Grilled Tandoori Chicken Recipe

Summer is almost over! It’s hard to imagine, but school starts next week for the girls, so I thought I'd use the barbecue one more time before storing it until next season. I marinated chicken breasts in tandoori sauce (I removed the skin because Lulu's aunt who’s visiting doesn't like it).

A generous amount of plain yogurt is necessary to ensure that the meat is moist. The traditional spices from garam masala are also used (cumin, coriander, red chile and other spices). I grilled the chicken breasts for about 10 minutes and the meat was ready to be served. It’s actually a pretty stress-free recipe if -like me-, you have a ready-made jar of garam masala in your pantry.

Honey Garlic Chicken Drumsticks (Barbecue Chicken Drummettes)

Chicken drumsticks are great party food. They are easy to make and everyone, including my little munchkin, loves to nibble on them while having a conversation.

This time around, I seasoned the chicken with a dry rub, then grilled the drumsticks on the barbecue and glazed the chicken until fully cooked. I also used both dried and fresh thyme to flavor the chicken. Our garden is over-flowing with lemon thyme, so I used a food dehydrator my father-in-law gave to me as a birthday present and dried several trays. When dried, herbs have a much stronger flavor, and I’ll be able to use the thyme well into November.

The chicken drumsticks were tender and sweet with a crunchy skin. Get grilling, and enjoy some yourself!

Asparagus Chicken Stir Fry Recipe (Black Bean Sauce Chicken)

I receive many questions and recipe suggestions from readers. It might take a while for me to respond but I want you to know that I read every single one of them and they always fill me with joy. So here's Bill's (a regular reader) recipe for asparagus chicken. I didn’t make many changes; I just added a few more bold and spicy flavors to counteract the blandness of chicken. Specifically, I used black bean garlic sauce and red chiles, in keeping with the Asian theme of the dish.

The key to making sure this dish turns out well is not to overcook the asparagus. I chose to use baby asparagus in this dish but regardless, it should be bright green and still have some crunch . The texture, if cooked properly, is wonderful, and baby asparagus is visually appealing to boot.

For a little background, here's what Bill wrote about the dish:

"I got this recipe a very long time ago while taking a cooking class at “Isle of Skye Kitchen” in Saratoga [California], a combo antique store and vendor of exotic spices ... long gone. It has been a family favorite for years. Here it is with some personal experience updates."

Thanks Bill!

Easy Barbecue Chicken Recipe for July 4th

I have been grilling a lot of poultry lately on the wonderful barbecue grill we purchased this past Memorial Day weekend. I’ve made tandoori chicken and soy sauce quail and they both turned out lovely. I thought it was time to experiment a bit and create a new recipe for the upcoming July 4th weekend. I had a jar of delicious chokecherry jelly that Daddy's friends from Minnesota gave us, and I decided to make a marinade and glaze out of it. The jelly imparts a tangy sweet flavor to the chicken that is perfect for a hot summer day.

If you're having a barbecue this July 4^th weekend, give this grilled chicken recipe a try. It's to die for! For more grilling recipes, check out Mark Bittman's latest post, 101 Fast Recipes for Grilling.

Vietnamese Lemongrass and Chili Chicken Recipe (Ga Xao Xa Ot)

Lemongrass chicken (cơm gà xào xả ớt) is a very delicious and easy Vietnamese meat dish to prepare. To start with, the chicken pieces are marinated overnight to guarantee optimum tenderness. The next day, I prepare a mix of spices made of finely chopped lemongrass, sugar, chili and salt. The dish is completed by combining and sautéing the ingredients in a fry pan.

I love the fragrance and taste of lemongrass. It has hints of sweet lemon and a touch of ginger. It really adds a distinctive flavor, but this dish can easily be ruined if the lemongrass isn't ground properly into a fine, moist powder. It’s important to take time to thinly slice the stalks of lemongrass before grinding them.

In case you’re interested, growing lemongrass is very easy. All you need to do is trim it often. My husband Lulu planted 4 "bushes" of lemongrass a few years ago. I gathered 4 stalks from the garden and made both lemongrass tofu (tàu hủ xả ớt) and lemongrass chicken for dinner tonight. The plants are quite prolific, and if you use a lot of lemongrass in your cooking, it’s worth planting some in your garden.

Note: Glossary of relevant Vietnamese cooking terms.

Thịt gà = chicken

Thịt = meat

Cơm = rice

Xào = stir fry

Ớt = chile

Xả = lemongrass

Tàu hủ or Đậu hủ = tofu