Entree / Principal Chef

Kale Salad with Roasted Chickpeas and Avocado

There are still plenty of people who are not kale fans. I get it. It’s a little chewy, and very unlike crisp romaine or iceberg lettuce. But this is a dish that gets rave reviews at potlucks in our neighborhood, and believe me, you better be on your A-Game when you bring food to potlucks around here. We are surrounded by amazing cooks. Jill adopted this recipe from one on the NYT cooking site, and it is a year long favorite.

Ingredients

Dressing Ingredients

⅔ cup Olive Oil

⅓ cup Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1 tsp Salt

5 Garlic Cloves, gently pressed with the flat end of a knife

Chickpeas

14 oz Chickpeas (1 Can), drained and rinsed

2 tsp Olive Oil, or olive oil spray – enough to coat the chickpeas

2 tsp Seasoning – We use Penzey’s Turkish Seasoning, but a mix of salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic will always be good!

Salad Ingredients

4 cups Kale leaves, removed from stems, chopped, and massaged. There is some debate about massaging kale, but vigorously squeezing the kale leaves a few times makes them a little more approachable. I'm a fan.

2 cups Sliced Unsalted Almonds, Toasted

1.50 cups Grated Parmesan Cheese (Optional – Omit it to make this vegan)

2 Avocados, cut into bit sized pieces or slices

So many other ingredients can be added – Quinoa, tomatoes, fresh peas, you name it!

Directions

Roast the Chickpeas

We use our air fryer for this, but it’s easy to use your oven too. Lightly coat the chickpeas with olive oil, add Turkish Seasoning or Spice Mixture. Cook at 400 degrees for for 15-20 minutes, turning at least once, until browned and crispy.

Make the Dressing

Mix Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Salt, and Garlic Cloves. Remove garlic cloves after 20-30 minutes.

Preparing the Salad

Mix dressing and kale. Add all remaining ingredients and mix again. You may want to lay the avocado on top, as people may argue they did not get their fare share of avocado. This may or may not have happened in our house a few times.

Enjoy!

Charlie Bird Farro Salad

I originally saw this recipe in Ina Garten’s Cook Like a Pro cookbook, but I have since seen it on Food Network and on the NYT Cooking site. They are all copying a recipe from the Charlie Bird restaurant, and it’s worth it. Chewy farro pasta (and you sound like quite the culinary expert when you say you’re cooking farro in your house), fresh herbs, and lemony goodness. You have to try it! (Picture from Barefoot Contessa – https://barefootcontessa.com/recipes/charlie-birds-farro-salad)

Ingredients

Farro

1 cup Dried Farro (You’ll find it in the pasta or the rice section of your grocery store)

1 cup Apple Juice or Cider

2 Bay Leaves

2 tsp Salt

Dressing

½ cup Olive Oil

¼ cup Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Black Pepper (Table Grind)

Salad Ingredients

1 cup Fresh Parsley, destemmed and and chopped

1 cup Fresh Mint Leaves, Roughly chopped

1 cup Cherry Tomatoes, chopped or quartered

4 Radishes, as colorful as you can find, sliced thinly. (Adjust number based on your appreciation of radishes!)

⅔ cup Pistachios, slightly chopped

2 cups Arugula, chopped

½ cup Shaved Parmesan Cheese

Directions

Preparing all ingredients

Cook the farro in 1 cup of apple cider and two cups water, adding two tsp salt and two bay leaves. Cook until all liquid is absorbed. Remove bay leaves and cool. The apple cider is key to this recipe. It adds depth and sweetness to the salad.

Make the dressing by mixing all ingredients together, and set aside.

Chop all salad ingredients.

Take a wedge of Parmesan cheese and create slices. I use a vegetable peeler for this.

Making the Salad

Restir the dressing, then mix it in with the farro. The dressed farro will soon spread its goodness to the rest of the salad.

Mix in all ingredients except arugula and shaved parmesan.

Fold in the arugula, and then lay the parmesan slices on top.

Enjoy!

Arugula and Quinoa Salad

One of the few restaurants we can actually walk to is Kristy’s Village Cafe. When we do, we usually start by splitting a Quinoa Salad that is just fantastic. I like it so much that I’ve copied it, and we now eat it three or four times a month at home. Here is a not-too-complicated copy cat recipe for four people. The quinoa makes it a potential meal in itself, especially when you add a protein on top or on the side. This recipe calls for a balsamic vinegrette, which you can make yourself or purchase.

Ingredients

The Quinoa

1 cup Quinoa – any kind will do. We typically use tri-color. This is more than enough and will leave you leftovers if you want it.

Dressing

½ cup Olive Oil

¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

¼ tsp Salt and Pepper

Greens and Stuff

6 cups Arugula

2 cups Cherry Tomatoes, cut in halves or quarters

6 oz Fresh Mozzarella cheese, cut into small pieces (You can use other cheeses, but the Moz works well)

1 Avocado, sliced into bite size pieces (1/2 inch or so)

⅔ cup Pistachios – chopped

Directions

Cook the quinoa according to the directions on the box. We cool it down in the fridge before mixing it into the salad. My friend Laurie spreads it on a baking sheet and browns it to provide some extra crunch. I have not yet tried that, but I will!

Make the dressing by mixing all ingredients, or simply use your favorite store-bought balsamic dressing. We love the Stonewall Kitchens Balsamic Fig dressing.

Mix the arugula and quinoa together. Start with 1 cup of quinoa, and add more until you get the mixture you would like.

Add dressing to this mixture and mix in.

Plate and top with cheese, tomatoes, avocado pieces, and pistachios. We do it this way so that everyone gets an even share of topping goodness, so there is no topping envy at the dinner table.

Enjoy!

Coconut Fish

What a fantastic, fancy, and relatively easy recipe this is. It’s our new favorite. This is adapted from Yewande Komolafe’s New York Times recipe, and we just love this it. Sweet, mild, with a little spice. It works great with rice, which soaks up the extra delicious sauce. Crusty French bread would work well too. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

Marinade/Sauce

14 oz Coconut Milk (1 Full Can)

1 stick Ginger (2″ long or so, diced or cut into small matchsticks)

4 Garlic Cloves, peeled and chopped

1 tsp Tumeric

1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

1 tbsp Honey

1.50 tsp Kosher Salt

1 Lime, Squeezed and Zested

½ cup Cilantro, stemmed and chopped

Fish

2 lbs White Fish (Chilean Sea Bass and Halibut both work beautifully)

3 cups Cherry Tomatoes

Directions

Mix all of the marinade ingredients together.

Add fish to the marinade, as fully submerged as possible, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until ready to cook.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Have a center shelf for baking, and a top shelf if you want to broil it for color at the end.

Prepare a casserole dish. Remove fish from marinade, placing filets in the casserole dish, with at least 1″ of space between each filet. You want the fish to nearly fill up the dish.

Pour marinade over fish, leaving at least one half inch of the fish rising above the marinade.

Add tomatoes, filling in the spaces in between the filets.

Add dish to the oven. The length of time depends completely on the thickness of the fish. 8-10 minutes a good estimate. I am a big fan of using my Thermapen thermometer, and getting the fish to reach 135 to 145 degrees.

if you want a little more color, remove the fish when it is ready. Place the oven on low broil. After 5 minutes, place the fish on the top shelf and watch carefully. When the browning starts, it’s time to remove it. I don’t believe this step is necessary, but the NY Times loves what it does to the fish and tomatoes. I’ve done it both ways, and there is a little more show-stopping look with the broiler.

Ramen

We went to Tokyo, Japan in February of 2024. Our youngest son was studying over there, and we felt we were obliged to at least try to understand a little of what he was experiencing. It was cold, a little rainy, and absolutely wonderful. We restricted our visit to Tokyo, but the largest city in the world has plenty to offer. We loved the food – the sushi, the gyoza, and the ramen. We even took a Ramen and Gyoza making class. This ramen recipe is a version of what Chef Andrew Baba Rowe (www.babaramen.com) taught us to make. It’s a little less complex than his version, but after trying it several times, I’m very happy with it. Let me know what you think!

Ingredients

Men-Dare Ingredients

1 cup Soy Sauce (I prefer low sodium)

1 cup Filtered Water

¼ cup Sake

¼ cup Mirin

4 Cloves Garlic (Sliced)

1 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced

1 tbsp White Granulated Sugar

12 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

2 tsp Bonito Flakes (Optional)

Ingredients for Ramen

2 cups Broth – Chicken, Pork, Beef, Veggie (That’s the amount per person)

1 Medium-Boiled Egg (6 minutes in boiling water, then cooled down)

⅓ lb Protein – Ground pork, sliced chicken, fried chicken (boneless), salmon, shrimp, tofu

½ cup Cooked veggies (Bok Choy, Mushrooms, Broccoli)

¼ cup Cilantro, de-stemmed and chopped

1 Green Onion, sliced

½ tsp Aroma Oil for the top – I recommend chili oilOne of the final touches of a ramen is to put some kind of oil on the top that the eater will smell mixing in with all of the other flavors. It's why ramens may seem a little fatty, but it's just a little bit for flavor on the surface. My favorite is chili oil, but you can also use some rendered chicken fat, or anything else you would like.

Directions

Making the Men-Dare

The key to all of this is the Men-Dare – a secret sauce that you store like a sourdough starter in your refrigerator. Make it once, and it will last you for a while. I think there’s enough in this recipe for 25-30 servings of Ramen.

Mix all of the ingredients together, and let them sit for a while. (1 hour, 6 hours, or best, up to 24 hours)

Then slowly bring the mixture to a boil for, turning off the heat once it has reached boiling point.

Let cool, then strain liquids into a jar. Seal and store in the refrigerator until you ready to use it. You will use about 1/8 cup per serving. The Men-Dare will last a long time. I plan to either use mine in a year or get rid of it and make a new batch. I will be disappointed if I don’t use it all!

Assembling the Ramen

Ramen can be anything. What’s in your pantry? What’s in your refrigerator? The main thing you have to figure out is the broth. True ramen-makers spend three full days making the broth. I spend three full seconds opening a box of it. Sorry, purists.

Our go-to broth these days is Organic Imagine Vegetarian No-Chicken Broth. We use it for everything. Find (or make) a broth you love.

Next – Figure out your noodles. They can be anything. Our current noodle of choice is Trader Joe’s Thai Wheat Noodles. They are precooked and vacuum sealed in single serving pouches. Super easy! But anything will do. I loved the udo noodles in Japan – big thick chewy noodles. And I have some frozen ones, but so far, I don’t like them as much as the ones from TJs.

Preparing Ingredients

Ramen can be simple – just noodles and broth, or it can be an artistic masterpiece full of ingredients. My favorite ingredients are:
Medium Boiled Egg cut in half (The recommended eggs are cooked, peeled, placed in a bowl with hot Men-Dare mixture poured over them, refrigerated for 24 hours, then served. I haven’t done that yet, but I will!)
Ground Pork – cooked and seasoned with soy sauce, black pepper, and garlic. Though I must say – we had fried chicken thighs in our cooking class, and it was outstanding.
Bok Choy – Cooked
Cilantro – chopped and de-stemmed
Green Onions – Chopped

Assembling the Ramen

Place 1/8 cup (2 Tbsp) of Men-Dare in Bowl

Add 1.5 to 2 cups of broth to Bowl

Lay in cooked noodles

Sprinkle the aroma oil (chili oil or other) on top of the broth.

Place other ingredients on top, as artistically as possible!

Eating the Ramen!

I was told the proper ramen etiquette is to first smell the ramen, then taste one spoonful of both, then go to town with chopsticks, and slurping the noodles in considered a sign of respect. I wish I had known that as a kid – I could have corrected my mom when she told me to stop slurping my spaghetti!

Alternative Quantity

One last note – if you wanted to make a Men-Dare for just one meal – you could use these proportions for two servings
– 1.5 Tbsp Soy Sauce
– 1.5 Tbsp Water
– 1 tsp Sake
– 1 tsp Mirin
– 1 Garlic Clove, Sliced
– A little ginger, sliced
– 1/2 tsp white granulated sugar
– 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

Lentil Loaf

Ingredients

1 cup Dry Brown Lentils (or 2.5 cups precooked Lentils)

1 Small to Medium Yellow or Sweet Onion, Finely Diced

4 Stalks Celery, finely diced

3 Yukon Potatoes

1 tsp Garlic Powder

0.50 tsp Salt

1 tsp Black Pepper

0.25 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

2.50 cups Vegetable Stock (just two cups if using precooked lentils)

1 tbsp Soy Sauce or Tamari

2 tsp Poultry Seasoning

1 tsp Hot Sauce (Cholula or your favorite)

0.75 cup Bread Crumbs or Crushed Crackers

0.50 cup Shredded Cheddar (Sharp or Medium)

5 Eggs, Beaten

Tomato Sauce

1 cup Ketchup (Blend in a little BBQ sauce/Gochujang/Other Favorite if you wish)

2 tbsp Brown Sugar

1 tbsp Yellow or Dijon Mustard

0.50 tsp Hot Sauce (If not already blended in above)

Directions

Making the Lentil Loaf

If using dried lentils, soak them in hot water, while you dice and prepare all vegetables.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add a little vegetable/canola oil to large dutch oven. Add chopped onion, celery, carrots, and potatoes. Stir in garlic powder and pepper flakes after a few minutes. Cook until veggies start to soften.

If soaking the lentils in hot water, drain them. Add lentils to the veggies, along with vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat, cooking until most of the liquid is absorbed. It will take about 1 hour for dried lentils, and about 30 minutes for precooked. Rest and cool for 30 minutes. (You don’t have to let it rest that long, but it will make putting in the eggs a little less tricky.)

While you are waiting, prepare the loaf pan. Put some parchment paper into the loaf pan, pushing it down, then cutting off the excess so there’s about one inch rising above the edge of the pan.

Mix in soy sauce or tamari, poultry seasoning, hot sauce, and crackers. Then stir in eggs and cheddar. (if the mix is still hot, making sure you are stirring quickly when adding the eggs. Mixing in a little of the lentil mixture into the eggs first can make that easier.) The consistency should be like oatmeal or grits or macaroni and cheese before baking. Thick, and glopping, not pouring off the spoon as you spoon it into the prepared pan.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan.

Bake for about 90 minutes. I know. It’s a long time. The internal temp should be around 190, and it should be firm to the touch.

While you are cooking it, make the tomato sauce by mixing all of the ingredients together and heating to combine them.

In the last 15 minutes of baking the loaf, spread 1/4 to 1/2 of the tomato mixture on top.

Cool slightly, slice, and serve drizzling more tomato sauce on top. At the Sweet Melissa Café in Laramie, Wyoming, they make this ahead of time, and heat it up by letting it sizzle on the flattop grill. It’s a Guy Fieri DDD-approved dish and recipe. Check it out!

Blackened Salmon

We love Salmon in our house, and we have a variety of ways to prepare it. Blackened salmon is one of our favorites, and I would say we eat it twice a month! It’s spicy, and such an easy preparation. If you make extra spice mixture, then there’s hardly any work at all in the preparation when you make them the next time.

You can buy salmon fillets from your market. This may sound crazy, but we love the Costco frozen salmon farm-raised salmon fillets. They are so easy, and with just 1 hour of soaking them in water, we are ready to make this any time. I know fresh is better, and we do that sometimes too, but this is a great recipe, whether you use fresh or frozen fillets. I think one of the keys to finishing the salmon is a liberal lemon squeeze on it when you plate it. It makes it sparkle and you can taste the difference.

Enjoy! – Mike

Ingredients

2 tbsp Paprika (I used Smoked Paprika)

1 tbsp Black Pepper (Course is better than Shaker Grind)

2 tsp Brown Sugar

1 tsp Kosher Salt

2 tsp Garlic Powder

2 tsp Onion Powder

1 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 tsp Oregano

1 tsp Thyme

4 Salmon Filets

Butter or Olive Oil

1 Lemon, Cut into wedges for squeezing

Directions

Mix all spices together. This should be enough for two dinners at least. I keep a spice jar of it in my spice drawer so I am ready to go at a moment’s notice.

Coat salmon fillets with a little olive oil or butter, then spoon or shake spice mixture onto salmon. Press into the salmon to make sure it is affixed. Let sit for 10 minutes or so. Do not add additional oil or butter. You don’t need it!

On your stove or on your outdoor grill, heat a cast iron skillet until it begins to smoke. Without adding any oil to the pan, place salmon, spice side down, into the skillet. You don’t need to press down. You don’t need to move it around at all. Let it sizzle for 4 minutes.

With a metal spatula, slide under the salmon, keeping the edge as close to the pan as possible, and flip each piece over. You are going to want to cook it until it is 130 to 135 degrees internal temperature. It’s probably another four minutes, depending on the thickness of the filets.

Plate the salmon, spice side up, and squeeze a lemon wedge over it, and serve. You will love it!

Belgian Waffles

Waffles for breakfast! Chicken and waffles for dinner! Invest a few bucks in a waffle iron and you are ready!

Ingredients

2 cups All Purpose Flour

2 tbsp Sugar, Granulated

2 tbsp Baking Powder

1.50 tsp Kosher Salt (1 tsp regular salt)

2 Eggs, Beaten

1.50 cups Milk, Warmed

6 tbsp Butter, Melted

1 tsp Vanilla

Directions

Mix dry ingredients together.

Add milk and eggs and stir in.

Add Melted Butter and Vanilla

Stir together and let it sit for 5 minutes. The consistency should be like of a thick batter, but still thin enough to pour without clumping. It should slowly ooze to fill in the bottom of the waffle iron. If you need a spoon to spread it, it’s too thick. If it quickly fills, it’s too thin. Add milk as needed.

Follow your waffle iron’s directions. Use as little batter as you can while still filling the bottom. When it comes out, if the batter is right, it will be crispy on the outside and a little airy in the inside.

There’s so much butter, I don’t add more, but I get if if you want it. Add syrup, pecans, fruit or whatever floats your waffle!

Eggplant Parmesan

This is Jill’s favorite dish that I make. Therefore, I make it a lot! A little marital advice from principalchef: when your spouse is nice enough to be clear about what he/she likes, try to do THAT as much as you can. Of course, if that something is a bit too much, then Meatloaf was right. Where was I? Oh yes – this is Jill’s favorite dish – she loves the non-fried eggplant slices, and the bread crumbs are incredible. The bread crumbs are like a dish by themselves! My thanks to Ina Garten for another great recipe!

Ingredients

3 Eggplants, Average size, not too thick or thin

4 cups Marina Sauce, Your Favorite Jar

0.75 cup Fresh Basil

1 lb Fresh Mozerella, Sliced and Quartered

1.50 cups Shredded Parmesan

1 French Bread Loaf (1-2 Days Old is Best)

8 Cloves Garlic, Peeled(We use at least 12, but we have garlic addiction issue in our house)

Olive OIl

Salt, Pepper, Italian Seasoning

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Take 3 eggplants and slice into 1 cm wide pieces (Ina’s tip: Cut the eggplant in half, lay on flat side, and cut safely and easily.)

Lay eggplant slices on cookie sheets covered with foil (you’ll need 3 1/2 sheets). Brush with olive oil and season lightly with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Repeat on other side.

Roast eggplant at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Turn over and roast for 15 minutes until there is some brown on top. Take out of oven and cool.

While eggplant is roasting, tear french bread and place in food processor. Add garlic cloves and give it a whir until it looks like bread crumbs.

Add 1/4 cup of basil leaves to crumbs.

Process again until you have beautiful basil-ly and garlicky fresh bread crumbs. Mix with 1/4 cup olive oil, and set aside.

In a deep casserole dish, start the lasagna-style layering. Start with 1/3 of the sauce and lay 1/3 of the eggplant on it.

Add 1/3 of the fresh mozzarella and parmesan. Note: If you to make it super cheesy – adding some shredded mozzarella works. It still feels very cheesy without it. Of course, if some cheese is good, then more cheese . . .

Repeat on for the second layer, but add the rest of the basil (chopped) to the top of that layer.

Add the third layer, then add enough bread crumbs to cover completely.

Cook at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes (until the bread crumbs are brown and the sauce is bubbling) and you are set! Let it cool for at least 10 minutes (20 is better) and you are ready to serve!

Split Pea Soup

I’ve had this recipe for over 30 years, written on a note card. I can’t even remember where I got it. But I love it and it’s a staple in our house in the fall and winter. I serve it with my Irish Soda Bread recipe and it always feels like a wholesome, healthy, and very tasty meal.

Ingredients

2 tbsp Olive Oil

2 tbsp Butter

1 Onion, white, yellow, or sweet, chopped.

4 Carrots, choppedI love carrots and always add more – they add color and contrast.

4 stalks celery, chopped(More if they are smaller stalks)

3 cups Cabbage, shredded

1 lb Dried Split Peas

8 cups Vegetable Broth

2 cups Water(It's 10 cups of liquid – any combination of broth and water will do)

1 tsp Basil

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp Marjoram

½ tsp oregano

¼ tsp sage

¼ tsp tarragon

¼ tsp celery seed

1 tsp Salt (more if broth is unsalted)

2 tsp Pepper

Fresh Parsley or other fresh herbs for garnish, if desired

Directions

Heat butter and oil in large dutch oven.

Tip – drop a few pieces of onion in there when you add the oil and butter. Forget about it until you hear them start sizzling, then you can add the remainder. Great tip for multi-taskers!

Add vegetables (onion, celery, carrots, and cabbage) and sauté seven to ten minutes until soft.

Add broth, water, and split peas.

Add spices and stir in.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a a wide variety of spices, and I don’t keep all of them in my drawer. Don’t go out and buy the ones you don’t have. This recipe would be great with just salt and pepper. Use what you have. My last round I used salt, pepper, basil, oregano, sage, and tarragon. And it will be different next time!

After it gets to a boil, cover and simmer for 90 minutes, until the consistency is what you like.

Fried Rice

I love fried rice. For us, it’s not a side dish. It’s a one bowl meal. The key is thinking a little bit ahead and having some one to three-day old rice in the fridge. If you keep some shrimp (Trader Joe’s Argentinian) in your freezer, or if you have some crab (Costco) in your fridge, you are ready. Take stuff that’s already in your fridge, freezer, and pantry, add some cooked rice from the night before, and go out there and be a fried rice hero!

Ingredients

3 cups White Rice, Leftover and Chilled

1 Onion, diced

6 Garlic Cloves

2 tsp Ginger, Minced(I usually don't have ginger, or ginger paste, but it's nice when I do)

2 cups Diced Vegetables (Peas, Carrots, Broccoli, Celery, Anything you like!)

2 Eggs, beaten

⅓ cup Soy Sauce or Tamari Sauce for less sodium

2 tsp Sesame Oil

1 tbsp Black Pepper(That's not a typo – Black Pepper is KEY for this dish!)

2 Green onions, for garnish

3 tbsp Cooking Oil – Canola or Peanut

1 lb Cooked Crab/Shrimp/Sausage/Pulled Pork/Chicken/Tofu or anything leftover that’s tasty!

Directions

I start by making a super thin omelette, taking it off the heat, and slicing into 1/4″ slivers to mix in the fried rice later. Set aside or refrigerate.

Chop your vegetables!

Create your mixture – Soy Sauce, Pepper, Sesame Oil

Add 1 Tbsp Canola oil to wok or pan. Sauté Onions for five minutes, then vegetables for 5 more, or until they’re just the way you like them. Take out of wok or pan and set aside.

Put 2 Tbsp Canola Oil in wok/pan with heat on high. Add rice and let it sizzle for 4-5 minutes. Use a spoon or spatula to make sure it does not stick, but do not stir. You’re trying to make it a little crispy. Add soy mixture, stir, and mix well.

Add everything except the egg. Stir in and heat. Again, let sit instead of constantly stirring.

Blend in the cooked egg at the very end and serve! Have extra soy sauce and some Thai Chili Garlic sauce or Sriracha sauce for those who like it hot.

BBQ Chicken with Balsamic Glaze

BBQ Chicken. It’s a pretty perfect food. The only food more perfect than BBQ chicken may be fried chicken. And I don’t have that perfected yet. But it will be mine. Oh yes. It will be mine.

Where was I? Oh yes, the virtues of BBQ chicken! You can serve it at a dinner, a lunch, a picnic, or anything, and if you do it right, it makes great leftovers. Don’t be that chef who cooks the chicken over a hot grill, ending with the outside burned and the inside raw. You’re better than that! Here’s my version.

Ingredients

Chicken

4 Chicken Thighs with Skin (my favorite, but use the pieces you like)(I put 4 here, but choose your number folks. Leftovers are always good!)

Seasoned Salt

¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar

Balsamic Glaze

½ cup Balsamic Vinegar

⅔ cup Brown Sugar

2 tbsp Dijon Mustard

½ tsp Salt

Directions

Season chicken liberally on both sides with Seasoned Salt. Sprinkle balsamic vinegar on them and place in plastic bags for 1 to 8 hours.

I use a reverse sear process here. I put them on the Big Green Egg at 300 degrees or so first. I use some apple wood with that. You could use indirect heat on a grill, or you could do this part in the oven. (See note below). Flip over every 10 minutes or so. Cook until they are done – 175 degrees for thighs; 165 for breasts. Cooking the dark meat a little more is fine, but you have to be pretty exact with white meat. Remove the chicken when it hits the right temp and cover tightly with foil until ready to sear. You can hold it here for at least an hour – for safety reasons, don’t let the chicken temperature dip below 140.

Note: Indirect Heat is the key to good BBQ. Big Green Egg people put a “platesetter” over the coals to turn the BGE into an oven. Traeger people flip a switch. If you have a gas grill, you can turn on the burners on one side of the grill, close the lid and let the oven heat up, then use the side of the grill where the burners are off. Real outdoor chefs use indirect heat!

While the chicken is indirect cooking, prepare the glaze. Add all ingredients in a sauce pan, whisk together and simmer for 10 minutes. It will thicken. Do this while the chicken is cooking.

Using direct heat, heat up your grill to a high temperature. Apply oil to the grill grates. You can spray it or wipe it with a paper towel dipped in canola oil and held by tongs. Move the chicken to the hot grill, basting with the glaze and flipping every two minutes until it looks perfect. A little flame is not going to hurt you! You’ll have a nice beautiful charred glaze on there and be ready to serve!