Great question, I was searching all week for that answer.
Hubby has a passion for recessed lighting, we are remodeling. We decided to pull them out away from the cabinets since side to side they were not symetrical if centered above cabinets. Today we have six circles drawn that are 38 1/2 to the center, from the wall ,spaced aprx 38" lengthwise and the 48" crosswise. All 6 are symetrical. I'm considering moving them to 30" center, but he wants the room lit up and not the cabinets, will see what happens in a couple hours. I think lining up with counter edge is another option.

Actually just installed 5 cans in the kitchen yesterday. On the ~13 ft section of cabinets against the wall, 3 cans about 4 ft apart and 29 inches (to center of fixture) from the back wall (26 inch counters). We've under cabinet fluorescent lighting so plenty of task area light. Two other cans pretty much centered over a sink/ snack island backing to great room. All this replaced a huge fluorescent construct in the center of the kitchen. If I were to tweak anything, I might install the cans a few inches further from the wall to improve the amount of light going into the below counter cabinets when opened. Plenty pleased with the install as is, a major change in atmosphere of the kitchen without the darn piece of furniture previously attached to the ceiling.

I think a key issue for placement depends on if you have under cab lighting. If you don't, I would not install closer than the counter edge. If you do have under cab lights, further out or closer in, a matter of whether you are looking for general light or highlighting your cab faces.

They are installed in my galley kitchen, couple of them still need finishing touches after we spray texture on the wall. The frig is so far out because we are drywalling a recessed area for the frig. Here's the pic, they are 31 1/2 to the center. We also replaced a huge fluoresent bubble light which was in the center of this kitchen when we bought it.
Will be adding granite counter tops, new sink, faucet, handles, and cherry flooring, plan to reface cabinets in the future.
29 to center as joehouston installed would also be a good {{!gwi}}choice.

I hope you can learn from my mistake. I put some recessed lights too close to my upper cabinets, and I got sharp ugly shadows on my cabinets. The upper cabinets had a crown molding like the ones in the photo above, and there was a distracting shadow line across the front of the upper cabinets. I had to tear them out and fix the sheetrock, expensive and frutrating.

freedee, How far out from your cabinet fronts or wall were your can lights installed that did not work for you?

Freedee, I would like to know as well. How far out from your cabinet fronts or wall were your can lights installed that did not work for you? Thanks

I would like to know as well...

I'm researching light placement on the ceiling right now. From what I understand, if you have under cabinet lighting it doesn't matter how far away the ceiling light is from the front of the upper cabinet door. If there is not any under cabinet lighting then you don't want to have the light so far away that your body casts a shadow on the counter tops. You would need the ceiling lights centered over the counter top with the farthest distance away being just inside the edge of the counter top. I suppose if one stands in front of the counter top and have someone else hold a flashlight at the ceiling over your head you could play around with the distance to get one that works for you. The watts etc. would be different but it might give you a general idea of the location needed? Think I'll try it! :)

Under cabinet lights do not eliminate shadows from the above recessed lights. More lights just produce more shadows.

We ended up placing 18" from wall to center of 6" recesssed can, 3 feet apart, as recommended above. The cans use 65 watt incandescent or LED equivalent ( now). Perfect lighting with no shadows.