The Best Summer Grilling Recipes For Easy Dinners

Summer grilling season means more time outside and less time stuck in the kitchen. I’ve rounded up the best of my summer grilling recipes to cover every occasion.

The steak marinade alone is worth bookmarking, with its soy, lemon, and Worcestershire base that tenderizes as it flavors. For nights you want dinner with zero cleanup, my chicken foil packet delivers a full meal of seasoned chicken, potatoes, bacon, and melted Colby Jack, straight off the grill.

Grilled fruit, smoky sides, bacon-wrapped appetizers, loaded burgers, and so much more – I’ve got your summer cooking menu covered. Fire up the grill and let’s get into it.

Beer Marinated Chicken

This Beer Marinated Chicken gets its incredible depth from a honey, soy, and beer marinade that works its way into every bite, with a reserved basting glaze brushed on at the end that makes all the difference.

Huli Huli Chicken

This Huli Huli Chicken brings Hawaiian-style grilling right into your backyard, with chicken thighs soaked in a pineapple, brown sugar, and ginger marinade and finished with a reserved sauce that caramelizes beautifully on the grill.

Chicken and Shrimp Tacos

Chicken and Shrimp Tacos are grilled on separate skewers so each protein cooks perfectly. Then, they’re topped with a homemade pineapple salsa that adds a fresh, sweet flavor to each bite.

Oklahoma Fried Onion Burgers

These Oklahoma Fried Onion Burgers use a smash-burger technique where the patty cooks directly on top of sliced onions, so they caramelize and fuse right into the meat. The homemade secret sauce seals the deal. A burger doesn’t get any better.

close up shot of a Oklahoma Fried Onion Burger on a plate

Grilled Potatoes

I cook my Grilled Potatoes cut-side down in a foil packet so the edges caramelize against the foil while the insides stay tender and creamy. I finish them with Parmesan and fresh parsley, and they honestly steal the show at every cookout.

Grilled Chicken Breast

This Grilled Chicken Breast gets its flavor from a lemon dijon and honey marinade that hits a perfect sweet-and-tangy balance. I come back to this recipe all summer long, since grilled chicken can be used for salads, simple dinners, tacos, and sandwiches.

Grilled Corn On The Cob

This method for making Grilled Corn On The Cob skips the soaking and foil wrapping entirely. The corn goes straight on the grill, and the butter goes on after, so you get real char and caramelized sweetness.

Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

What sets these Teriyaki Chicken Skewers apart is that I add a homemade sauce that gets cooked down until thick and glossy before it ever touches the chicken. I slather on more sauce as they come off the grill to give them an irresistible sticky finish.

Pineapple Chicken Kabobs

These Pineapple Chicken Kabobs use fresh pineapple blended right into the BBQ marinade for a tropical, smoky flavor that’s unlike anything from a bottle. Juicy chicken, caramelized pineapple, and crispy bacon on the same skewer makes this one a serious crowd-pleaser.

Beef Kabobs

These Beef Kabobs spend up to 24 hours in a savory soy and Worcestershire marinade. I love that a reserved portion of it goes on the vegetables too, so everything on the skewer is packed with flavor.

Chicken Foil Packet

This Chicken Foil Packet is a full dinner of seasoned chicken, potatoes, bacon, and melted Colby Jack all in one packet. It works on the grill, in the oven, or over a campfire, and cleanup is basically nonexistent.

Broccoli and cheddar potato skins on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Salmon In Foil

Salmon In Foil is a full dinner ready in 20 minutes, with garlic butter salmon sitting right on top of zucchini and squash so everything steams together in the same packet.

close up shot of a cooked salmon placed on top of sliced zucchini

Grilled Asparagus in Foil

This Grilled Asparagus in Foil is a 25-minute veggie side dish that gets a lemon garlic soak before the foil goes on. A mozzarella and parmesan finish makes it so much more than a basic vegetable side.

a plate of asparagus topped with melted mozzarella cheese

Camping Potatoes

My favorite Camping Potatoes are layered with butter, smoked paprika, two kinds of cheese, and crumbled bacon, then I seal them in foil before cooking. The result is tender, smoky, loaded potatoes right off the fire or grill.

Spatula lifting cheesy campfire potatoes with bacon from a foil packet on the grill.

Campfire Nachos

These Campfire Nachos get built in a cast iron skillet with three layers of chips and cheese, so every single bite is melty and gooey. Ready in 15 minutes over the fire or grill, and completely customizable with whatever toppings you have on hand.

Skillet of cheesy nachos topped with black olives, jalapeños, tomatoes, and melted cheese, surrounded by fresh toppings.

Campfire Scrambled Eggs

My Campfire Scrambled Eggs recipe makes a full Southwest-style breakfast, cooked in a cast-iron skillet, right over the fire. The eggs are cooked with potato hash, peppers, and jalapeño for a flavorful start to your day – even if you’re at the campground.

Greek Chicken Marinade

Fresh lemon, garlic, honey, and a blend of Mediterranean herbs make this Greek Chicken Marinade a recipe I whip up all summer long. I always set a little aside before the chicken goes in so I can brush it on while it grills.

The Best Steak Marinade Recipe

The Best Steak Marinade Recipe lives up to its name with a salty, tangy, slightly sweet base that works its way into the meat while it soaks. It’ll be your new favorite marinade – trust me.

close up shot of pieces of steak topped with slices of butter and garnished with parsley in a skillet

Bourbon Chicken Marinade

My Bourbon Chicken Marinade delivers that sweet, sticky, Bourbon Street-style sauce in just 25 minutes on the stovetop. Marinate any meat you want and cook it on the grill.

close up overhead shot of bourbon chicken served over white rice and topped with diced green onions

Fireball Chicken

This Fireball Chicken marinates in a jalapeño pepper jelly and Fireball whisky sauce that hits sweet, spicy, and warm all at once. The reserved portion brushed on at the end of grilling gives it that glossy, sticky finish that makes this chicken impossible to put down.

Caramelized Brown Sugar Grilled Pineapple

This Brown Sugar Grilled Pineapple is on the grill in under 5 minutes, and the leftover marinade gets microwaved into a glossy syrup to drizzle overtop at the end. Serve it alongside grilled meats or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an effortless summer dessert.

Grilled pineapple spears drizzled with sticky brown sugar glaze, served on a plate with a bowl of glaze in the background.

Mexican Street Corn

This Mexican Street Corn skips the store-bought shortcuts with a homemade chipotle crema that you slather on right off the grill. Cotija cheese, fresh lime, and chili powder finish it off the way it’s actually meant to be served.

close up shot of Mexican Corn on the Cob topped with parsley

The Best Burger

The Best Burger earns its name with a beef blend mixed with mayo and A-1 steak sauce for patties that stay incredibly juicy on the grill. I toast the buttered buns right alongside the cheese while it melts, and the whole thing comes together in just 20 minutes.

Southwest Salad

This Southwest Salad is a full meal on its own, with Southwest-marinated grilled chicken over romaine and a homemade cilantro lime ranch dressing that I make ahead and keep in the fridge all week. The dressing is what makes it.