Recipe For Apricot Chicken

Apricot Chicken

Ingredients

.....4 chicken breasts, boned and skinned
.....30 ounces apricot halves, well drained, reserve juice
.....1/2 cup almonds, blanched, toasted, and slivered
.....1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
.....1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
.....2 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs
.....3 tablespoons brown sugar
.....1 cup dry vermouth
.....5 tablespoons butter
.....1/4 cup lemon juice
.....1 tablespoon cornstarch

Preparation

Place each chicken breast between two sheets of waxed paper and pound until 1/4 inch thick.

To prepare stuffing, chop one half of the apricots coarsely. Combine the chopped apricots with the almonds, nutmeg, cinnamon, bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons vermouth. Divide the stuffing evenly between the chicken breasts. Place stuffing in a line in the center of each breast. Place 1/2 tablespoon butter on top of stuffing before rolling each breast tightly and securing with a toothpick or a piece of string at each end.

Melt remaining butter in a frying pan. Brown chicken rolls on all sides. Add remaining vermouth, lemon juice, and remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar to the pan and simmer covered for 25 minutes or until chicken is tender. Add remaining apricot halves to sauce to heat through. Stir cornstarch in 1/4 cup reserved apricot juice and stir into sauce. Continue to heat and stir until thickened. Place chicken rolls in center of serving platter and top with sauce.

Yield: 4 servings