75 Summer Chicken Recipes You Can Enjoy All Season Long
We know what we're eating this summer (hint: it's chicken!).
We've all heard the adage, "chicken is "what’s for dinner”... We say that's especially true come summertime. Chicken pairs perfectly with all our favorite summer veggies, like summer squash and tomatoes; takes to all our favorite warm-weather cooking techniques, like grilling and air frying; and makes for some of the best potluck dishes for picnics and BBQs. Check out our 75 summer chicken recipes for ideas—from mains to sides, they’re ALL winners.
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When it’s hot out, we love getting out of our warm kitchens and into the great outdoors, and we’re taking chicken with us. You can turn it into a super-easy weeknight dinner on the grill with our paella-inspired party packs, our cilantro-lime chicken skewers, or our grilled Persian chicken. It’s also great for celebratory dinners (for Memorial Day or Father’s Day, maybe?)—check out our tequila-lime chicken thighs, our pineapple teriyaki chicken (served in a pineapple), or our brick chicken recipes; they’re sure to impress. You could also turn them into surefire summer party crowd-pleasers, like our curried chicken salad, chicken pasta salad, or our sheet-pan green chile chicken nachos.
We wait all year for our favorite summer fruits and veggies, so we take advantage of them as often as we can when they’re in season. That means if we’re serving chicken, it’s getting paired with all our faves, like bell peppers, zucchini, and corn. Check out our elote (Mexican street corn) tacos, our chicken chowder zucchini boats, and our honey mustard chicken, tomato & zucchini foil packs for ideas. One of our favorite tricks? If you’ve got a favorite winter or fall chicken recipes, summer-fy it by adding some grilled veggies or juicy summer fruit—you never know, you might discover a new favorite!
Want more summertime inspiration? Check out our ultimate grilling recipes, our fave summer salads, and our top summer desserts too.
Tequila-Lime Chicken Thighs
We can’t think of a better reason to enjoy a margarita than with these tequila chicken thighs. With a sauce inspired by the classic cocktail (seriously), you’ll also have the ingredients on hand to mix one up while you cook and dine on this easy-to-make weeknight dinner.
Get the Tequila-Lime Chicken Thighs recipe.
Hawaiian Chicken Skewers
While we have plenty of favorite protein + veggie combinations, these Hawaiian chicken skewers just might be one of our favorites. With sweet pineapple, chicken, red bell peppers, and onion all basted in a sweet teriyaki-style sauce, these skewers are the ultimate summer dinner.
Get the Hawaiian Chicken Skewers recipe.
Peruvian-Style Chicken With Green Sauce
Our ever-popular Peruvian roast chicken will forever be one of our favorites…unless we need to get dinner on the table ASAP. If that's you too, lean on chicken thighs instead for that smoky, garlicky chicken with its crispy skin, in less than half the time.
Chicken Burgers
Can we talk about how good a chicken burger can be when it’s done right? Holy smokes, Batman. We use ingredients like caramelized onions, mayonnaise, and the perfect combination of seasonings to create a chicken burger that definitely won’t disappoint. Excuse us while we say our goodbyes to beef burgers forever (just kidding!).
Get the Chicken Burgers recipe.
Avocado Chicken Salad
We love this salad served on top of greens as much as we love it between two slices of sourdough bread. If you can't find a good ripe mango, pineapple would be delicious as well!
Get the Avocado Chicken Salad recipe.
Harissa Grilled Chicken
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.
Chicken Stir-Fry
You can practically throw any combination of protein, veggies, and sauce in a pan and call it good, but sometimes it’s helpful to have a basic formula to go off of. Enter: our chicken stir-fry recipe. Make it as is, or use it as a jumping-off point to create your own.
Get the Chicken Stir-Fry recipe.
Chicken Quesadillas
You don’t really need a recipe to make a good quesadilla, but if you’re looking for some guidance (especially on how to create a killer filling), then turn to this recipe. Filled with flavorful chicken, plenty of cheese and mix-ins, this quesadilla is not only completely satisfying, but totally customizable.
Get the Chicken Quesadillas recipe.
Paella-Inspired Party Packs
Looking to add a little Spanish flair to your cookout, but don't want to spend an hour making paella? Make these easy foil packs instead: They only take 25 hands-off minutes, meaning you'll have more free time to mix up some sangria too.
Get the Paella-Inspired Party Packs recipe.
Butterflied Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
Chicken drumsticks are a polarizing piece of poultry. Their awkward shape can make it tough to get an evenly brown color on all sides—especially when grilling—leaving some of the skin pale and unappetizing. The solution for even and quick cooking is the same as it is with almost any other meat: Butterfly it!
Chicken Tacos
We like our chicken tacos topped with red onion (pickled onions would be great too), avocado, cilantro, and cheese. Pico de gallo, salsa, sour cream, or some crushed corn chips would also be delicious. Anything goes!
Get the Chicken Tacos recipe.
Caprese Stuffed Chicken
A Caprese salad is great, but sometimes we crave those flavors (and something a little more hearty) in the dead of winter. The solution? Stuff sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, and spinach into chicken breasts for an Italian-inspired meal you can enjoy year-round.
Get the Caprese Stuffed Chicken recipe.
Creamy Peanut-Lime Chicken With Noodles
Who can resist rice noodles bathed in an abundance of sweet and creamy peanut sauce? Not us! In this recipe, the prep actually takes longer than the cooking, so feel free to make some elements ahead. With all them behind you, the dish comes together in a snap.
Fried Chicken Caesar Sandwich
Did someone say fried chicken AND Caesar in the same sentence? Yes—you heard correctly. Biting through the buttery, sweet brioche to meet the salty Caesar dressing dripping over crispy chicken is nothing more than a masterpiece of a mouthful.
Get the Fried Chicken Caesar Sandwich recipe.
One-Pot Farro With Chicken Sausage & Tomatoes
This one-pot dish is a flavor bomb that is packed with veggies. Chicken sausage, fennel, onions, and hearty farro are seasoned with pickled, mildly spicy pepperoncini and garlic to create a savory, stew-like rice dish. Topped with cherry tomatoes and lots of Parm, there's no better meal to make this summer.
Get the One-Pot Farro With Chicken Sausage & Tomatoes recipe.
Grilled Chicken Breast
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 Grilled Chicken Breast recipe.
Cilantro-Lime Chicken Skewers
Enjoy these skewers straight off the grill with a variety of BBQ side dishes, then remove the meat from the skewers and try one of these mouthwatering ideas: Stuff them in a pita with hummus and fixings for a Mediterranean feel, or turn them into chicken tacos with condiments like guacamole, salsa, and cheese... whatever works!
Get the Cilantro-Lime Chicken Skewers recipe.
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Tired of your same old Caesar salad? Add chicken and penne pasta to transform it into the BBQ side dish of your dreams.
Get the Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad recipe.
Crispy Fried Chicken
To complete the journey to fried chicken nirvana, we went through 5 whole chickens, 3 gallons of peanut oil, and over 20 iterations of the recipe so that you won't have to. The final result is a simple formula that turns out the best and only fried chicken recipe you'll ever need.
Get the Crispy Fried Chicken recipe.
Chicken Shawarma Bowls
Meal prepping doesn’t need to be complicated, and these chicken shawarma bowls prove that. Top it with a simple yogurt sauce and your favorite store-bought or homemade hummus. The bowls are great on their own or served with some warmed pits to scoop up all of the components.
Get the Chicken Shawarma Bowls recipe.
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