Once you’ve had your fill of spicy marmalade on toast, whip up these easy marmalade chicken ‘fingers’ for a quick weeknight meal. Empty a jar, do a little victory dance, and enjoy a delicious dinner. Leftovers are fabulous in a cold chicken sandwich (or straight from the fridge, washed down with OJ from the carton. Not that I would ever condone such a thing. Put it on a plate, son: you’ll enjoy it more.)

Inspired by this great article in the Oregonian’s FOODday on using jams in savory dishes, especially Apricot Chicken Wings by Marisa at Food in Jars. 

———————————————————-

Marmalade Chicken Fingers

INGREDIENTS

• 1 and 1/2 lbs chicken breast (I used boneless, skinless)
• 4 tbsp butter, divided
• salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
• about 1/4 cup white wine (for deglazing)
• 1, 8-oz jar of marmalade (I used a zucchini orange marmalade)
• 3 large garlic cloves, slivered
• juice of 1 lemon (about 1/4 cup)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

METHODS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Rinse the chicken and pat very dry.  Sprinkle breasts on both sides with salt, freshly ground black pepper and a touch of cayenne.
3.  Heat 1 tbsp of butter in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Once butter melts and foam begins to subside, add chicken breasts, one at a time, and sear both sides until lightly brown, about 1 – 2 minutes per side. Remove to a clean plate.
4. Deglaze the pan with a splash or two of white wine (use just enough to cover the bottom of your pan). Scrape up the browned bits of fond from the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low; add marmalade, remaining butter, garlic, lemon juice and salt. Bring to a simmer and, stirring frequently, cook the sauce untils it reduces slightly, about 5 – 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, slice chicken breasts lengthwise into “fingers”, keeping the individual pieces as consistent in size as possible. Add any accumulated juices on the plate to your pan sauce.
6. Add chicken to the skillet; stir to coat in marmalade sauce, then transfer skillet to the oven. Roast, uncovered, until cooked through (thickest part of the finger reads at least 165 degrees F on an instant thermometer; I like mine at about 170 degrees F), about 20 minutes. Be careful not to overcook; start checking internal temperature at 15 minutes.
7. When fully cooked, remove chicken to a clean serving platter; return skillet to the stove top and reduce the marmalade sauce over high heat, stirring constantly, until thick & jammy.  Taste and adjust seasonings. Pour hot sauce over chicken and serve.

Serves 4 – 6.

OPTIONS

1. Match your flavorings to your marmalade: a grapefruit-vanilla bean marmalade may call for a touch of vanilla extract and a deglaze with bourbon or rum; a bright and acidic lemon marmalade may call for a touch of honey or fresh herbs.
2. Marisa’s chicken wing recipe uses apricot jam, which sounds equally delicious. A habanero or chile pepper jam is intriguing as well.

STORE

Refrigerated, for up to 1 week.

SEASON

With wintry citrus marmalade, this is a perfect dish for winter, but can be made year round.