5 Chicken Dinners to Make This Summer
These not-too-heavy meals starring the versatile protein are even better eaten outdoors.
By Lynn Andriani
No-Grill, Take-It-Anywhere, Goes-with-Anything Chicken
Transportable and finger-licking good, this roast chicken recipe includes six cloves of garlic (never a bad thing) and a knob of fresh ginger (intriguing!). Plus, it calls for a mix of thighs and drumsticks, so you can be sure the meat will taste moist and flavorful. The tangy, spicy dish is a winner whether you serve it hot or at room temperature, and you can gobble it up cold for lunch the next day.
Get the recipe: Spiced Picnic Chicken
Poached Chicken That Departs from the Usual
Simmering chicken in water until it's cooked through is one of the lightest, most healthful ways to prepare the bird. Traditional poaching uses water flavored with aromatics such as herbs, celery, carrots, salt and pepper, but this Asian-inspired version has you mix lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce and slices of chili pepper into the water. In 15 minutes, you'll have tender meat that you can eat just as it is, or shred for use in a salad.
Get the recipe: Shredded Lime and Chili Chicken on Basil Leaves
A Beloved Party Dish Like Never Before
As if we needed another reason to love nachos, here's an insanely good twist on the classic that's substantial enough to serve as a casual summer supper. You cook chicken thighs or breasts in a slow cooker with Buffalo sauce, sweet chili sauce, honey, soy sauce and chili flakes until it's shreddable. Then you arrange the cooked meat over a layer of tortilla chips, top it with cheese and bake it for five minutes. Serve the sweet and spicy nachos with jalapeños, green onions and cilantro.
Get the recipe: Firecracker Chicken Nachos
A Speedy and Fresh Weeknight Meal with a Laid-Back Weekend Feel
The first step in this breezy supper is to mix cucumber, red bell pepper and avocado with lime juice, cilantro and honey. Then, just sprinkle chicken thighs with cumin and lime, and they cook under the broiler in a matter of minutes—and top with the salsa. It's refreshing and delicious on its own, or sliced and wrapped in a tortilla, eaten taco-style.
Get the recipe: Spicy Chicken Thighs with Cucumber-Avocado Salsa
Tandoori Chicken Without a Special Oven or 25 Ingredients
The cylindrical clay ovens you see in Indian restaurants certainly look impressive, but it turns out they aren't necessary to turn out spicy, succulent chicken that's worthy of any summer spread. To make this supereasy take on the classic dish, you combine yogurt and spices (just three of them) in the blender, let chicken breasts sit in the sauce for a half-hour, and then grill or oven-roast.
Get the recipe: Tandoori Chicken
Published 06/19/2018
