My late friend Barbara Windom was a great cook who produced delicious food that's short on preparation time and long on taste and presentation.

She loved putting together creative flavor combinations for new twists on chicken dishes. Her Asian chicken can be served on a moment's notice as long as you have the ingredients in your pantry.

We are lucky that there are many types of chicken processing varieties to choose from today. I prefer air-chilled chickens because they are firmer and tastier than water-chilled chickens that have extra water added to the bird. Kosher chickens, which are salted to keep them moist, can be a good alternative. Organic chickens are always delicious since the birds are fed organic food and given no antibiotics. It's fun to try different varieties so you can discover your personal favorite.

I like to cook the chicken in a shallow roasting pan (like a half-sheet pan) so that the chicken browns and stays juicy. A high-sided baking pan can steam the chicken.

For a casual dinner, serve the chicken right in the pan. I have used the marinade in the following recipe for all different cuts of chicken: quarters, breasts, thighs and drumsticks. It really is a versatile dish. Just make sure that each cut of chicken is cooked through and no pink remains. And for this dish, make sure to have the skin and bones attached for the best flavor. Bone-in chicken is always juicier.

Glazed orange-hoisin chicken is superb right from the oven for dinner or chilled and served for lunch. If you're serving this warm, accompany the chicken with a simple vegetable-rice pilaf with roasted peanuts. If you're serving the chicken cold, consider a platter of assorted grilled or roasted vegetables, a cold grain salad and a simple green salad as side accompaniments. I like to serve this with a Zinfandel, Syrah, or Pinot Noir to complement the sweet flavors of this dish.

Glazed Orange-Hoisin Chicken

Serves 4 to 6

For the marinade:

3 tablespoons hoisin sauce

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