40 Creative Grilled Chicken Recipes That’ll Shake Up Your Summer Dinners (2024)

Love a weeknight chicken dinner? Us too, so we're taking them to the grill this summer.

By Camille Lowder
40 Creative Grilled Chicken Recipes That’ll Shake Up Your Summer Dinners (1)

Chicken will forever be our weeknight dinner staple, and we're no strangers to having to get creative with how we cook it to avoid falling into a rut. Couple that with our summertime desire to be cooking outside as much as possible while it’s nice out, and it was a no-brainer to figure out ALL the best ways to grill our favorite lean protein. Check out our list of 40 grilled chicken recipes for ideas—with a few easy marinades, fruit, and spices, you'll happily be eating grilled chicken all summer long too.

Let’s start with our top tips for how best to grill chicken. We bet you’ve got a favorite cut of chicken, like thighs, breasts, or wings, and luckily, you can put them all on the grill. Simple marinades made of ingredients like balsamic vinegar, pineapple, or soy sauce make chicken extra flavorful, and only really need 20 minutes or so to soak in (though overnight is best!). If you do marinate overnight, bring your chicken to room temperature before grilling to avoid the cold meat seizing and becoming tough. Make sure your grill is super hot too, and once your chicken is on there, resist the urge to flip it around a bunch—once midway through should be enough.

While tasty, the simple act of cooking chicken on your grill doesn't necessarily make a full meal, so we’ve also included all our favorite ways to serve them, from summer salads to pizzas to tacos. Check out our grilled chicken Cajun pasta salad, our elote (Mexican street corn) tacos, or our Mediterranean grilled chicken salad for ideas. Not looking for a full sit-down meal? Try one of our skewered chicken recipes, like our chicken souvlaki, our hoisin chicken kebabs, or our chicken satay. They make a great healthy summer appetizer or side, or can be easily turned into something more substantial if served over rice or in a pita.

On the other hand, there is one way to cook chicken on your grill that guarantees a complete meal—foil packs! Toss together our Santa Fe chicken foil packs, our honey mustard chicken foil packs, our Tex-Mex chicken fajita foil packs, and more to see just how versatile they can be. Swap in and out the marinades and veggies, and you'll have enough chicken dinners to last you all season long.

Want even more summertime inspiration? Check out our top 100 grilling recipes, our best summer BBQ salads, and our favorite summer side dishes too.

1

Bruschetta Grilled Chicken

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While we've got plenty of weeknight chicken dinners in our arsenal, this bruschetta grilled chicken is one of our favorite ways to celebrate fresh summer flavors all season long. It turns classic bruschetta into something worthy of a main course, thanks to a little char from the grill and lots of mozzarella cheese.

Get the Bruschetta Grilled Chicken recipe.

2

Harissa Grilled Chicken

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In the world of powerhouse pantry staples, harissa is a flavor bomb. We’re no strangers to its magic here at Delish—we've already stirred it into clams and aioli, and used it to spice up turkey breast and meatballs—and now we’re tapping it again for this easy, throw-together marinade for grilled chicken.

Get the Harissa Grilled Chicken recipe.

3

Spicy Coconut Grilled Chicken

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Get these spicy coconut chicken thighs on the grill ASAP; you won’t regret it. They're super-tender thanks to a tasty duo of coconut milk and tenderizing pineapple juice in the marinade. Hot tip: Boil the marinade down into a sauce to drizzle on top for extra flavor.

Get the Spicy Coconut Grilled Chicken recipe.

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4

California Grilled Chicken

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♫ California looove ...♫ Balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, honey, oil, and Italian seasoning come together here for a lovely marinade that goes perfectly with in-season tomatoes and creamy avocado.

Get the California Grilled Chicken recipe.

5

Grilled Chicken Sandwich

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Grilling the red onions and buns is totally optional but will take this chicken sandwich over the top. Serve it with some homemade French fries, and you have a restaurant worthy meal right at home.

Get the Grilled Chicken Sandwich recipe.

6

Tex-Mex Chicken Fajita Foil Packets

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In these foil packs, a heap of veggies (there are potatoes, onions, and bell peppers) and tender nuggets of boneless, skinless chicken thighs are all flavored with delicious fajita spices. Though potatoes aren't traditionally served with fajitas, here they're a welcome addition (they help soak up ALL the flavor).

Get the Tex-Mex Chicken Fajita Foil Packets recipe.

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7

Grilled Chicken Kebabs

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Many cookouts are plagued by folks using breasts and not knowing how to grill them. Chicken thighs like we've used here, however, are a lot more forgiving due to their natural tenderness and flavor. They taste even better when slid on skewers alongside bok choy and scallions, then glazed with a hoisin BBQ sauce.

Get the Grilled Chicken Kebabs recipe.

8

Grilled Chicken Salad

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This grilled chicken salad—filled with cucumbers, tomatoes, and avocado—is the healthy summer dinner we make again and again.

Get the Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Salad recipe.

9

Peach Balsamic Grilled Chicken

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Grilling fruit brings out all its juicy sweetness, and while you can always go the sweet route with your grilled peaches, they're just as good paired with this sweet and tangy balsamic chicken.

Get the Peach Balsamic Grilled Chicken recipe.

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10

Yakitori (Grilled Chicken Skewers)

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Yakitori (Japanese for "grilled chicken") is one of the oldest and most popular traditional Japanese dishes. Though you'll often find it served from flat tops by street vendors, it's easy to make at home on your grill. alt (shio) or yakitori sauce (tare). You can add ginger and other ingredients, but we kept things minimal for authentic flavor.

Get the Yakitori (Grilled Chicken Skewers) recipe.

11

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

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Serve this Jamaican jerk chicken with traditional callaloo and , or up the sweet factor with some coconut rice or sweet plantains.

Get the Jamaican Jerk Chicken recipe.

12

Grilled Chicken Street Tacos

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Nothing beats a street taco—super-juicy, tender grilled meat in a quick grab-and-go format, typically made possible by doubling up two smaller corn tortillas. This makes them easier to eat on the side of the street, in the car, anywhere! They're no frills yet tend to be some of the most craveable tacos around.

Get the Grilled Chicken Street Tacos recipe.

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13

Elote (Mexican Street Corn) Tacos

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Wondering what you’re going to make tonight? These grilled chicken tacos are the answer. They've got all the deliciousness of elote or esquites in taco form, and you don’t even have to fire up the grill. Oh, and did we mention you can get them on the table in 30 minutes?

Get the Elote (Mexican Street Corn) Tacos recipe.

14

Best Grilled Chicken Breast

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Grilled chicken breasts can be the epitome of boring—too often they're dried out or rubbery. But when soaked in a super-quick marinade with balsamic, brown sugar, and dried thyme, you're guaranteed deliciousness.

Get the Best Grilled Chicken Breast recipe.

15

Copycat Chipotle Burrito Bowl

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While we’re all about switching things up, when we want a tried-and-true perfect meal, we always go back to the chicken burrito bowl from Chipotle. It’s classic, reliable, and completely customizable depending on our mood. Best of all? It's SO easy to make at home too, just how you like it.

Get the Copycat Chipotle Burrito Bowl recipe.

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16

Grilled Pineapple Chicken

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Move over Hawaiian pizza! This tropical chicken has become our new favorite savory pineapple dish. The acidity from the pineapple marinade will help to tenderize the grilled chicken breast and the sugar works to caramelize the meat while grilling.

Get the Grilled Pineapple Chicken recipe.

17

Caprese Chicken Foil Packs

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This recipe combines three things we love—Caprese, chicken, and foil packets—for a SUPER-easy and bright chicken dinner that only takes about 30 minutes to make. Whether you're throwing a BBQ or having a chill family meal, everyone will love them!

Get the Caprese Chicken Foil Packs recipe.

18

Chipotle Chicken

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Juicy, slightly spicy and packed full of flavor, this copycat recipe just might rival the real deal thanks to an extra-flavorful marinade and super-tender chicken. If you've been searching for that perfect Chipotle recipe—this is it.

Get the Chipotle Chicken recipe.

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19

Grilled Chicken Cajun Pasta Salad

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Warning: If you make this Cajun-seasoned, spicy pasta salad at your next summer cookout, be prepared to have everyone asking for the recipe.

Get the Grilled Chicken Cajun Pasta Salad recipe.

20

Chicken Satay

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Satay, considered to be a national dish of Indonesia, is a popular Southeast Asian street food that usually involves a marinated meat being skewered and grilled, then served with a simple saucy dip. Our peanut sauce is the ultimate wingman to satay, containing all the fragrant notes of lemongrass, coconut, fish sauce, and fresh lime zest.

Get the Chicken Satay recipe.

40 Creative Grilled Chicken Recipes That’ll Shake Up Your Summer Dinners (2024)

FAQs

How to season chicken like a restaurant? ›

Mix together salt, paprika, onion powder, thyme, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl; set aside. Remove and discard giblets from chicken. Rinse chicken cavity; pat dry with paper towels. Rub each chicken inside and out with spice mixture.

Do you need to season chicken before grilling? ›

Just sprinkling a little salt on top of your chicken right before cooking it will only season the surface. But seasoning the chicken with salt well ahead of time or brining it in a salt-water solution will draw salt deep into the meat, resulting in a very tasty piece of chicken.

What is the secret to grilling chicken? ›

Grill over indirect or direct heat but keep the lid closed

If you're cooking a larger or thicker piece of chicken breast, grill over indirect heat before or after charring, especially if you want to be sure that it's cooked all the way through.

What is the secret to juicy chicken? ›

Brines and marinades help tenderize the meat by bringing more moisture in the protein. With that extra moisture, you lose less when you cook. The simplest way to do this is with a dry brine — unwrap the chicken breasts, salt them on both sides and let them sit in the fridge for at least an hour.

Does butter or oil make chicken skin crispy? ›

Ideally, pan-fried chicken will come off the heat tender and juicy on the inside, and golden and crispy on the outside -- but the perfect crunchy skin won't happen in just any cooking fat. If you want a tasty flavor, go with butter, but if you want your ideal texture, opt for a cooking oil instead.

What ingredient makes chicken skin crispy? ›

In order to get crispy wings without frying, you need to dry out the skin. That's where a coating of baking powder and salt comes in. The baking powder and salt help break down the proteins in the skin, draw moisture to the surface, and also aid in browning.

What oil is best for crispy chicken skin? ›

Covering the chicken with skin ensures the meat will not be overly exposed to the heat and dry out (we want the skin to be dried out, not the meat). At this point, rub the chicken with canola or extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle any desired spices, such as salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, etc.

What spices enhance the flavor of chicken? ›

5 best spice and herbs blends for chicken and meat
  • Paprika and garlic powder. Paprika is a great spice that makes any chicken dish stand out, it comes in many forms sweet, hot, regular and smoky. ...
  • Basil and rosemary. ...
  • Ginger and lemongrass. ...
  • Turmeric and chili. ...
  • Coriander and cumin.

What brings out the flavor in chicken? ›

The reaction of cysteine and sugar can lead to characteristic meat flavour specially for chicken and pork. Volatile compounds including 2-methyl-3-furanthiol, 2-furfurylthiol, methionol, 2,4,5-trimethyl-thiazole, nonanol, 2-trans-nonenal, and other compounds have been identified as important for the flavour of chicken.

How to make chicken more flavorful? ›

Add a touch of spice to your chicken breast by combining paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, ginger, garlic and olive oil to create a paste. Then cover your chicken breast with the paste and pat down to secure.

Should I put olive oil on chicken before grilling? ›

Start with a very light coating of olive oil on the chicken to keep it from sticking to the grill. Once it has started cooking, apply your basting mixture with a silicone brush or baster. Flip the chicken and allow it to cook a bit longer before basting the other side.

What is a good binder for grilled chicken? ›

Binder for Chicken: The 4 Best Options

Often folks will call it a "smear" or "slather." One of the most common binders in barbecue is mustard. However, not many people use this for chicken (myself included). Rather, I will almost always use water, cooking oil, hot sauce, or pickle juice.

Do you put sauce on chicken before grilling? ›

Most grillers will apply the sauce first and then continue to baste the chicken with sauce while it cooks. This is a common practice, but it can lead to burning your chicken. You want the chicken to slowly cook to perfection and then add the sauce during the final 10 to 15 minutes of cooking.

Why does grilled chicken taste better than baked? ›

Grilled chicken typically provides a nice char, which gives the poultry more flavor and texture compared to baking or sauteing. It's especially nice during the warmer months because you get some fresh air — and the technique prevents the house from being overwhelmed with cooking odors.

Why does grilled chicken taste different? ›

This is a chemical reaction that happens when meat is cooked at high temperatures, usually over 300 degrees Fahrenheit. When the amino acids in the meat react with the sugars, it creates hundreds of new flavor compounds, giving grilled meats that unique flavor that you just can't get from other cooking methods.

What is the difference between rotisserie chicken and grilled chicken? ›

Rotisserie: Cooking Style

No high-flame fire is required. Low heat in an open flame is sufficient. It is a slow cooking method and is ideal for bigger pieces cooking over a long time. Rotisserie chicken is much lower in calories due to being oven-roasted.

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