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To make your summer evenings spectacular, I have some fantastic grilled dinner ideas for you!!
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WE Love Grillin’ and Chillin’
Our family loves to grill in the spring and summer because there’s just something that makes dinner feel a little more special when it’s cooked on the grill.
Anytime is a good time to enjoy these grilled dinner ideas. If the weather isn’t to your liking, just whip out a grill pan!
Why we love grilled dinners:
- Grill it all! From chicken breasts to Hamburgers, Steak Kabobs to pork chops, there are SO many options that can be cooked on the barbecue.
- Enjoy the outdoors. Grilling often means gathering with friends and family and enjoying the outdoor sunshine.
- Get your tips! Beginners and pros will appreciate the tips found in this post.
General Grilling Tips
Use these tips when grilling recipes for perfection. Get your grill on!
- Clean the grill a few days before the event. Add oil to the grates before grilling to prevent sticking.
- Plan. Create a chart that lays out what item will be grilled in what section as well as how long each piece will need to cook. Be sure different types of food do not touch.
- Use a meat thermometer to test the doneness of each type of meat. (Clean it off with soapy water in between uses).
- Direct heat is the area of the grill with the open flame. The flame will sear the outside of the food very quickly. Once seared to your liking, move the meat to the indirect heat.
- Indirect heat is the section of the grill without open flames. The area is still hot and will act more like an oven and slowly finish cooking the center of the meat without burning the outside
For all the necessary grilling tools, check out our Grilling Like a Pro Amazon list!
General Recipe Tips
- Seafood. When grilling seafood like salmon and shrimp add flavor with seasonings like butter, lemon juice, or lime juice. Only flip the fish once to reduce the chance of it breaking up. You can also cook in foil packets.
- Grilled veggies. Corn on the cob is an easy vegetable to grill. Some other vegetables that hold up well include zucchini, bell pepper, green beans, Asparagus, mushrooms, onion, cauliflower, broccoli, and tomatoes.
- Coat the veggies with a bit of olive oil. Season them with some salt or fresh herbs. Cook on skewers or in a grill basket.
- Grilled chicken. While the grill is preheating, allow the chicken to rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Cold chicken doesn’t cook as evenly as room-temperature chicken does. Chicken is done when the internal temp is 165°F.
- Grilled beef. Allow it to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking. Use a meat thermometer to check temperature then let rest. This allows the center to continue to heat another 5-10° as well as evenly distribute the juices.
- Rare. The internal temp reaches 120°F.
- Medium rare. Cook to an internal temp of 126°F.
- Medium. The internal temp will be 134°F.
- Medium well. Cook to an internal temp of 150°F.
- Well done. The internal temp will be 160-170°F.
Our favorite grilled dinner Recipes
Whether you use an outdoor grill or a grill pan, these are classic recipes that we enjoy year-round! You are sure to love our best grill recipes.
Pair these with our favorite summer side dishes and summer desserts for a complete meal!
Steak Marinade
Our all-time favorite steak marinade requires only four ingredients and makes mouth-watering steak that tastes amazing!
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Cilantro Lime Chicken
Cilantro lime chicken is marinated with fresh lime and herbs, bursting with zesty flavor for an easy weeknight meal.
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Best Chicken Marinade
This best chicken marinade is the perfect way to flavor chicken before grilling or cooking. It makes the meat juicy, tender, and so good!
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Best Hamburger Recipe
This is the BEST Hamburger recipe for grilling up a juicy American classic. You'll have a perfect burger every time!
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Huli Huli Chicken
Grilled huli huli chicken is the juiciest and most delicious Hawaiian-style chicken you'll ever try! Serve it alone or on rice or noodles!!
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Carne Asada Recipe
Make an authentic carne asada recipe right at home! Easily create perfect Mexican-flavored meat to add to tacos, burritos, and more.
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Steak Kabobs
Easily grill up perfectly tender and flavorful steak kabobs packed with your favorite veggies all summer long!
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Chicken Kabobs
Mouth-watering chicken kabobs are loaded with veggies for the ultimate sweet and savory grilled summer dish.
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Ranch Burger Recipe
These are the BEST homemade hamburgers!! This cheesy Ranch Burger is complete with the most delicious secret sauce!
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Teriyaki Chicken Burgers Recipe
Marinated Teriyaki Chicken Burgers are quick, easy and full of sweet, tangy flavor! Grilled pineapple make these burgers perfection.
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More Dinners to Make on the Grill
Besides the classics, we have several more delicious grilled options. Try one, or try them all! You will not be disappointed.
Carne Asada Street Tacos
Carne asada street tacos are juicy grilled steak loaded in tortillas with all of your favorite toppings – customizable and delicious!
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Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe
Asian Honey Garlic Chicken can be baked or grilled. It's bursting with Oriental flavor, and requires just a few ingredients!
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Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Sandwiches Recipe
Loaded with juicy grilled pineapple, red onion and crisp lettuce, this Hawaiian BBQ Chicken sandwich is perfect for summer entertaining!
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Dr. Pepper Ribs Recipe
Pork ribs cooked in Dr. Pepper, grilled to perfection, and smothered in BBQ Sauce. These Dr. Pepper ribs are fall off the bone delicious!
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Turkey Burger Recipe
This lean & juicy turkey burger recipe is packed with flavor but light on calories. They are a perfectly delicious addition to your next BBQ!
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Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe
Flavorful and tender Lemon Pepper Chicken is simple and requires just a few ingredients. Served on its own or over rice, this buttery chicken dish is perfect any night of the week for a simple, quick dinner idea.
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Steak Taco Recipe
This steak taco recipe is marinated to perfection and bursting with fresh flavor! They're quick and easy for a perfect weeknight dinner.
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Chicken Fajitas
Slathered in seasoning and bursting with flavor, sizzling chicken fajitas are on the table in only 30 minutes!
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Lemon Garlic Chicken Recipe
This flavorful lemon garlic chicken is ready in 15 minutes or less! It's a great weeknight chicken dinner.
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Steak and Tortellini Salad Recipe
Delish Steak and Tortellini Salad is hearty and refreshing. Tortellini, sirloin & romaine in a creamy pesto dressing is a must-have!
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A grilled Favorite!
Grilled Huli Huli Chicken is the juiciest and most delicious Hawaiian chicken you’ll ever try!
We love grilling all kinds of things in the summertime, but especially meat. This favorite is packed with flavor – you’re going to love it!
Here is the recipe:
15+ Grilled Dinner Ideas
To make your summer evenings spectacular, I have some fantastic grilled dinner ideas for you!!
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- ¾ cup ketchup
- ¾ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons ginger
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 12 boneless skinless chicken thighs
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, broth, ginger, and garlic. Reserve 1 cup of marinade for basting (and refrigerate).
- Place chicken thighs in large Ziploc bag and pour marinade over top. Refrigerate overnight.
- Remove thighs from bag, and place on grill. Discard marinade. Cook approximately 8 minutes per side, or until no longer pink. Baste with reserved marinade as you grill. Serve warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 461kcal, Carbohydrates: 47g, Protein: 45g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 214mg, Sodium: 1593mg, Potassium: 764mg, Sugar: 42g, Vitamin A: 210IU, Vitamin C: 2.5mg, Calcium: 63mg, Iron: 2.8mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
We Love Grilling Season!
Really we grill all year long here in Arizona, so every season can be grilling season! You’ll love our grilled dinner ideas, not matter what time of the year you use them.
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Would be very interested in grilling recipes for grilled chicken breast. All kinds, kabobs and all! Thank you so very much! I love your recipes
The delicious grilled food pictures are what got me here and then I was pleasantly surprised to have so many grilling tips. Im the one who grills at my house, but Im not very good at it yet. With memorial day being on Monday Im excited to eat some great (fingers crossed) BBQ food.
Another fun thing about summertime is the grilling! I like the fact that you can cook outdoors and not heat up the house. The ideas for grilling are endless and the food is amazing!
Yesssssss! So excited to bust out the grill and try every single one of these!
All the recipes look delicious! I can’t wait to try them this summer! Thanks also for all your grilling tips, they’re super helpful!
Perfect timing, we just got a new grill. I sent this to my husband 🙂
We just bought a new grill & I am so excited to try more of these recipes. We love the grilled chicken & steak!