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Great grilled chicken

23 easy and delicious reasons to fire up the grill now

Sunset
1 /24 Erin Kunkel

Grilled Buttermilk Chicken

The perfect picnic chicken! Soak chicken in a buttermilk brine for extra moist and tender results, and add subtle Indian-inspired spices for a go-anywhere feast that's miles from boring.

Recipe: Grilled Buttermilk Chicken

2 /24 Photo by Iain Bagwell; written by Elaine Johnson

The paprika delivers great smoky flavor in this main-dish salad.

Recipe: Grilled Chicken, Corn, and Spinach Salad with Smoky Paprika Dressing

3 /24

Chicken Piri-Piri

This Sunset favorite is based on a spicy grilled Portuguese dish; piri-piri is a small hot chile. Traditionally, piri-piri preparations include a splash of lemon and a hint of garlic; we're more generous with both in our version.

Recipe: Chicken Piri-Piri

4 /24 Annabelle Breakey

Grilled Cilantro Chicken with Pickled Tomato and Avocado Salsa

Marinate chicken breasts in lime, cilantro, and chicken, then grill and top with an absolutely addictive sweet and spicy tomato avocado salsa. This dish will knock your socks off.

Recipe: Grilled Cilantro Chicken with Pickled Tomato and Avocado Salsa

5 /24 Karen Steffens

Cilantro Chicken

Fresh cilantro, lime juice, honey, and garlic add zip to this simple, healthy main dish.

Recipe: Cilantro Chicken

6 /24 Iain Bagwell; Styling: Dan Becker

Yogurt-marinated Chicken Kebabs with Israeli Couscous

These crowd-pleasing kebabs get an Indian kick from a marinade of curry, garam masala, and yogurt. Israeli couscous on the side is a nice change from typical pasta salad.

Recipe: Yogurt-marinated Chicken Kebabs with Israeli Couscous

7 /24 Lara Hata

Grilled Chicken and Nectarine Salad

A taste of summer in a bowl: barbecued chicken, sweet nectarines, tangy goat cheese, crisp salad greens, and toasted pecans. A speedy entree salad that’s perfect for the season.

Recipe: Grilled Chicken and Nectarine Salad

8 /24 Annabelle Breakey

BLT Chicken Burgers

Poultry burgers have a reputation for being dry and bland. Not these: Jazzed up with sharp cheddar, parmesan, and garlic ― then topped with crisp bacon, juicy tomatoes, and lettuce ― they're boldness in a bun.

Recipe: BLT Chicken Burgers

9 /24

Brick-Grilled Chicken

Want moist and succulent grilled chicken with deliciously crispy skin? Try grilling under a brick. (Or, use the modern equivalent: A cast-iron pan.) Take a whole chicken, cut open and flatten, marinate, and then grill under a weight. Use the same technique with Cornish hens or quail for equally good results.

Recipe: Brick-Grilled Chicken

10 /24 Annabelle Breakey

Lime and Pepper Grilled Chicken Breasts

Simplicity on the grill: This super-easy recipe puts a tasty spin on grilled chicken breasts, flavored with a hint of lime and a punch of pepper.

Recipe: Lime and Pepper Grilled Chicken Breasts

11 /24 Leo Gong; Styling: Dan Becker

Grilled Chicken Kebabs with Romesco Sauce

A sweet and salty sauce of roasted red peppers, nuts, and garlic tops this luscious chicken dish.

Recipe: Grilled Chicken Kebabs with Romesco Sauce

12 /24 Greg DuPree

Tequila-Marinated Chicken Fajitas

Tequila, orange juice, lime juice, and chipotle peppers add kick to this Mexican outdoor dinner party favorite. Recipe: Tequila-Marinated Chicken Fajitas
13 /24 Leo Gong; Styling: Dan Becker

Honey-Sesame Grilled Chicken Wings

Finger-lickin' sweet replaces blazing buffalo as the flavorings for these tasty wings. We like to serve them as a fun hors d'oeuvre for an outdoor party or as the main course for a family dinner.

Recipe: Honey-Sesame Grilled Chicken Wings

14 /24 Dan Goldberg

Grilled Chipotle-Chicken Quesadillas

Stuff your quesadillas with sour cream, spicy chipotle peppers, and grilled chicken, and you'll have a new family favorite. Grilling adds a mildly smoky note, the perfect complement to big flavors like lime, cilantro, and chile.

Recipe: Grilled Chipotle-Chicken Quesadillas

15 /24 James Carrier

Wine-Brined Grilled Chicken

Give your chicken a 24-hour bath in dry white wine ― it's the key to this simple recipe's delicate flavor.

Recipe: Wine-Brined Grilled Chicken

16 /24 Iain Bagwell; Styling: Dan Brecker

Spatchcocked Chicken

"Spatchcocking" a chicken means splitting the bird down the back and flattening it out so it cooks more evenly and quickly (it's also known as butterflying). This version is rubbed with flavorful Dijon mustard and a mixture of dried and fresh herbs.

Recipe: Spatchcocked Chicken

17 /24 Dan Goldberg

Juicy Grilled Chicken Breasts

Grill the perfect chicken breast ― crunchy skin and tender meat ― with a simple, foolproof method: Salt it beforehand to keep the meat moist, and give it a final toast over direct heat to crisp the skin up. Perfect results, with only two ingredients! Try our spice-rubbed, marinated, buttered, and herbed variations after you've mastered the original.

Recipe: Juicy Grilled Chicken Breasts

18 /24 Photo by Annabelle Breakey

Grilled Chicken on Greens with Creamy Harissa Dressing

This chicken salad gets its wow factor from a dressing spiked with harissa, a Tunisian chile sauce. Cool yogurt balances the heat.

Recipe: Grilled Chicken on Greens with Creamy Harissa Dressing

19 /24 Lisa Romerein

Grilled Chicken Thighs with Sweet Onions and Peppers

Sweet, slow-cooked onions and red peppers, laced with Port, capers, and thyme, make grilled chicken thighs your summer blockbuster.

Recipe: Grilled Chicken Thighs with Sweet Onions and Peppers

20 /24 Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Basil Friedman

Chicken Yakitori

Your family will love these extra-tasty chicken skewers, our version of a popular Japanese street food. The sauce also works well on pork, fish, or beef.

Recipe: Yakitori

21 /24 Aya Brackett; Styling: Robyn Valarik

Grilled Chicken Thighs with Peas and Shallots

Crisp-skinned, juicy grilled chicken thighs are paired here with sweet shallots and peas, studded with smoky-crisp bits of bacon.

Recipe: Grilled Chicken Thighs with Peas and Shallots

22 /24 THOMAS J. STORY

Spice-Rubbed Smoke-Roasted Chicken

The classic roast chicken moves onto the grill, and a spice rub gives it extra kick.

Recipe: Spice-Rubbed Smoke-Roasted Chicken

23 /24 Thomas J. Story

Grilled Fusion Chicken

Spicy, garlicky cream sauce makes this chicken special enough for summer entertaining.

Recipe: Grilled Fusion Chicken

24 /24 Photo by Iain Bagwell

Cashew Romesco Chicken Thighs

Made with cashews, this romesco, given to us by Josh Drage, chef at the Ranch at Rock Creek in Philipsburg, MT, has a silkier texture and sweeter flavor than the classic sauce made with almonds. He brushes it onto grilled chicken, but it would also be good swirled into a creamy soup.

Recipe: Cashew Romesco Chicken Thighs