Summer evenings draw me out of the kitchen, into the soft light and gentle breezes. Our dinners should be effortless and casual.

Some nights it's just my husband and me, but often friends stroll by, swing in for a drink and stay for something to eat. My only challenge is how to stock up for such sweet spontaneity. What to keep on hand? Grilled chicken breasts.

I like to cook two or three times more than we'll eat for dinner that night. What's left gets tossed with pasta, stuffed into pitas, served over rice. Boneless chicken breasts cook quickly but can be tricky as they can dry out. Marinating the chicken in seasoned yogurt helps keep the meat juicy and tender when it hits the heat. If you're not a fan of grilling or in a hurry, a broiler has the same effect.

You can marinate the chicken for as little as 30 minutes or as long as overnight. This also works wonderfully on thighs, wings or the whole bird. Once you've prepared the marinade, hold some back to pass as a sauce. It hums with za'atar, fresh herbs, garlic and lemon zest, plus a little bit of salt to help the meat retain moisture. The lactic acid in yogurt is gentler than vinegar or lemon juice, so the chicken will not turn soft or mushy.

Of course the results depend on the quality of the chicken. Look for free-range birds; thanks to their varied diet, the meat is flavorful and firm. I like to keep frozen chicken breasts on hand; they thaw out quickly, making last minute prep easy. Find these in the freezer department of co-ops, at farmers markets and from MTRY & Co., a Minnesota-based online marketplace that connects farmers and butchers (themeaterymn.com).

Serve the chicken with whatever fresh veggies you have from the garden or farmers market — like sweet-sharp cherry tomatoes and crunchy cucumbers — drizzled with the herbed yogurt. Don't forget a toasted pita to sop it all up.

Yogurt Marinated Grilled Chicken

Serves 4 to 6, but is easily doubled or tripled.

The marinade of tangy yogurt, bold za'atar, fresh herbs and lemon zest keep the chicken moist when it hits the high heat. This makes a fine dinner paired with fresh veggies and a wonderful pita sandwich or pasta salad. The chicken is just as delicious cooked under a broiler as it is on the grill. Be sure to cook a few extra breasts to have on hand. From Beth Dooley.

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 1 c. plain whole milk yogurt
  • ¼ c. minced fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
  • ¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp. za'atar
  • 1 tsp. coarse salt
  • Generous pinch freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 to 2 ¼ lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions

In a large bowl, stir together the garlic, lemon zest, yogurt, cilantro, oil, za'atar, salt and pepper. Remove ¼ cup of the yogurt mixture and set aside.

Add the chicken to the remaining yogurt mixture and thoroughly coat the chicken. Cover the chicken and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

Remove the chicken, shaking off any excess marinade and bring to room temperature while preparing the grill or broiler to medium heat. Cook the chicken, until one side is charred, about 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip the chicken and cook through, another 5 minutes. The chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees on a meat thermometer.

Remove the chicken and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve with assorted vegetables; drizzle with the reserved yogurt sauce and garnish with chopped herbs.

Beth Dooley is the author of "The Perennial Kitchen." Find her at bethdooleyskitchen.com.