It has been really fun running into people and hearing them tell me how much they have enjoyed the recipes in this column. If you have a recipe you would like to share, feel free to mail it to me at gltrecipebox@gmail.com.

This week I want to pay tribute to the pollo. I was going to highlight a Mexican fried chicken with a buttermilk marinade and taco seasoning in the coating for added zip. As nice as it would have tasted, obtaining a flat belly must remain a high priority (this is Southern California, after all!). With weather like this, who wants to wear clothes? The flatter the stomach, the quicker you are to get naked. So I call this, “get naked picnic chicken.”

This recipe, from Martha Stewart, utilizes a classic buttermilk marinade with baked chicken, to lower the fat. The results are excellent as long as you take your time, let the egg mixture drain properly before breading and leave space on the parchment paper between pieces. You can accompany the dish with classic picnic sides such as coleslaw, potato salad, or a hearty grain salad or veggie mix.

I like to marinade the chicken in the buttermilk for four to eight hours before battering; it makes it very tender. Parchment paper instead of oil will reduce the fat, as will removing the skin. It all depends on how lean you want to go with this recipe.

Vegetable oil, for baking sheet

8 slices white bread

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon hot-pepper sauce

Salt and pepper

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon dried thyme

4 pounds chicken parts (preferably legs, thighs, and wings), rinsed and patted dry

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (Fahrenheit). Generously rub a baking sheet with oil. In a food processor, pulse bread until it turns into coarse crumbs.

In a large bowl, stir together buttermilk, hot-pepper sauce, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a separate bowl, mix breadcrumbs, Parmesan, thyme and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

Place the chicken in the buttermilk mixture, turning to coat evenly. Working with one piece at a time, remove chicken from liquid, letting excess drip back into bowl; dredge in the breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat evenly. Place coated chicken pieces on prepared baking sheet. Leave enough space between the chicken pieces so that they crisp evenly all the way around.

Bake until chicken is golden brown, about 35 minutes.

For a leaner recipe, bake on parchment instead of in oil and use skinless pieces. Also, to make the chicken really tender, marinate the pieces in buttermilk for four to eight hours before coating and cooking.