I'm always excited when Melissa shares one of her recipes with us. They are so well thought out and never fail to impress. When she emailed Bec and me her latest contribution, Grilled Ancho Chili Chicken, I was particularly interested because, one, the ingredient list was short and, two, boneless chicken breast seemed like something I could handle. I'm just learning how to grill and any meat that takes prep or has bones still in it scares me. Also, I thought, if I char it the first time, I can run out and buy more without wasting a ton of money.

But the first comment from Bec's husband when he saw us preparing dinner (yes, Bec stepped in and helped!) was "boneless chicken breasts? Won't they be dry??" But I knew there was no way Melissa would eat or feed her kids dry, tasteless chicken, so we carried on, following her instructions almost exactly. We just made one adjustment and used a spice mix Bec had on hand (Ric Orlando's Jerk Rub from New World Cafe) instead of the Athlete Food Ancho Chili Spice Mix, just to save time. Melissa assured us it was ok to switch spice mixes, as long as you stick to the right ratio of mix to meat (check the recipe for details).

The result? SJ was impressed. In fact, all of us were. Bec ate her portion before it made it to the serving platter. And we even convinced a non-chicken-eater to try some. In addition to the grilled chicken, we rounded out our dinner spread with grilled red peppers and squash, a few skewers of grilled tomatoes and jalapeños, sliced avocado with chive blossoms, and a fresh melon and berry salad.

If you are planning to barbecue with friends or family this summer, this recipe is one to try. But , be prepared, you may be grilled on the cooking method. --Laurel