Warmer days and cooler evenings call for home cooked meals with fresh flavor.

On spring days when it’s still too cool to fire up the grill, try simple chicken recipes with spice and fresh spring flavors.

Not only is chicken a healthy choice, but it serves as great base for a multitude of savory seasonings and sweet sauces.

Let these recipes serve as an inspiration for new dinner inventions.

• At grocery store, select red meat and poultry last.• Look for directions on the package when you buy your chicken and follow the “Sell By” date.• Avoid cross-contamination. Avoid packages that leak.• If you are not going home directly from the grocery, use a cooler to keep perishables cold.• Cooked product should not be left out of refrigeration longer than two hours.• Store raw meat and poultry at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.• Never defrost at room temperature. Frozen products should be defrosted in the refrigerator or, for quicker thawing, in cold running water or in the microwave.• Fresh poultry may be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days and in the freezer for 6-9 months; cooked poultry may remain in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and in the freezer for 4 months.• Wash hands, surfaces and utensils before and after preparing or handling raw meat and poultry.• Use and then discard paper towels to wipe up raw poultry juices. Wash sponges and dish cloths often.• Do not re-use marinade. Set aside extra marinade for use after cooking.• Use only an impervious cutting board for poultry/meats, and do not re-use without thoroughly sanitizing.• Use a clean platter to serve cooked food, not the same one used to hold uncooked food.• Cook the chicken properly because cooking kills bacteria. Juices should run clear, not pink. Whole chicken is cooked to 180 degrees Fahrenheit; bone-in parts should be cooked to 170 degrees; boneless parts, to 160 degrees. Use a meat thermometer and always measure at the thickest part.• Observe standing time called for in recipe or package directions; during standing time, food finishes cooking.• Place leftovers in shallow dishes and refrigerate or freeze promptly; never let cooked foods stand at room temperature for more than two hours.• Pack lunches/picnics in insulated carriers with a cold pack. Never leave lunches in direct sun or on a warm radiator.• When grilling out, clean the grill before each use to prevent bacterial contamination.• To ensure complete cooking, adjust the height of the grill for products of different thickness — higher for bone-in chicken and lower for ground beef or ground chicken.• Check the safe handling and cooking instructions that are printed on every consumer package of fresh chicken.Source: National Chicken CouncilPhotograph and recipes provided courtesy of Kraft food & family magazine.