Yippee!! It's the start of the Memorial Day weekend! There were times during this crazy winter that I never thought we'd get here! Are you doing anything special for this unofficial start of summer? Hosting a BBQ? Going to a BBQ? Taking a mini-vacation? (I wish!) Whatever you're planning, there will likely be food involved and that's where I come in. This week's Famous Fridays highlights Sara Foster, owner/chef of Foster's Market, a gourmet food market and cafe in Durham, North Carolina. I've never been but I really do hope to visit someday--if you live nearby, stop in, bring your appetite and tell me about it!! Their site looks fantastic! Sara has also written 4 cookbooks, many of which feature food she prepares in the cafe and all of which I love (which is why I feel I can endorse the market, site unseen!) I use these books regularly and I can honestly say that none of her recipes have ever been a disappointment...like this herb marinated grilled chicken--it's simple, easy-to-prepare and flat out fabulous! If you're planning on a BBQ for this weekend, and are looking for an easy chicken recipe, this is the one!

I spend quite a bit of time, more than is probably healthy, looking at cookbooks, checking them out from the local library and testing them out if they look good. Many make the cut but some are too complex or too unhealthy or too boring, and I quickly dump them back into the return slot. Those I like, I hang onto, renewing them and even paying overdue fines on them just because I love them so much. Only a very precious few do I break down and buy. So when I tell you I recently bought 3 of Sara's cookbooks, Fresh Every Day, The Foster's Market Cookbook and Sara Foster's Casual Cooking, you know how intense my love for them actually is! They're filled with simple, no-nonsense creations that people just want to eat!! Now on to the chicken...

The prep for this is quite simple and it produces some of the juiciest and most flavorful boneless chicken breasts that have ever come off our grill! You start by marinating the chicken for several hours in a combination of olive oil, wine, a variety of fresh herbs, garlic and shallots and lemon slices.

Then all you do is remove the lemon slices and grill them for a bit while you grill the chicken.

It couldn't be any easier and the combination of the mildly spiced chicken and tangy charred lemon slices is wonderful! So versatile too--you can change things up by using different combinations of fresh herbs and of course you can serve this with practically anything. So check out Sara Foster's great cookbooks (and by check out, I actually mean buy, not just check them out of your library--they're totally worth it) and have a wonderful and delicious Memorial Day weekend!

Foster's Herb Marinated Grilled Chicken Breasts-Famous Fridays

Serves 6-8 people

Prep Time:  15 minutes; Cook Time:  20-25 minutes (depending on how thick the chicken is)

Ingredients

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3 pounds)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons fresh chopped herbs (I used chives, thyme and parsley)
• 2 shallots, minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 lemons, thinly sliced
• salt and pepper to taste

The Recipe

1.  Place the chicken breasts in a large shallow glass baking dish. Pour the wine and olive oil over them evenly and sprinkle with the herbs, shallots and garlic. Turn the chicken breasts several times to coat them well. Top them with the lemon slices and marinate in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Before cooking, take the dish out of the refrigerator for about an hour to let it come to room temperature.

2.  Turn on your grill and let it heat up to high.

3.  Remove the chicken from the marinade and set the lemon slices aside. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and grill them on the hottest part of the fire for about 7-9 minutes per side, spooning some of the leftover marinade over them as they cook. Meanwhile, grill the lemon slices for a couple of minutes per side until slightly charred. Remove from the grill and set aside.

4.  Move the chicken away from direct heat, close the lid and cook for another 5 minutes until cooked through (you may need to do this longer if you like your chicken more well done). Remove from the grill, place on a platter and top with the grilled lemon slices. Cover loosely with aluminum foil for about 5 minutes to let the chicken rest. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Note:  Recipe adapted from Fresh Every Day by Sara Foster.