Outdoor entertaining season is upon us, which means you'll need some easy-but-elegant recipes in your arsenal. This dish, from chef Mark Gordon of Terzo restaurant in San Francisco, is a great place to start. To make these spectacular spiedini, or skewers, pair free-range chicken brushed with a cilantro and chile marinade with bread and onion. Add a side of seasoned rice, a simple green salad, and a chilled fragrant white wine, and voila! You've got the makings of an extremely tasty alfresco dinner party. -Karen Palmer

Free Range Chicken Spiedini with Bread, Cilantro, Chile, and Onion
Makes 12 Spiedini (skewers)

Chicken Marinade
Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced
1 bay leaf, crumbled
2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 Tbls salt
1/4 tsp dried crushed chile flakes
1 Serrano chile, chopped
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbls chopped cilantro
2 tsps sherry vinegar
2 Tbls olive oil

Place all ingredients into a food processor & blend until combined & coarsely chopped.

Skewers
Ingredients:
12 8 " bamboo skewers
2 lb skinless, boneless free range chicken cut into 1/2 " cubes
1/2 loaf country white bread, crusts removed & cut into 1/2 " cubes
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 recipe chicken marinade (above)
2 Tbls olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Soak the skewers in warm water.

Place the cubed chicken into a mixing bowl & toss thoroughly with 2 tablespoons of the marinade. Toss the bread cubes in another bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

Skewer the chicken, bread and onion in that order then repeat ending with an extra cube of chicken. You should end up with three cubes of chicken and two cubes of bread and onion on each skewer.

Grill over a medium wood or charcoal fire until just done. Brush on the remaining marinade and sprinkle with the cilantro leaves.

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