Easy Apricot Chicken

This is a quick and easy meal with a great sweet apricot taste and very little prep time. Using the slow-cooker means you can prepare it at lunchtime and give yourself a break in the afternoon.

Ingredients
12 dried apricots
8 medium chicken pieces (about 2 1/2 lb.)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 cup chicken broth

3 cups prepared rice

Preparation
Rinse apricots and scatter them in a slow cooker. Pat chicken dry; season with salt and pepper. Put oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook thighs until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Arrange over apricots.

Pour off all but 1 Tbsp. oil in skillet. Add onion and cook until just soft, 2 to 4 minutes.
Add broth to skillet; turn heat to high. Bring to a boil.

Pour contents of skillet over apricots and chicken. Cover and cook on low heat for 4 hours.

Carefully transfer chicken pieces to a serving dish (they'll tend to fall apart easily); cover with foil to keep warm. Pour remaining contents into a saucepan. Boil, stirring often, until reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes. Pour over chicken. Serve with rice.