Chicken Breast

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 hr

(Tony Tan's Laksa Lemak)

The colorful kebabs feature the popular Greek flavors of mint and oregano. Serve them over rice or with pita bread.

Broil slices of packaged polenta to go with the chicken. Round out the main course with an arugula salad and chunks of crusty whole wheat Italian bread. For dessert? Brownies topped with vanilla gelato drizzled with sambuca.

Bangkok-style noodles with shrimp, chicken and Thai chilies from Arun's in Chicago.

In this Basque-inspired dish, a bell pepper mixture is slow-cooked to produce an unusual — and flavorful — confit.

Toss salad with the Sunshine Vinaigrette just before serving, so that the greens won't discolor.

Once the mustard butter is prepared and the chicken is marinated, this quick sauté comes together in just minutes. Any leftover fennel-mustard butter makes an instant sauce dolloped onto grilled fish.

This salad is so much lighter and fresher-tasting than mayonnaise-based versions. It gets crispy sweetness from sugar snaps and peppers and nuttiness from tahini. Keep in mind that tahini can turn rancid rather quickly (even in unopened cans, in our experience). We recommend buying it from a place with a high turnover, such as a Middle Eastern market or a natural foods store. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 hr

This recipe combines the oriental technique of velveting with the Indian flavors of a fresh herb chutney.

This very typical Lao dish may also be made with fish, pork, beef, or, in Southeast Asian tradition, water buffalo meat. While laap is often made with raw meat or fish, our chicken-based rendition is stir-fried, as it was when Lao cooks served it to us. A powder made from toasted glutinous rice subtly flavors the dish.

For a quick and satisfying after-work supper, team this tasty chicken dish with some cooked noodles that have been tossed with olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

A classic Indian dish that is accented by lemon, yogurt, garlic and spices.

Like a traditional basil pesto, this sauce can also be mixed with pasta, stirred into soup for a lively accent or spread over grilled fish.