This is win-win chicken! Kids will love the adventure of skewers; adults will love the warm and inviting spices. (For children under 6, you may want to remove food from skewers first.) Calories: 280

Prep Time: 20 minutes, cook time: 8 minutes, servings: 4

Ingredients

3/4 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed 

1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 12 long strips

12 bamboo skewers, soaked in water at least 30 minutes 

Directions

1. Heat outdoor grill or preheat broiler. If using a broiler, line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.

2. In a shallow bowl or pie plate, combine breadcrumbs with olive oil, garlic, five-spice powder, cumin, coriander, sesame seeds and salt. Stir until ingredients are well combined.

3. Weave chicken strips onto skewers, piercing each strip in three places to keep it secure.

4. Coat skewered chicken thoroughly with breadcrumbs, pressing firmly. Grill or broil until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. (Don't worry if a few breadcrumbs burn in the process.) Serve immediately. Leftovers are delicious cold.

Excerpted from Cook What You Love, by Bob and Melinda Blanchard, published by Clarkson Potter, a division of  Random House, Copyright 2005, www.clarksonpotter.com. Recipes adapted by Jen Sperazza.   

Photo: Ellen Silverman