Grilled Rosemary Chicken Kabobs with Sweet & Sour Apricot Sauce

Last week, as I was making the grocery list, I asked Jason if he had any meal requests. I ask everytime and rarely (rarely!) get a suggestion but this time he came back with "stuff on the grill." Now while the calendar reads SPRING most of us are still dealing with the brisk chill of winter, which seems to be hanging on for dear life this year. But, he had recently filled the gas tank and was itching to break it in, I guess.

I've never hesitated to use the grill year-round but there is something about "spring" that makes my tummy start craving fresh grilled meats, veggies, and potatoes. So cold or not, we've been grilling at our house lately.

This was the first grill dinner we enjoyed. I pinned it last year and never got around to making it and man, was it delicious! If you're a rosemary fan like myself, you'll especially love it. No need to think about marinating it ahead of time; just toss it in the easy-to-throw-together sauce before threading onto your skewers and whip up the sauce while it grills. 15 minutes later, you've got dinner.

Psst - the red pepper flakes put some heat into this dish, though we thought the apricot sauce was perfect at taming it. If you're extra sensitive, feel free to cut back on it.

Grilled Rosemary Chicken Kabobs with Sweet & Sour Apricot Sauce
3 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary, divided
1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes *see note above
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/4 pound boneless/skinless chicken breasts or thighs, trimmed of fat and cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Combine 2 teaspoons of the rosemary, the brown sugar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Place the chicken in a medium bowl, and drizzle the oil over it, tossing to coat. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the chicken and toss to coat.

Preheat your grill to medium high heat (400-450 F) and oil the grates lightly. While the grill is heating, thread the chicken cubes onto skewers.

Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce: Combine the remaining teaspoon of rosemary, the apricot preserves, a pinch of salt, and the rice vinegar in a small saucepan. Set over low heat and stir until the mixture is just heated through. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

Arrange the kabobs on the grill and cook, turning every 3 minutes or so, until they are slightly charred on all sides and cooked through, about 12-15 minutes total. Transfer to a platter and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Serve with warm dipping sauce.

Source: Pink Parsley