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Six 10-to 12-ounce bone-in skin-on or skinless chicken breasts, cut in half the short way

2 medium onions, chopped

2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons turmeric

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups chicken broth

¼ cup all-fruit apricot spread

½ cup chopped dried apricots

1 red or green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

¼ cup buttermilk (regular, low-fat, or fat-free)

Heat a very large skillet or a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Swirl in the canola oil, then add the breasts bone side up. Cook until browned, about 3 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to make sure they’re not sticking. Turn and continue cooking until browned on both sides, about 3 more minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Drain off all but 1 tablespoon fat in the pan and add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes.

Add the ginger, garlic, and bay leaves; cook for 15 seconds. Stir in the turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne. Cook until aromatic, stirring constantly, about 10 seconds.

Pour in the broth, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the all-fruit spread and stir until simmering.

Return the chicken breasts to the pan along with the dried apricots, bell pepper, and vinegar. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer slowly, stirring once in a while, until the chicken is cooked through, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a breast registers 160°F (our preference) or 170°F (the USDA recommendation), 25 to 35 minutes.

Stir in the buttermilk and simmer for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside, covered, for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.

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Looking for other chicken curries? Try the South African–Inspired Chicken Curry, the Cambodian-Inspired Chicken Curry, or the Burmese-Inspired Chicken and Yellow Lentil Curry.

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Sautéed Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts with Mushrooms and Thyme

One-pan simplicity: just sear the breasts, build the sauce, and finish the two together. Avoid using a high-sided Dutch oven for a boneless skinless chicken breast sauté because the pan can inadvertently steam the meat, turning it mushy. Makes 4 servings

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Four 5-to 6-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 medium shallots, minced

8 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

½ cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon stemmed thyme or 1½ teaspoons dried thyme

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon salt

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet or sauté pan set over medium heat. Meanwhile, season the breasts with the pepper.

The moment the butter’s foaming subsides, slip the breasts into the pan and cook, partially covered or covered with a splatter shield, until browned, about 8 minutes, turning once but making sure several times that the breasts are not sticking. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the skillet, then add the shallots. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring once in a while, just until they start to give off their liquid, about 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, thyme, and mustard, then return the breasts to the pan with any accumulated juices.

Cover and cook until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of a breast registers 165°F (our preference) or 170°F (the USDA recommendation), about 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste before serving.

Variations: Substitute fennel seeds, chopped oregano leaves, or chopped rosemary leaves for the thyme.

Increase the mustard to 1 tablespoon and add 2 tablespoons raisins, dried currants, or dried blueberries with it.

Sautéed Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts with Shallots and Radishes

Radishes get incredibly sweet and