Crispy Chicken With Apricot Glaze

Imperial June 24, 2026June 24, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes, plus 30 minutes marinating
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Quick Ingredients

Chicken: 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 8 pieces
Marinade: 1 cup buttermilk, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Coating: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Frying: 4 cups neutral oil, such as canola, vegetable, or peanut oil
Apricot Glaze: 2/3 cup apricot preserves, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Finish: 2 tablespoons sliced scallions, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, lemon wedges for serving

Do This

1. Marinate chicken in buttermilk, Dijon, salt, garlic powder, and pepper for 30 minutes.
2. Simmer apricot preserves, Dijon, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, honey, and chili flakes for 4 to 5 minutes; whisk in butter.
3. Mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and spices in a shallow dish.
4. Dredge marinated chicken in the flour mixture, press firmly, then rest 10 minutes.
5. Heat 2 inches of oil to 350°F in a Dutch oven or heavy pot.
6. Fry chicken in batches for 5 to 7 minutes, turning once, until deeply golden and 165°F inside.
7. Drizzle or toss with warm apricot glaze, garnish with scallions and parsley, and serve right away.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Crispy, sticky, and bright: The crackly fried coating catches the glossy apricot glaze without turning soggy when served right away.
Sweet-tart balance: Apricot preserves bring fruitiness, while Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, garlic, and soy sauce keep the sauce savory and lively.
Home-cook friendly: Boneless chicken thighs fry quickly, stay juicy, and are easier to handle than large bone-in pieces.
Flexible heat level: Keep it mild and honeyed, or add extra chili flakes for a sweet-spicy finish.

Grocery List

Produce: 2 garlic cloves, 2 scallions, fresh parsley, 1 lemon
Dairy: Buttermilk, unsalted butter
Pantry: Apricot preserves, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, honey, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, neutral frying oil
Meat: 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Full Ingredients

For the Chicken and Marinade

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 8 roughly equal pieces
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Crispy Coating

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons buttermilk marinade, drizzled into the coating to make craggy bits

For Frying

4 cups neutral oil, such as canola, vegetable, or peanut oil, or enough to reach 2 inches deep in your pot

For the Apricot Mustard Glaze

2/3 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon water, only if needed to loosen the glaze

For Serving

2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Flaky salt, optional, for finishing

Crispy Chicken With Apricot Glaze – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Marinate the chicken

Place the chicken thigh pieces in a medium bowl or a zip-top bag. Add 1 cup buttermilk, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Stir or massage the bag until every piece is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for exactly 30 minutes for a quick marinade, or up to 8 hours if you want to prep ahead.

Before dredging, let the chicken sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Slightly taking the chill off helps the pieces fry more evenly and keeps the oil temperature from dropping too sharply.

Step 2: Make the apricot glaze

In a small saucepan, combine 2/3 cup apricot preserves, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon honey, and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Set the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring often.

Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the garlic softens and the glaze looks glossy and slightly thickened. Turn off the heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter until smooth. If the glaze becomes too thick to drizzle, whisk in 1 tablespoon water. Keep the glaze warm on the lowest setting or rewarm gently just before serving.

Step 3: Mix the crispy coating

In a wide shallow dish, whisk together 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the buttermilk marinade into the flour mixture and rub it in with your fingertips to create small shaggy clumps. These little clumps fry into extra-crispy ridges.

Step 4: Dredge and rest the chicken

Lift one piece of chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Place it in the flour mixture and press firmly on all sides so the coating sticks well. Shake off only the very loose flour, then transfer the coated chicken to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pieces.

Let the coated chicken rest on the rack for 10 minutes while the oil heats. This short rest hydrates the flour coating and helps it cling to the chicken during frying.

Step 5: Heat the oil

Pour 4 cups neutral oil into a heavy Dutch oven, deep skillet, or wide pot, using enough oil to reach about 2 inches deep. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350°F on a deep-fry or instant-read thermometer. While the oil heats, set a clean wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet for draining the fried chicken. If you want to keep batches warm, preheat the oven to 200°F.

For the crispiest result, keep the oil between 325°F and 350°F while frying. If it dips below 325°F, pause for a minute and let it come back up before adding more chicken.

Step 6: Fry until golden and juicy

Carefully lower 3 to 4 pieces of chicken into the hot oil, making sure not to crowd the pot. Fry for 5 to 7 minutes total, turning once halfway through, until the coating is deep golden brown and crisp. The chicken is done when the thickest part registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.

Transfer the fried chicken to the clean wire rack and sprinkle lightly with flaky salt if using. Repeat with the remaining chicken, allowing the oil to return to 350°F between batches. Keep finished pieces in a 200°F oven for up to 15 minutes while you fry the rest.

Step 7: Glaze and serve

For the best texture, drizzle the warm apricot glaze over the fried chicken just before serving, leaving some crisp edges exposed. If you prefer a fully sticky finish, place the chicken in a large bowl, spoon over about two-thirds of the glaze, and toss gently for 10 to 15 seconds. Serve the remaining glaze on the side for dipping.

Finish with sliced scallions, chopped parsley, and lemon wedges. Serve immediately while the chicken is hot, crisp, glossy, and fragrant with apricot, mustard, garlic, and chili.

Pro Tips

Use a thermometer for the oil: Frying at 350°F gives you a crisp coating without overcooking the chicken. Too cool, and the coating absorbs oil; too hot, and the outside browns before the inside is done.
Do not skip the cornstarch: Cornstarch lightens the flour coating and helps create that shattering, crunchy texture.
Rest the dredged chicken: Ten minutes on a rack helps the coating adhere so it stays on the chicken instead of floating off in the oil.
Glaze right before serving: The sauce is sticky and delicious, but fried chicken is always crispiest when the glaze is added at the last minute.
Choose preserves with texture: Apricot preserves with small fruit pieces make the glaze look glossy and homemade. If your preserves are very chunky, mash them lightly while simmering.

Variations

Spicy apricot chili chicken: Increase the red pepper flakes to 1 teaspoon and add 1 to 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce or sriracha to the glaze.
Extra tangy mustard-apricot chicken: Use 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard and add 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice to the finished glaze.
Oven-fried option: Coat the dredged chicken generously with cooking spray, place on a wire rack set over a baking sheet, and bake at 425°F for 22 to 26 minutes, flipping once, until 165°F inside. The texture will be lighter and less deeply crisp than frying, but still delicious with the glaze.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Storage: Store leftover chicken and glaze separately whenever possible. Refrigerate the chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days and the glaze in a separate covered container for up to 5 days. Reheat chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet in a 375°F oven for 10 to 14 minutes, or until hot and re-crisped. Warm the glaze separately in a small saucepan or microwave, then drizzle over the reheated chicken.

Make-ahead: The chicken can marinate for up to 8 hours in the refrigerator. The glaze can be made up to 5 days ahead and gently reheated before serving. For the crispiest result, dredge and fry the chicken the day you plan to eat it.

Nutrition (per serving)