Chicken is one of those foods that can really go with anything. It’s a very basic meat with a recognizable flavor which is easily added to with seasonings or accents. The problem with such an easily altered food is that the possibilities are endless. That means we have to keep searching, constantly, for the best ways to cook it. There are always new and untested recipes to try! To set your mind at ease about the generations-long search for the best chicken recipe, we’ve put together 2 of our favorites. Even better? These 2 chicken recipes are best grilled. So, break out your grill this summer and get a bit carried away the next time your local grocery store puts chicken on sale!

Grilled Lemon Chicken and Asparagus

If you’ve never had grilled lemon chicken, you’re truly missing out. Cooking any meat with lemon is a fabulous idea. The citrus from the lemon breaks down meat, leaving it melt-in-your-mouth tender – and tangy to boot!

Preparing lemon chicken means creating a marinade. This isn’t as complicated as it sounds and actually makes cooking dinner easier. In the same way crockpot cooking is appealing, marinating meat also allows you to do all the hard work early in the day. You spend a little time making the marinade, then leave the chicken to soak in it and absorb all of those delicious flavors overnight. 

Cooking it later is quick: just take it out of the fridge, move the chicken from the marinade onto a plate, and carry it to a grill. Crack open a cold drink with some friends or family and let the grill work its magic.

Here’s a great recipe for grilled lemon chicken. Feel free to mess with the seasonings as you prefer them. We do recommend you stick with using thighs though. Many lemon chicken recipes use breasts, but these don’t turn out nearly as juicy or flavorful.

To grill your asparagus, just toss them on the grill, brush them with some oil, and sprinkle them with any desired salt or seasonings.

Spinach and Feta-Stuffed Chicken with Peppers

This recipe is much more a recipe of the heart. You can do it in any way you like, but here are the general instructions:

1. Get yourself some chicken breasts. We recommend 2 per adult.
2. Put one breast into a gallon storage bag, zip it shut, and use a meat mallet to flatten it. The bag will keep it from splattering chicken juice all over the kitchen, so please use it.
3. When flattened to about ¼ inch thick, brush the chicken with oil.
4. Sprinkle on desired seasonings. Oregano and salt works great.
5. Place a small handful of fresh spinach leaves on the surface, along with a bit of feta cheese, diced bell peppers, and chopped onion.
6. Roll the chicken up from one end to the other, then skewer it closed with a toothpick.
7. Grill chicken on medium heat until it reaches a safe internal temperature.
8. Optionally, grill some slices of bell pepper to serve it with as well.

Planning a barbecue for this summer? While most barbecues focus on meat as the centerpiece, we can’t forget the importance of side dishes. With the right choice of side dish, your barbecue party won’t just showcase your burger grilling skills. Instead, it will show off an exquisite knowledge of the relationship between main course and side. There’s more to it than just grabbing some potato salad from your local grocery store! Therefore, clean off your grill and check out these fantastic side dishes for your summer barbecue.

Citrus Skewers

The most important thing for a side dish isn’t for it to be dense and filling; that’s the job of the entree. Instead, a side dish is meant to compliment the entree and bring out its flavors.

If you’re planning to grill burgers for your party attendees, consider a side dish of citrus skewers. Citrus goes incredibly with burgers. The acid brings out the seasonings in the beef and helps us break down and digest fatty foods.

On your skewer, layer cherry tomatoes, chunks of pineapple, and even slices of orange. Set these skewers over a medium flame on the grill and let them get nice and tender.

If you want to add an alternative meat to the mix, you can also make some that include chunks of chicken. Chicken and citrus are iconic together. Just be sure to let the skewers cook long enough that the chicken is all the way done in the middle. Cooking the pieces of chicken halfway before skewering them can help with this and prevent the citrus from getting burned.

Grilled Shrimp

Shrimp are an all-time party favorite. However, grilling them on the barbecue is a whole different experience. The majority of people have only experienced shrimp as a convenience food. Show everyone attending your party that shrimp is more than that. With the smoky flavor of the grill cooked into it, shrimp is not just a favorite, it’s life-changing.

Making a homemade cocktail sauce to go with your shrimp is going the extra mile. Try squeezing some fresh orange and lemon juice into the sauce to add an extra fresh and citrusy kick.

Homemade Guacamole

It’s no secret that the world has gone crazy for guacamole in the past 20 years. However, that guacamole you can get from Chipotle or from the fridge in the grocery store is nothing on homemade guac. Break out the seasonings and the fresh avocados and get experimenting with homemade guacamole. Nothing will wow your guests like eating this fresh dip and experiencing guacamole like they’ve never tasted it before.

Strawberry Vinaigrette Salad

Most people don’t associate strawberries with salad. However, don’t knock it til you try it. If you can appreciate a nice vinaigrette, slice some fresh strawberries over your salad and douse it in dressing. The sweet tang of the strawberries mixed with the sour kick of the vinegar create a flavor profile like never before. 

Plus, you know how we love oranges; peel some up and cut the slices into bites, adding another layer of fruity excitement to your leafy greens.