Sandy Hanebrink’s Persian Grilled Chicken is a finalist in the Carolina Eats Memorial Day recipe sweepstakes

Sandy Hanebrink's Persian Grilled Chicken is a finalist in the Carolina Eats Memorial Day recipe sweepstakes

For Sandy Hanebrink of Anderson, cooking is a chance to build on fond memories of her family and friends in the kitchen enjoying fresh-cooked meals.

“Cooking is a celebration, especially when it turns out amazing,” says Hanebrink, who is executive director of Touch the Future, an Anderson-based nonprofit that provides accessibility training and assistive technology products and services to seniors and those with disabilities. “It’s also a chance to experiment and create dishes I learn about while traveling, and that friends from near and far share.”

A finalist in the Carolina Eats Memorial Day Chillin’ & Grillin’ Recipe Sweepstakes presented by Ingles, Sandy submitted her Persian Grilled Chicken recipe. Using ingredients from Ingles, Ingles Chef Jasmin Queen prepared Sandy’s recipe in WSPA’s Studio B kitchen with Sandy watching from a safe social distance via Zoom.

The four sweepstakes finalists received a $250 Ingles gift card and a chance to win an LG Kitchen Range from Bob Burnett’s Appliance & Bedding Center in Spartanburg worth $2,299. The winner will be selected at random and announced on Friday, May 22, on Your Carolina.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups dried apricots, chopped
• 2 large or 3 medium apples, cored and chopped (no need to peel)
• 2 large or 3 medium onions, chopped
• 2 ½ -3 lbs chicken pieces, marinated for a 1-2 hours (or longer if you have the time) in a citrus based-marinade of your choice. Sandy uses a mixture of olive oil, orange juice, a bit of lemon juice and a large pinch of Herbs de Provence)
• 2/3 cup dry red wine
• Cinnamon

Instructions

• Heat grill to 350-500
• Mix apricots, apples and onions
• Spread mixture in bottom of large lightly oiled, shallow aluminum pan
• Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade
• Place chicken on top (fairly deep but not covered)
• Pour wine over chicken and fruit mixture
• Sprinkle liberally with cinnamon
• Grill approximately 30 minutes (top should look nicely browned and chicken should be mostly but not completely cooked through)
• Turn chicken over and place on the grill and sprinkle again with cinnamon – lightly this time
• Cook approximately another 10-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through
• Turn chicken to be sure top gets grill marks and golden. If it doesn’t look brown enough, sprinkle with a bit more cinnamon, turn off the grill and return chicken to pan for a few minutes to brown further.
• Serve with a starch of your choice. There is plenty of fruit “sauce” that is more like a chunky compote than a gravy, so consider something that will be enhanced by the sauce.