IN MY PORTLAND KITCHEN — GRILLED CHICKEN WITH ROSEMARY AND TRUFFLE SALT

It’s okay. You can admit it. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Everyone does it.

When I say “it”,  I mean we all often make the same thing over and over for dinner. We all have at least one go-to meal, something we could make in our sleep because it’s so familiar and usually well-received. We reach for the same old ingredients time and time again just as we might throw on the same cardigan or slippers when we return home from a long day out. There is comfort in the ritual. Think of Mr. Rodgers as he walked in the door each time — the repetition of his routine was relaxing, comforting (and just a little OCD?).

My admittedly overplayed card is roast chicken. I love whole birds, I adore thighs and I enjoy breasts. Bone-in and boneless — all good. I’ve also been on a bit of a wing trip of late, so there has been no poultry paucity in the Kline household. And  it’s no wonder; the smell of chicken cooking  in the oven or cast-iron skillet is magnificent, and it smells like home to me.

That is not to say, however, that I shouldn’t mix things up a little bit.  I have been making chicken thighs so much lately that I thought it was time for a new breast friend.

Lemon and garlic are on constant rotation around here, but this time I added lots of chopped rosemary from my garden and a splash of vermouth. And because I love myself and I want to make myself happy, I salted liberally with some of the last of the truffle salt a friend had given me.

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I let it all sit out on my counter to take off the chill and let the flavors get to know each other a bit. My husband David brought them out to the grill and in no time (perhaps 12 minutes total), I had something really great on my hands. And in my stomach.

The key is to start with bigger breasts, don’t let the grill get too hot, and pull them off just as soon as the pink flesh turns white at the thickest part. I’m also a big fan of anointing them with citrus and a little more salt as soon as they are off the heat — this adds a last dash of flavor to something that can be quite dull otherwise.

I had him char some bell peppers as well and added them to some lightly dressed field greens with shaved Reggiano and boom! Dinner done.

I trust you have enough info to make this for yourself. Please do — and any leftovers are terrific for exactly five million different things.

If you aren’t lucky enough to own truffle salt, invest in a little white truffle oil and drizzle onto cooked chicken. The word sublime doesn’t quite capture it.