Brianna and I had the name conversation. Sitting on the couch on Saturday night, Aiden asleep, the apartment quiet, the nursery waiting — we went through names the way you go through a menu, trying each one on, seeing how it felt. If it is a boy: Noah (her choice), Marcus (my choice, for Marc), Elijah (compromise). If it is a girl: Zaria (both of our choice), Jasmine (her backup), Kennedy (my backup). We agreed quickly on Zaria, which surprised us both. Usually we negotiate. But Zaria — it rolled out of my mouth and Brianna nodded immediately. "Zaria Carter," she said. "That's a name with some weight." I agreed. It sounds like someone who will do something. Someone who will matter.
The baby shower was this week. Brianna's friends organized it — Tameka, Crystal, and three other women whose names I know but whose faces I always mix up. It was at Gloria's house, which was appropriate because Gloria's house is the staging ground for all Brianna-related celebrations. I was not present (men are not invited to baby showers in our family, a rule I did not create and do not challenge), but I picked up the gifts afterward and loaded the car with diapers, onesies, blankets, a swing, a bouncer, and a gift card to Target that will cover approximately 2.5 days of infant expenses.
Mama gave her gift separately, on Sunday: a handmade quilt, pieced together from fabric she has been collecting for months — old shirts, scraps from projects, a piece of the dress she wore to her own baby shower thirty years ago. The quilt is beautiful and impractical and priceless. Brianna cried when she saw it. Mama pretended not to notice the crying, which is how Mama handles emotions she cannot fix with food.
I grilled chicken for Sunday dinner at the apartment. Dad came, Mama came, Keisha came. I made my Italian-dressing-and-cajun chicken, the recipe Jerome gave me, and served it with a salad (from a bag, I am not pretending) and baked beans (Bush's, from a can). Mama ate the chicken, paused, and said, "The seasoning is right." She said it quietly, like she did not want me to hear, but I heard. The seasoning is right. Cheryl Carter said my seasoning is right. I am going to carry this compliment to my grave.
Jerome’s recipe has been in my rotation long enough that I don’t think twice about it anymore — Italian dressing, cajun seasoning, heat, patience. But this particular Sunday felt like it carried more weight than a regular dinner: Mama and Dad at the table, Keisha there, Brianna glowing, the name “Zaria” still warm in the air from the night before. I wanted the food to hold up to the moment. It did. The version below is how I make it — marinated in Italian dressing and hit with cajun seasoning, grilled until the edges catch. If it’s good enough for Cheryl Carter to say something, it’s good enough to share.
Grilled Cajun Lemon Chicken (Jerome’s Recipe)
Prep Time: 10 min (plus 1–4 hrs marinating) | Cook Time: 18 min | Total Time: 30 min active | Servings: 4–6
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts (thighs preferred)
- 1/2 cup Italian dressing (store-bought is fine — zesty works best)
- 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken. Place chicken in a zip-top bag or shallow dish. Pour in the Italian dressing, lemon juice, and olive oil. Add the cajun seasoning, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Seal and toss to coat evenly. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour — 4 hours if you have the time. That’s where the flavor lives.
- Preheat the grill. Heat your grill (or grill pan) to medium-high, around 400°F. Lightly oil the grates so the chicken doesn’t stick.
- Pull and season. Remove chicken from the marinade and let excess drip off. Taste the chicken surface — if you want more heat, dust with a little extra cajun seasoning right before it hits the grill.
- Grill the chicken. Place chicken on the grill and cook without moving it for 6–7 minutes per side for thighs, or 5–6 minutes per side for breasts. You’re looking for clean grill marks and edges that start to catch and char slightly. Internal temperature should reach 165°F.
- Rest before serving. Pull the chicken off and let it rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes. This keeps the juices where they belong. Slice or serve whole alongside your sides of choice — salad from a bag and Bush’s baked beans are a perfectly acceptable pairing, no apology needed.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 290 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 15g | Carbs: 4g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 620mg
About the cook who shared this
DeShawn Carter
Week 72 of DeShawn’s 30-year story
· Detroit, Michigan
DeShawn is a thirty-six-year-old single dad, auto plant worker, and a man who didn't learn to cook until his wife left and his five-year-old asked, "Daddy, can you cook something?" He called his mama, who came over with two bags of groceries and spent six months teaching him the basics. Now he's the dad at the cookout who brings the ribs, the guy at the plant whose leftover gumbo starts fights, and living proof that it's never too late to learn.
