I don’t know about you, but I’m loving this warm weather, mostly because it makes dinner time a snap. Just  throw some protein on the barbie, make a quick salad and you’re good to go. 

This recipe, from Jamie Purviance for Weber, offers a simple marinade for chicken with a killer sauce made from toasted walnuts, roasted red bell peppers, balsamic vinegar, bread crumbs and cumin.  It’s great on chicken, and I suspect it would be good on cardboard, it’s that addictive. If you don’t want to bother with kebabs, just grill the chicken breasts and pour the sauce over.

Turkish Chicken Kabobs with Red Pepper and Walnut Sauce

Serves 6

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, about 6 ounces each

Sauce:

1 1/2 roasted red bell peppers (from a jar), drained

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup plain bread crumbs

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a large bowl mix the mustard, granulated garlic, salt, cumin and pepper. Add the oil and stir to combine.

Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise and then cut each half crosswise into 1- to 2-inch pieces. Place the chicken pieces in the bowl and turn to coat them evenly.

Skewer the chicken pieces so that the pieces are touching but not crammed together. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 hour.

In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine the sauce ingredients and process to create a pesto-like consistency. For a thinner sauce, add a bit of warm water.

Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat (350 to 450 degrees). Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the kabobs over direct medium heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until the meat is firm to the touch, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once or twice. Remove from the grill and serve warm with the sauce.