My mouth starts to water when I think about barbecued chicken and my mom’s potato salad. They were among my dad’s favourite foods and often on the menu when our family celebrated Father’s Day.

Such classics never go out of style, but new twists on old favourites can be delicious too. Here are some examples that may work well for a Father’s Day celebration this weekend.

SWEET POTATO SIDES

Instead of baked potatoes or potato salad, consider sweet potatoes for your side dish. If you make Grilled Buttermilk Chicken Legs and Sweet Potato Mash, you can combine the cooked potatoes with olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg.

For a kid-friendly meal that serves six, check out Molasses BBQ Chicken Drumsticks with Sweet Potato Wedges, another recipe from Chicken Farmers of Canada. The grilled wedges can be a healthier alternative to fries.

The marinade for the drumsticks is a mixture of molasses, grape-seed oil, lemon juice, ketchup, Worcestershire and hot sauces, spices and onion chunks.

BURGER BOOSTS

The recipe for Saucy Mozzarella and Chicken Burgers includes some nutritional extras. For the patties, you combine extra lean ground chicken and cooked brown rice, along with minced red onions, grated Romano cheese and spices. Baby spinach can be one of the toppings, in addition to melted mozzarella cheese and a tomato sauce.

You can serve the burgers on whole-grain buns. Perhaps dad and the rest of the family also would enjoy a green salad with the meal.

BEER CAN CHICKEN

Want to barbecue a whole chicken? Instead of putting it on a rotisserie, you can cook it on the grill, using a recipe for Beer Can Chicken.

The can helps balance the chicken on the grill, and the beer adds flavour as it evaporates. You also can use substitutes, such as lemonade, apple juice or soft drinks.

These recipes and many more are available at www.chicken.ca, where you also can find a how-to video for Beer Can Chicken.

GRILLED BUTTERMILK CHICKEN LEGS & SWEET POTATO MASH

Chicken soaked in buttermilk absorbs moisture and stays tender during cooking. Think of it as a “no added salt” brine!

• Serves 4.
• Preparation time: 15 min.
• Cook time: 30 min.

Ingredients:

• 2.2 lb (1 kg) chicken legs, (4 large legs)
• ½ cup (125 mL) buttermilk
• 1 tsp (5 mL) thyme, dried
• ½ tsp (2.5 mL) garlic powder
• 1 tsp (5 mL) onion powder
• ½ tsp (2.5 mL) black pepper

Preparation:

1. Remove skin from chicken legs. Use a sharp knife to separate legs into thigh and drumstick portions by cutting through at the joint. Add chicken pieces to a re-sealable plastic bag.
2. Add buttermilk, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder and freshly ground black pepper to bag and seal. Use hands to mix marinade and massage into chicken. Place in refrigerator and chill for at least four hours and preferably overnight.
3. Preheat grill over medium-high setting. Remove chicken from marinade and place on top shelf and close. In a saucepan, bring marinade to boil. Cool and use for basting. Grill chicken over medium-high heat for 15 minutes per side until cooked through and a thermometer registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 Celsius). Baste with cooked marinade a few times during cooking.
4. Serve with the Sweet Potato Mash.

Sweet Potato Mash:

Ingredients:

• 4 cups (1 L) sweet potato, cubed
• 1 tsp (5 mL) olive oil
• 1 Tbsp (15 mL) maple syrup
• ¼ tsp (1.25 mL) cinnamon, ground
• 1 pinch nutmeg, ground

Preparation:

1. Peel and dice sweet potatoes. Cover with cold water in pot. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until fork tender. Alternately pierce whole sweet potato with a fork a few times and microwave on HIGH power for 10 minutes or until very soft. Cut in half, cool. Scoop out flesh and add to medium bowl.
2. Mash sweet potatoes with the olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg until well combined.

Nutritional Info Per 440 g:

• Calories, 480.
• Protein, 51 g.
• Total fat, 15 g.
• Saturated fat, 4 g.
• Carbohydrate, 33 g.
• Fibre, 4 g.
• Cholesterol, 200 mg.
• Sodium, 320 mg.

Source: Chicken Farmers of Canada