Grilled Lemon Chicken with Satay Dip

Just before Christmas, Kent and I were at a friend's house, and I noticed that she had The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook sitting in the kitchen.  I picked it up to look at some of the recipes and immediately knew it was a cookbook I needed - I love everything Ina Garten makes!  I was looking for a new chicken recipe a few weeks ago and was sure that this cookbook would have a good one.  I'm really excited about this one because the grilled lemon chicken recipe is a good standard recipe, but the satay dip (a thai sauce) makes it taste completely different.  I kept the chicken breasts whole with the dip on the side when I served them, but Ina suggests cutting the cooked chicken breasts into strips and putting them on skewers to make an appetizer with the dip.  If the satay dip is not your thing, the chicken works beautifully on its own or as part of another dish.

Grilled Lemon Chicken
Ingredients:
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 lemons)
3/4 cup good olive oil
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. minced fresh tyme leaves (1/2 tsp dried)
2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts

Directions:
Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme.  Pour over the chicken breasts in a nonreactive bowl.  Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.  Cook on the grill and serve! 

Satay Dip
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. good olive oil
1 tbsp. dark sesame oil
2/3 cup small-diced red onions
2 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 tbsp. minced fresh ginger root
1/4 tsp. creshed red pepper flakes
2 tbsp. good red wine vinegar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (I used sunflower seed butter.)
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tbsp. dry sherry (I used a white wine that I already had open.)
1 1/2 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

Cook the olive oil, sesame oil, red onion, garlic, ginger root, and red pepper flakes in a small, heavy-bottomed pot on medium heat until the onion is transparent (10 - 15 minutes).  Whisk in the vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, peanut butter, ketchup, sherry, and lime juice; cook for 1 more minute.  Use as a dip for chicken - it can be served warm or cool.