Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken

Mar 03, 2023Updated Jun 07, 2024

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Give your shredded chicken a completely new taste with this Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken recipe. Apricot preserves are mixed with classic Catalina dressing for a sweet and savory sauce mix that is absolutely delicious. Take the guesswork out of what to cook for dinner tonight and give this easy recipe a try.

Pair this apricot chicken with my Slow Cooker Honey Butter Rolls and a side of Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese.

Shredded apricot chicken in a slow cooker.

Why this apricot chicken recipe works
Recipe Ingredients
Step-by-Step Directions
How to serve
Recipe FAQs
Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken Recipe
More chicken recipes for your slow cooker:

Why this apricot chicken recipe works

Putting a delicious meal on the dinner table shouldn’t be stressful. Whether you’re looking for something quick for busy weeknights or something to bring to a potluck, this crockpot apricot chicken recipe has you covered. With a quick prep time and cook time, you can start this meal in the morning and have it ready by dinner.

The ingredients are minimal and are considered some of the most common pantry staples that can easily be found at your local grocery store. This is one of those crockpot recipes to keep on hand when you’re looking for a dump-and-go main course that pairs with just about anything.

Recipe Ingredients

Ingredients for apricot chicken on a table.

Chicken Breasts: Boneless skinless chicken breasts soak up the flavors of the preserves, dressing, and seasoning and are also easy to shred.
Apricot Jam: Use any brand you prefer. Some of the most popular are Bonne Maman, Smucker’s, and Galil.
Catalina Dressing: This dressing is similar to a sweet tomato flavor, which is why it’s ideal to use in salads, pasta salads, burgers, and chicken.
Seasonings: Onion soup mix, red pepper flakes, and black pepper add great flavor to the chicken and marry perfectly with the dressing and jam.

Step-by-Step Directions

Four images showing how to make apricot chicken in a slow cooker.

Step One – Place the chicken into the bottom of the slow cooker.

Step Two – Add the apricot preserves, Catalina dressing, onion soup mix, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Step Three – Stir the sauce ingredients together over the chicken. Cover and cook chicken on LOW for 6 hours.

Step Four – Shred the chicken with two forks or leave the chicken breasts or thighs whole. Serve and enjoy!

How to serve

One of the most common ways to serve this shredded chicken is over a bed of cooked white rice or brown rice.
Turn this meal into a tasty fun meal by serving it as sandwiches on white bread, Italian bread, or hoagie buns.
This chicken also pairs well with baked beans, a green salad, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, and/or a fruit salad.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use boneless skinless chicken thighs?

Yes! Chicken thighs will cook and shred just the same as using chicken breasts.

How do I get the grease from the top of the sauce?

I do this by taking a paper towel and laying it flat over the sauce. I pull up the paper towel after a few seconds and all the grease sticks to the paper towel. Easy peasy.

Are there other preserves that can be used in substitution for apricot?

Although this recipe is “apricot” chicken, you can play around with different jam flavors such as pineapple jam, peach jam, or strawberry jam.

Can I change up the dressing?

Deviating from the original recipe will result in different tastes and flavors. Same as the jam substitutions, you can play around with using French dressing, Russian dressing, or ranch dressing.

How can I make this recipe more hearty?

You can add fresh apricots, add onions that have been sliced or diced, and green bell peppers.

How do I store leftovers?

Store any leftover apricot chicken in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat over medium heat on the stovetop until warmed throughout.

Overhead shot of apricot chicken on rice.

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