Cheesy Chicken with Apricot Ginger Glaze
6 chicken breast fillets
250 ml apricot juice
1 x round of camembert cheese, sliced into 6 slices
salt and freshly-milled black pepper
180 ml Safari apricots, thinly sliced
45 ml sweet chili sauce
10 ml finely grated ginger root
finely grated rind and juice of a lemon
1 small red pepper, cut into fine julienne strips
4 spring onions, cut into fine long julienne strips
Method
Using a sharp knife, cut a deep slit lengthwise into each chicken breast to create a big pocket. Place them into a large saucepan, add the apricot juice, bring to the boil and reduce heat. Cover and poach for 5 minutes.Now remove the chicken from the cooking liquids, place in a glass or plastic bowl, cover with cling film (to retain its moisture) and set aside to cool down completely. Set aside the saucepan with the cooking liquids until later.
When the chicken is cool, season the insides of the pockets with salt and pepper and slide a slice of cheese into each pocket.
Return the saucepan with the poaching liquids to the heat and add the apricot pieces, sweet chili sauce, ginger, lemon rind and juice and red pepper strips. Bring to a boil and cook rapidly without a lid until the sauce is reduced and thickened to your liking. Remove from heat, stir in the spring onion strips and if necessary, season to taste. Set aside until required.
Heat a little oil and butter in a frying pan and cook the chicken breasts for a few minutes per side or until browned to your liking and cooked through. Take care that you do not cook it for so long that you lose all the cheese through melting out of the breasts.
Place the chicken onto a warmed serving platter, reheat the glaze if necessary and pour over the chicken. Serve with Basmati rice and a green salad.
Serves 6
