Method

Preheat your oven to 120°C or 250°F. You need a low oven temperature to achieve the right results.

Before starting, make sure the chicken is well-drained, especially if it is a vacuum-sealed chook. I even rinse the inside of the chicken with a little cold water to remove any excess blood.  

Pat the chicken down with paper towel to dry.

Cut the onion and the lemon in half and then one half of the lemon and chicken in half again.

Place the cut halves inside the chicken cavity, then tie the legs together to keep the onion and lemon inside.

In a bowl, pour in the apricot nectar and the dried french onion soup, then whisk well to combine.

Note: I use the tins of apricot nectar for this recipe, but if you like to make your own, feel free to do so.

The french onion soup helps to add flavour. The dried soup mix is better to use instead of the liquid form. This reduces the amount of liquid going into the pot.

Place the chicken breast-side down into the dutch oven. Drain the apricot halves (if you are using from a tin) and place them all around the chicken.

Pour the combined apricot nectar and french onion soup over the top of the chicken. Place the lid on the dutch oven, and place it in the oven to cook for 4 hours.

Once cooked, remove the dutch oven from the oven and carefully remove the liquid from the liquid.

The chicken will be pretty tender and will fall apart easily, so be sure to remove any pieces that have fallen off.

Add the cornflour and water into a separate bowl, then mix well. Add to the liquid in the dutch oven, place over a low to medium heat and stir until the liquid starts to thick.

Note: If you want a thicker sauce, add an extra tablespoon of cornflour to 1 teaspoon of cold water. Remember to mix the cornflour and cold water separately before adding to the hot liquid, or you will end up with the cornflour going lumpy in the mixture. 

Pull off the meat from the chicken, and serve on a bed of rice with the apricot sauce poured over the top.

You can also serve it with our Creamy Garlic and Chives Mashed Potatoes and steamed vegetables or even just on a bed of mashed potatoes.

Why slow cook the chicken in the liquid.

Not only do you get excellent juicy and tender results when the meat just falls apart. But slow-cooking allows the apricot nectar mixture to cook right through the meat itself, giving you the yummy flavour with every bite.