My Chicken Story

Husband Jim prefers legs and thighs to breasts. I prefer chicken breasts and wings. It makes for companionable eating whenever I cook a whole chicken. However, often husband Jim goes to the market and comes home with packages of legs or thighs only. They are, after all, his favorite pieces.

I've searched for recipes for the dark meat that I would find palatable but they were often lacking and found me hoping that packages of legs and thighs would not mysteriously appear in my kitchen.

Until . . . I got the latest Anna Pump cookbook -- "Summer on a Plate" -- and there I found a recipe for apricot-lime baked chicken. Anna suggests using whole chicken legs -- but separated into thighs and drumsticks.

I had a gift package of chicken legs, apricot preserves in the pantry and limes in a bowl on the countertop. Everything to make this dish.

With this recipe, I have now been converted to chicken legs. It is absolutely delicious!!!

Of course, the accompanying apricot mayonnaise didn't hurt. It's a terrific go-with with the apricot-lime chicken, but it's also good as a mayonnaise for ham or chicken sandwiches, hamburgers and thinned a bit, it makes a good salad dressing as well. Of course, I could eat it right out of the bowl -- it is that good!

Husband Jim is happy because I am so fond of this dish. So much so that he has presented me with another gift package of chicken legs!

Apricot Lime Baked Chicken

8 whole chicken legs, spearated into thighs and drumsticks
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 t. hot pepper sauce
1 box peppery daikon sprouts, trimmed (I eliminated this ingredient)

Apricot Mayonnaise:

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/3 cup apricot preserves
1 T. curry powder
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 425

Arrange the chicken legs in a single layer, sking down, in a large roasting pan. Place the garlic, lime juice, apricot preserves, soy sauce, sugar and hot sauce in a food processor fitted with a metal blade, and puree until smooth. Pour the mixture over the chicken and bake 1 1/4 hours, turing the chicken once after 40 minues.

Sprinkle daikon sprouts over a serving platter and pile the cooked chicken on top.

To make the apricot mayonnaise, place the mayonnaise, apricot preserves, curry powder, lemon juice and salt in a bowl. Stir to blend well. Transfer to a serving bowl to offer alongside the chicken.