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85 Summer Chicken Recipes You Can Enjoy All Season Long

We know what we're eating this summer (hint: it's chicken!).

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chicken with gnocchi, tomatoes, and cheese in a red skillet
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

"Chicken is "what’s for dinner”... We've all heard the adage, but 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 85 summer chicken recipes for ideas—from mains to sides, they’re ALL winners.

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, our honey mustard chicken, tomato & zucchini foil packs, and our Caprese chicken gnocchi skillet 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.

1

Chicken Burgers

chicken burger topped with sauce, lettuce, sliced red onion, and tomato
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

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.

2

Hawaiian Shoyu Chicken

hawaiian shoyu chicken topped with sliced scallions
PHOTO: LINDA XIAO; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

A saucy glazed chicken thigh is typically pretty hard to beat, but this Hawaiian shoyu chicken is really something special. Featuring a ridiculously simple soy and brown sugar sauce, this easy one-pot meal will become your new go-to weeknight dinner this summer.

Get the Hawaiian Shoyu Chicken recipe.

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3

Caprese Chicken Gnocchi Skillet

chicken with gnocchi, tomatoes, and cheese in a red skillet
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

In this recipe, we're adding in pan-roasted chicken and store-bought gnocchi as Caprese's newest co-stars. If you love the salad but wish it could be more of a main course, this is the skillet dinner for you.

Get the Caprese Chicken Gnocchi Skillet recipe.

4

Arroz Con Pollo

chicken thighs and legs in a tomato based rice
PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Arroz con pollo is the perfect weeknight dinner savior. It’s an easy one-pot meal that doesn’t taste like one (seriously, you just might be eating the rice straight out of the pan). The best part? It makes for incredible leftovers, so you can enjoy it all week long.

Get the Arroz Con Pollo recipe.

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5

Chicken Quesadillas

chicken quesadillas
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: LIBERTY FENNELL

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.

6

Coconut Lime Chicken Wings

coconut lime chicken wings on a tray with lime wedges
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Buffalo sauce on a wing is a tried-and-true classic, but what if you’re in the mood for something different? Tossed in a sweet and zesty glaze, these coconut-lime wings are giving Buffalo and blue cheese a run for their money.

Get the Coconut Lime Chicken Wings recipe.

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7

Butterflied Grilled Chicken Drumsticks

butterflied chicken drumsticks seasoned with brown sugar, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and dried thyme and grilled until tender and charred then served with alabama white sauce
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI ; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

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!

Get the Butterflied Grilled Chicken Drumsticks recipe.

8

Avocado Chicken Salad

chicken avocado salad
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

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.

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9

Mexican Street Corn Chicken Skillet

chicken and corn in a skillet with a creamy sauce
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Think elote, the ever delightful Mexican street corn, but include some chicken for a one-pan chicken dinner. Comforting yet bright with fresh lime and smoky spices, the dish lifts the mood and satisfies cravings for explosive Mexican flavors.

Get the Mexican Street Corn Chicken Skillet recipe.

10

Nashville Hot Chicken

nashville hot chicken
PARKER FEIERBACH

Warning: this fried chicken isn’t for the weak of heart. That said, while this recipe does pack in the heat, the crispy skin, juicy chicken, and subtle hint of sweetness makes it perfectly doable as an extra-special weeknight dinner this summer.

Get the Nashville Hot Chicken recipe.

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11

Creamy Peanut-Lime Chicken With Noodles

chicken with noodles and carrots in a creamy peanut lime sauce topped with peanuts
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

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.

Get the Creamy Peanut-Lime Chicken With Noodles recipe.

12

Chicken Tacos

flour tortillas on a plate filled with chicken, tomatoes, avocado and red onion
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

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.

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13

Paella-Inspired Party Packs

foil packs filled with rice, peas, pepperonis, and peppers
PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

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.

14

Peruvian-Style Chicken With Green Sauce

peruvian style chicken drizzled with green sauce and served with lime
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

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.

Get the Peruvian-Style Chicken With Green Sauce recipe.

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15

Grilled Chicken Breast

grilled chicken breasts topped with herbs
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

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.

16

Mexican Corn & Chicken Bowls

rice bowl filled with chicken, corn, avocado, and jalapeno slices
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

These bowls—featuring sweet corn, lime, honey-marinated chicken, and fluffy white rice—are an ideal summer lunch or dinner. They're a straightforward yet satisfying meal that’ll please everyone’s palates.

Get the Mexican Corn & Chicken Bowls recipe.

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17

Cilantro-Lime Chicken Skewers

grilled chicken on skewers with lime
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

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.

18

Crispy Fried Chicken

crispy fried chicken with a pinch of flaky salt
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

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.

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19

Harissa Grilled Chicken

harissa grilled chicken
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

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.

20

Chicken Stir-Fry

chicken stir fry with broccoli, cashews, and red pepper
PHOTO: RYAN LIEBE; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

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.

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