A chicken dinner that tastes like your favorite Italian dressing

This new recipe is inspired by the vinegary oregano marinade of spiedies.

View in browser|nytimes.com August 14, 2024 Eric Kim's spiedie chicken breasts with buttered broccoli. Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Speedy spiedie chicken By Eric Kim Good morning! Eric here, filling in for Melissa. I just got back from the optometrist, who told me my favorite blue-rimmed glasses that I broke in half the other night couldn't be fixed. "It's time to move on," the doctor said, so I bought myself a new pair, with an updated prescription for the first time in 20 years, and stepped into a clearer world. I think of chicken recipes this way. They need a refresh every few years. And though I will always have a soft spot for my old glasses (a simple, reliable roast chicken), this new pair, spiedie chicken breasts with buttered broccoli, has been serving me well this summer. Native to Binghamton, N.Y., spiedies are marinated and grilled meat skewers, often made with lamb, pork and chicken. (A local favorite, they even have a festival dedicated to them.) This casual dinner, inspired by the vinegary oregano marinade of spiedies, takes boneless, skinless chicken and transforms it into something special, undeniably juicy and — yes — speedy. Featured Recipe Spiedie Chicken Breasts With Buttered Broccoli View Recipe → Tender-crisp buttery broccoli is a fun side dish here, something you can pan-sear after the chicken has had its time staining the skillet with savory remnants of dried oregano and red wine vinegar. Or you could serve the chef Isaiah Screetch's joyful saladu nebbe, a black-eyed pea salad based on the Senegalese dish of the same name, which my colleague Korsha Wilson wrote about last week. (And as the writer and journalist Bee Wilson wrote for The Times this week, in her case for eating a lot more beans, "When it comes to food, pleasure is what changes the world, because few people make a habit of eating foods they dislike.") The Japanese stir-fried noodle dish yaki udon always hits the spot, and this version from Naz Deravian is a weeknight workhorse that can help you clear out your crisper drawer before the next grocery run. And if you're feeling seafood, how about Yossy Arefi's grilled shrimp with spicy slaw, a zippy recipe in which charred, citrus-marinated shrimp tops a crunchy tangle of cabbage, cilantro and jalapeños? Did you know that August is the most popular month for birthdays? When I think of summer birthdays, I think of burgers and ice cream. Farideh Sadeghin's new recipe for smash burgers — "cooked best on a griddle or cast-iron skillet," she writes — comes to mind, followed by this no-churn olive oil ice cream with hot fudge, which uses up a whole can of sweetened condensed milk (half for the ice cream, half for the fudge). Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. I really love recipes that use up entire cans, jars, bags, boxes and bottles of things. Zainab Shah's sheet-pan fish tikka with spinach calls for a whole one-pound bag of fresh baby spinach to go with the golden-spiced, yogurt-marinated cod, basa or halibut. All of that cooks on a single sheet pan in just 20 minutes. So what are you waiting for? Go forth and roast! IN THIS NEWSLETTER Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Smash Burgers By Farideh Sadeghin 45 minutes Makes 4 servings Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. Saladu Nebbe (Black-Eyed Pea Salad With Tomatoes and Cucumbers) Recipe from Isaiah Screetch Adapted by Korsha Wilson 30 minutes, plus 2 hours' refrigeration Makes 8 cups David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Grilled Shrimp With Spicy Slaw By Yossy Arefi 20 minutes Makes 4 servings Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Yaki Udon By Naz Deravian 40 minutes Makes 4 to 6 servings  Kate Sears for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. No-Churn Olive Oil Ice Cream With Hot Fudge By Eric Kim 25 minutes, plus 3 hours' freezing Makes 1 quart ice cream and 3/4 cup sauce Sign up for the Five Weeknight Dishes newsletter Fresh dinner ideas for busy people who want something great to eat, with NYT Cooking recipes sent to you weekly. Get it in your inbox Sign up for The Veggie newsletter Tanya Sichynsky shares the most delicious vegetarian recipes for weeknight cooking, packed lunches and dinner parties. Get it in your inbox Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Cooking from The New York Times. To stop receiving Cooking, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to NYT CookingGet the NYT Cooking app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018