Spa cooking: quick, light and tasty chicken recipes

Winter's cold nights make you long for something warm and spicy, while the rich fare of the holiday season leaves you yearning for a simple, healthy meal.

For an easy solution, we look to spa chefs, the masters of light, flavorful cooking. We've used a chili-spiked spice rub, adapted from Canyon Ranch Cooks (Rodale, Emmaus, PA, 2003; $30; www.rodalestore.com), by Barry Correia and Scott Uehlein.

The rub lends a rich warm color and lively flavor to lean chicken breasts, and Canyon Ranch's piquant apple-chipotle salsa makes a delicious topping. Start this quick meal with our refreshing orange and onion salad, and round out the main course with purchased black beans, simple sautéed greens, and warm flour tortillas.

Mango sorbet, topped with crunchy crushed meringues, is a sweet ending.

Recipes:

Chicken with Green Apple-Chipotle Salsa

Orange and Onion Salad