It’s no secret men like to grill or watch other people grill. That’s why, for the upcoming Father’s Day weekend, I’m recommending a chicken dish that takes the blah, blah out of chicken and makes it rah-rah instead! What’s my secret weapon, you ask? Feel free to file this away for a later date because the answer isn’t grilling. To brighten up even the most boring cut of poultry, I typically turn to bone-in, skin-on, dark meat to braise, fry or roast.

For me, this cut has the most flavor. I avoid boneless, skinless breast meat, because it is easy to overcook, and needs a lot of attention in order to compete with the more flavor-filled cut. But since I think Father’s Day should be a day of special attention, in the name of loving Dads everywhere, I am going to impart my most special grilling methods – which are, as any ardent griller will tell you – all about the marinades and platter sauce.

Oh, and by the way…when I previewed this recipe with my own Fam, it scored a 10 on the health-o-meter. The less weight conscious liked the meal as well… but were looking for my peanut butter chunk cookies for dessert! Hmm…I am amused because this means that perhaps you can please everyone….

Chicken & Mushrooms for Dad

Serves 8

40 minute cuisine

For the marinade

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Juice of 2 large limes, about 2 to 3 tablespoons

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon coarse black pepper

For the platter sauce

2 tablespoons of butter, cut into small pieces

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced, about 2 teaspoons

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon coarse black pepper

For the chicken

8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

For the mushrooms

16 Portobello mushroom caps, stems and gills removed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound fresh spinach leaves chopped, about 4 cups

1 large white onion, peeled and diced, about 1 ½ cups

1 (8.5-ounce) sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and diced

Prepare a platter sauce to bathe the chicken in by dotting the platter with small butter pieces, minced garlic, chopped fresh thyme and rosemary, and a generous dousing of kosher salt and coarse black pepper.

Grill the chicken, turning once, about five to six minutes per side, until it is just cooked though with just a little bit of resistance when you push your finger into the flesh. Take the chicken right from the grill and onto the platter, turning each piece a couple of times to melt the butter and heat the garlic. Cover the chicken with aluminum foil and let it rest for several minutes.

For the mushrooms, sauté spinach leaves with chopped onion and sun-dried tomatoes in the olive oil.  Roast in a 375°oven for about 15 minutes. Optional: roasted baby sweet potatoes complete the meal.