Ina’s Grilled Lemon Chicken with Satay Sauce is one of my favorite Spring to Summer recipes. I once made it for a (literal) boat load of water skiers on Smith Mountain Lake and I’m confident that I’ve never seen food disappear so quickly. There is something about the tangy lemon chicken with sweet and savory peanut sauce. It’s just different enough to make folks wonder what exactly is in it.

Put this on your standby list. It’s a winner, as most Ina recipes are.

Grilled Lemon Chicken with Satay Sauce, Ina Garten 

• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 lemons)
• 3/4 cup good olive oil
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, halved and skin removed

Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. Pour over the chicken breasts in a nonreactive bowl. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.

Heat a charcoal grill. Grill the chicken breasts for 10 minutes on each side, until just cooked through.

• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
• 2/3 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons good red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice

Cook the olive oil, sesame oil, red onion, garlic, ginger root, and red pepper flakes in a small, heavy-bottomed pot on medium heat until the onion is transparent, 10 to 15 minutes. Whisk in the vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, peanut butter, ketchup, sherry, and lime juice; cook for 1 more minute. Cool and use as a dip for Grilled Lemon Chicken.