We’re no strangers to heavily leaning on chicken for our weeknight dinners, and 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. With a few easy marinades, fruit, and spices, you'll happily be eating grilled chicken all summer long too. Check out our list of 36 grilled chicken recipes for ideas.
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 putting it on your grill 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 does not 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.
Want even more summertime inspiration? Check out our top 100 grilling recipes, our best summer BBQ salads, and our favorite summer side dishes too.
