Honey-Jalapeno Chicken Tenders

My friend Michelli came up with this simple recipe one early-summer afternoon as a way to use up a big pile of chiles and some honey that I had recently taken from the beehive. The dish soon became a favorite. Chicken tenders cook very quickly, which helps keep them juicy, and the honey in the recipe caramelizes in no time. Remove the jalape ño seeds for a less spicy version. If you don't want to grill the tenders, they can be broiled about 5 inches from the heat for about 6 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup honey

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 6 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 3 pounds chicken tenders

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

• Sour cream for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the grill and oil the grill rack.

2. Whisk together the honey, soy sauce, oil, garlic, jalape

ño, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Toss the chicken in the marinade and let stand for at least 10 minutes.

3. Grill the chicken until well browned and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve the chicken sprinkled with the cilantro and with a dollop of sour cream on the plate.