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    Summer Chicken Dinner with Red Currants, Apricots, and Honey-Lime Sauce

    By Julia | Updated: Aug 12, 2023 | Published: Aug 10, 2023 | 2 Comments

    391 shares
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    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

    Summer Chicken Dinner with Red Currants, Apricots, and Honey-Lime Sauce is a simple one-pan 30-minute recipe that makes a beautiful, restaurant-worthy presentation! Packed with nutrients, it's a great recipe to use red currants in a savory main dish. This Mediterranean-style recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, and high in protein. I used fresh red currants also known as Ribes rubrum - a member of the gooseberry family.

    Seared Chicken Thighs with Red Currants, Apricots, Honey-Lime Sauce, garnished with lime slices - in a cast iron skillet.

     

    Summer chicken dinner

    Pan-Seared Chicken with Red Currants, Apricots, and Honey-Lime Sauce is a simple weeknight meal that uses basic ingredients, takes only 30 minutes of your time, and requires one pan. The sliced skinless, boneless chicken thighs are cooked with olive oil, paprika, chili powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Then the cooked chicken is combined with slightly cooked apricots and red currants, and everything is smothered in a delicious honey-lime sauce. When the red currants and apricots are in season in the Summer, this restaurant-quality meal might become one of your favorite chicken dinners!

    Seared Chicken Thighs with Red Currants, Apricots, Honey-Lime Sauce, garnished with lime slices - on a plate.

    The ingredients you need

    • Chicken. I pan-seared skinless and boneless chicken thighs, then sliced them thinly.  To make this recipe even simpler, use leftover cooked chicken, grilled chicken, or rotisserie chicken.
    • Red currants. Botanically speaking, they are also known as Ribes rubrum. It's a member of the gooseberry family. These little red berries provide a bold and tart flavor. They are highly nutritious and packed with antioxidants. Red currants are delicious when used in savory recipes, such as in this chicken dinner.
    • Apricots. Buy apricots that are firm and crisp. They should be plump and firm (or slightly soft) to the touch, with unwrinkled skin. Avoid overripe apricots that are easily indented when touched or the ones that have cuts or wrinkled skin.
    • Olive oil is used for searing the chicken and apricots.
    • Honey provides sweetness and a sticky texture to the simple sauce.
    • Lime juice balances out sweet, savory, and tart flavors perfectly!
    • Seasonings. I used paprika, chili powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to generously season the chicken.

    What kind of chicken can you use?

    • Skinless, boneless chicken thighs - this is what I used.  The dark meat of chicken thighs goes really well with all the other flavors.
    • Skinless, boneless chicken breast. You can definitely use chicken breasts. They will cook similarly to the chicken thighs.
    • Chicken Tenderloins or Tenders. It's already sliced, so you can use it as is.

    Seared Chicken Thighs with Red Currants, Apricots, Honey-Lime Sauce, garnished with lime slices - in a cast iron skillet.

    What can you use instead of red currants?

    The next best choice would be black currants (cassis). You can also use raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries. In the Fall and Winter, you can use pomegranate seeds instead of red currants.

    What can you use instead of apricots?

    Use other similar stone fruit. My favorites are yellow peaches and plums. You can also use dried apricots in the Fall and Winter season.

    Cooking tips

    • Add butter if you want a richer sauce.
    • Use either lime juice or lemon juice. Either will work great. I always prefer freshly squeezed juice vs bottled.
    • If you don't have honey, you can use maple syrup, agave, or brown sugar instead.
    • Use fresh herbs, such as fresh thyme, basil, or oregano. They really add a lot to this chicken dish.
    • Make this year-round with simple substitutions. You can make this chicken dinner even when the red currants and the apricots are not in season. During the colder months of the year, you can use pomegranate arils and dried apricots instead.

    Storage and reheating tips

    • Fridge. Store the leftover chicken (with red currants and apricots) in an airtight container for up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing this dish because that will dry out the chicken and turn the apricots and red currants into mush.
    • Reheat in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Check and reheat for 30 seconds more or longer.
    • Reheat on the stovetop. You can also reheat the chicken on medium heat in the skillet on the stovetop. When reheating, heat a small amount of olive oil in the skillet first until it shimmers, and then add the leftovers.

    Seared Chicken Thighs with Red Currants, Apricots, Honey-Lime Sauce, garnished with lime slices - in a cast iron skillet.

    What to serve with it

    • Roasted vegetables. I love roasted Brussels sprouts, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, green beans, onions, and mushrooms.
    • Rice. Serve chicken with red currants and apricots over white rice, brown rice, or even wild rice.
    • Pasta. Prepare a simple side of pasta coated in garlic and olive oil sauce or butter. My favorite is rice-shaped pasta - orzo. It will make a perfect pairing with chicken and apricots. I also recommend fine pasta, such as angel hair. Or short-cut pasta, such as fusilli, penne, or farfalle (bow-tie pasta).
    • Quinoa. Cook quinoa in chicken broth to add richness. Then toss with garlic and fresh herbs.
    • Salad. Serve this with a fresh salad, such as Greek salad with tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, feta, and capers. Or, pair this dinner with Apple spinach salad with pecans.

    Other chicken recipes with Summer Fruit

    • Chicken with Peaches
    • Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Peach Salsa
    • Chicken Pasta Salad with Prosciutto, Peaches, Spinach, Tomatoes, and Mozzarella Cheese
    4.80 from 10 votes

    Summer Chicken Dinner with Red Currants and Apricots

    Summer Chicken Dinner with Red Currants, Apricots, and Honey-Lime Sauce is a simple one-pan 30-minute recipe that makes a beautiful, restaurant-worthy presentation! Packed with nutrients, it's a great recipe to use red currants in a savory main dish. This Mediterranean-style recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, and high in protein. I used fresh red currants also known as Ribes rubrum - a member of the gooseberry family.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Mediterranean
    Servings 4 people
    Calories per serving 395 kcal
    Author: Julia

    Ingredients

    Chicken

    • 1.5 lb chicken thighs boneless skinless
    • ½ teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil

    Apricots

    • 1 pound apricots thoroughly washed, cored, and sliced
    • 3 tablespoons honey
    • 1 lime freshly squeezed juice
    • 1 lime sliced

    Red currants

    • 1 cup red currants
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions 

    Cook chicken

    • Season chicken thighs with paprika, chili powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
    • Heat a large, high-sided, 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. This allows the cast-iron skillet to heat through.
    • Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add chicken thighs. Cook the chicken on medium heat for 5 minutes, without moving it. This allows the chicken to sear.
    • Flip the chicken thighs over, reduce heat to low-medium, and cook for about 5 more minutes or longer until it's cooked through. Remove from heat.
    • Remove chicken from skillet.

    Cook apricots

    • To the same, now empty, skillet, on medium heat, add sliced apricots and slightly cook them in chicken juices, without overcooking, - about 3 or 5 minutes. They should not get mushy.
    • At the very end, add honey and lime juice. Add more honey and more lime juice to taste, if you like.

    Assembly

    • Add red currants to the skillet with cooked apricots. You don't need to cook the red currants - just stir them in.
    • Add back the cooked chicken nestled in between the apricots and red currants. Reheat briefly. Remove from heat.
    • Top with fresh thyme. Garnish with fresh lime slices.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Information
    Summer Chicken Dinner with Red Currants and Apricots
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    395
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    15
    g
    23
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    3
    g
    19
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    0.03
    g
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    8
    g
    Cholesterol
     
    162
    mg
    54
    %
    Sodium
     
    159
    mg
    7
    %
    Potassium
     
    847
    mg
    24
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    34
    g
    11
    %
    Fiber
     
    5
    g
    21
    %
    Sugar
     
    26
    g
    29
    %
    Protein
     
    35
    g
    70
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    2459
    IU
    49
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    33
    mg
    40
    %
    Calcium
     
    61
    mg
    6
    %
    Iron
     
    3
    mg
    17
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition Disclaimer:

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Keyword chicken with red currants, savory recipe with red currants, summer chicken dinner
    Tried this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment and provide a Star Rating below - I love your feedback and try to respond to every comment!

    Seared Chicken Thighs with Red Currants, Apricots, Honey-Lime Sauce, garnished with lime slices - on a plate.

    Seared Chicken Thighs with Red Currants, Apricots, Honey-Lime Sauce, garnished with lime slices - in a cast iron skillet.

    « Red Currant Cake
    Chicken Pasta Salad with Apricots, Spinach, Bacon, and Feta »
    391 shares
    • Facebook108

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Karen Groenewold

      January 12, 2024 at 4:09 am

      Delicious and easy to make. I did add some feta and served with a few boiled spuds.

      Reply
      • Julia

        January 13, 2024 at 1:15 pm

        Karen, I am glad you tried this recipe! ❤️❤️ Thank you for your review - I love the addition of feta!

        Reply

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    Julia is the author of JuliasAlbum.com (a food blog focused on easy dinner recipes, pasta dishes, salads made with seasonal ingredients). In this photo, Julia is pictured wearing a yellow sweater against an Autumn background.

    Hi, I'm Julia!

    I am a full-time food blogger living in beautiful Colorado. I focus primarily on savory recipes (protein-based & fiber-rich main dishes, pasta, salads) using fresh & seasonal ingredients. A food blogger since 2012, I help home cooks create well-balanced and visually appealing dinners (many of which are 30-minute ONE-PAN meals). Find out more about me and my cooking philosophy. 

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