Our 23 Best Grilled Chicken Recipes (Just in Time for Summer)

updated Jul 5, 2023
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close up overhead shot of grilled chicken tenders on a white plate
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Nicole Rufus

Whether you’re planning a summer cookout or just need an easy weeknight dinner solution, grilled chicken is a versatile protein and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Plus, it’s easy to pair with a multitude of side dishes like pasta salad or crunchy slaw, and easy creamy dips.

With that said, if you’ve got big plans to dust off the grill and get cooking from now until September, then you need these grilled chicken recipes. From grilled breasts to BBQ wings to tender kabobs, you’re sure a find a chicken recipe for every outdoor occasion.

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Tequila-Lime Chicken

This grilled tequila lime chicken hinges on a zesty and bright marinade that relies mostly on pantry ingredients and comes together in no time.

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Grilled Lemon-Oregano Chicken Tenders

Chicken tenders, the actual cut of chicken and not the breaded kind that kids love, are a natural stunner on the grill because they cook in minutes and become insanely juicy — especially when you marinate them in an easy garlic-lemon-oregano dressing.

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Grilled Chicken Thighs
Thanks to a soy-lime marinade flacked with punchy bits of garlic and ginger, each piece of crispy-edged, juicy chicken is packed with a ton of flavor.
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Tsukune
A popular street food found in Japan, tsukune are chicken meatballs that are threaded on skewers, grilled, and brushed with a sweet and salty syrup-like sauce.
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Grilled Chicken Cutlets with Pistachio-Avocado Relish

Paired with a bright, nutty sauce that takes a page from Italian salsa verde, moist, flavorful chicken breasts work well as part of a larger spread or (watch them disappear first!) or as the center of attention at a dinner party, alongside a simple salad.

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Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Seasoned grilled chicken breasts meet melty cheese, crispy bacon, lettuce, and tomato in this simple and satisfying recipe that’s a crowd-pleaser any summer night you want to grill.

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Grilled Chicken Wings
Cornstarch makes these grilled wings crispy before they're tossed in a traditional buffalo wing sauce.
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Grilled Chicken Tacos

This easy weeknight taco recipe has a similar vibe to street tacos — achieved by chopping the chicken into small pieces and combining it with finely chopped cilantro and white onion. Serve them up with avocado, salsa verde, sour cream, or any topping you like.

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Honey Jerk Grilled Chicken

This honey jerk chicken is packed with sweet, caramelized flavor and grilled to perfection.

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Chicken Caesar Salad Skewers

Thredded with pieces of grilled chicken, croutons, and romain halves, and served with plenty of Caesar dressing, these skewers guarantee you an evenly cooked salad on a stick every time.

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Easy Jalapeño Grilled Chicken
Flavored with tart lime and the fiery heat of jalapenos, these easy grilled chicken breasts are a summer stunner.
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Lemongrass Grilled Chicken
This versatile grilled lemongrass chicken can be used in sandwiches, on noodle bowls, or just about any other time you crave chicken.
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Grilled Chicken Salad
Packed with bright, fresh, bold flavors and juicy strips of chicken breast, this is the grilled chicken salad you'll eat on repeat all summer long.
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Juicy, Flavorful Grilled Chicken Breast
This cooking lesson will teach you everything you need to know about grilled chicken — from buying it to marinating it, and how to cook every cut from boneless breast to classic drumsticks.
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Grilled Chicken Kebabs
These kebabs are easy, crowd-pleasing, and you can serve them up any way you like: Simply shower the charred chicken with herbs, slide the pieces onto pasta salad, or pair with the season’s freshest produce.
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Grilled BBQ Chicken Wings
These are your go-to wings for every summer holiday from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The ingenious part of these grilled wings is that they are slow-cooked ahead of time and finished on the grill.
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Spicy Korean Grilled Chicken
These drumsticks have a spicy-sweet glaze that makes them perfect for family picnics or backyard barbecues.
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Buttermilk Grilled Chicken
These family-friendly chicken pieces deliver all the flavor of fried chicken from the grill! Pair these with biscuits and grilled corn for an easy weeknight meal.
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Grilled Chicken Thighs with Apricot-Miso Glaze
These boneless, skinless chicken thighs grill up extra moist and flavorful, thanks to a simple apricot glaze and a savory miso glaze.
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Blackened Beer-Brined Grilled Chicken
Brushed with chili butter, these tender, juicy bone-in chicken breasts pair perfectly with a scoop of pasta salad.
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Grilled Chicken Thighs with Chimichurri
Chimichurri sauce is herby with just the right amount of tang to cut through rich meat. Traditionally served with grilled skirt steak, it also makes a great companion to grilled chicken thighs.
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Grilled Chicken Legs with Dijon & White Wine Glaze
Don’t skip on this basic but brilliant grilled leg quarter recipe. Cooking larger chicken pieces on the grill keeps everything from drying out.
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Grilled Chicken Breast with Blackberry-Corn Salsa
These gorgeous grilled chicken breasts are peak summer, with a fiery corn and berry salsa that you’ll want to eat on everything.
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