This was one of my mother’s favourite dishes when we were kids. It’s easy to prepare and is best served with a pile of fluffy mashed potatoes flavoured with plenty of chopped parsley or creamy kumara scented with grated orange rind.

Ingredients

• 2-3 tblsp oil or butter
• 2-4 rashers bacon, chopped, optional
• 32 gram packet onion soup
• 410 gram can apricots, well drained
• 1/2 cup sour cream, optional
• 4 chicken leg and thigh portions
• 2 onions, peeled and chopped
• 1 tblsp minced fresh garlic
• 1 cup apricot and orange juice or nectar
• 0 salt and pepper to season

Method

1. Cut the leg and thigh portions in half. Remove the skin if wished
2. Heat the butter or oil in a large heat-proof casserole and quickly brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Set aside.
3. Add the onion and bacon to the casserole and cook until softened and lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook a further 2 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan.
4. Mix the onion soup, apricot and orange juice together.
5. Add to the casserole with the well-drained canned apricots. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently on top of the stove for 1 hour until tender. Alternatively cook at 180 degrees Celsius for 1 hour. Season well with salt and pepper and stir in the sour cream if using.