34 Summer Chicken Recipes The Whole Crowd Will Love

01 of 34

Oven-Baked Barbecue Chicken

Nothing says summer like barbecue chicken. Spend a few short minutes making the homemade barbecue sauce, then let the sweet and sticky chicken drumsticks bake in the oven. You'll have plenty of time to prepare your favorite potato salad.

Get the recipe

02 of 34

Chipotle Chicken Tacos

Don't worry—we've got Taco Tuesday handled all summer long. Toss chicken thighs in the Instant Pot with salsa, chipotles, and some seasonings, and dinner will be done in no time.

Get the recipe

03 of 34

Spicy Grilled Chicken Breasts

Southern Living Spicy Grilled Chicken brushing with the sauce — Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen

Choose your own adventure—this versatile recipe includes 3 tasty sauces to transform chicken breasts into an exciting summer supper.

Get the recipe

04 of 34

Lemon Pepper Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings — Caitlin Bensel

The air fryer is a great tool for summer cooking, because you can fire it up without heating up the whole house. These super-crispy wings are always a hit.

Get the recipe

05 of 34

Herbed Chicken-And-Rice Salad

Incorporating two mainstays of the Southern diet—chicken and rice—this salad is an example of the kind of old-school home cooking that used everything in the fridge. In this case, summery herbs, tomatoes, and cucumbers are the highlight of the dish.

Get the recipe

06 of 34

Baked Caprese Chicken

This fresh and fast supper comes together quickly on a sheet pan, which keep you dishwashing duty to a mininum.

Get the recipe

07 of 34

Slow Cooker Honey-Garlic Chicken

Your slow cooker is a lifesaver for hot summer nights. Here, it infuses meaty chicken thighs with rich flavor without heating up the house.

Get the recipe

08 of 34

BBQ Chicken Pizza

This recipe is a tasty way to get your barbecue flavor fix this summer. Top your pizzas with grilled chicken for extra smokiness. Smoked Gouda adds to the chargrilled flavor.

Get the recipe

09 of 34

Chicken And Sausage Jambalaya

This traditional Creole dish will feed a hungry table worn out from fun summer activities. The rice soaks up all the flavors of fire-roasted tomatoes and smoked sausage to create a supremely soul-satisfying meal.

Get the recipe

10 of 34

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breasts

This no-fuss, kid-friendly meal will be your best friend whenever you need to feed the family pronto. The whole family will love dipping the crispy bacon-wrapped chicken and potatoes dipped in the mayonnaise-chive sauce, which can also be used as a dressing on your side salad.

Get the recipe

11 of 34

Dry-Rubbed Smoked Chicken Wings

This recipe is from pitmaster Wade Reich of Butts To Go in Pell City, Alabama. The secret doesn't lie in the sauce, but the paprika-based dry rub. Low and slow cooking in the smoker makes the meat fall right off the bone.

Get the recipe

12 of 34

Chicken Caprese Pasta

This popular summer salad can be converted to a meal that is just as flavorful. In 20 minutes, dress up a simple pasta with shredded chicken, blistered tomatoes, pesto sauce, and torn chunks of mozzarella.

Get the recipe

13 of 34

Sheet Pan Greek Chicken With Roasted Potatoes

This sheet pan recipe has got major personality. Two spice rack staples—cinnamon and nutmeg—give wonderful depth of flavor—while oregano and tomatoes make this meal as refreshing as a summer day. Use bone-in chicken breasts with the skins for the most juicy and succulent meat.

Get the recipes

14 of 34

Cast-Iron Chicken Piccata

This quick and easy chicken piccata recipe is a secret weapon for when you don't want to spend too long standing over a hot stovetop. Add the lemon juice, capers, and parsley at the end to preserve their color and flavor.

Get the recipe

15 of 34

Tropical Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Everyone needs a no-cook summer lunch staple, and this rotisserie chicken salad with a tropical twist feels more than worthy. Fruity, slightly spicy, and a bit creamy, the salad can be served in lettuce wraps or wheat wraps depending on your taste.

Get the recipe

16 of 34

Chicken-And-Collards Pilau

We enjoy a comforting chicken bog on cold winter nights, but in the summer we're looking for more garden-fresh flavor. This one-pot wonder is packed with chicken, sausage, quick-cooking rice, collards, and other vegetables.

Get the recipe

17 of 34

Lemon-Rosemary-Garlic Chicken and Potatoes

Garlic, lemon, and rosemary—a delicious trio in the kitchen that makes this "Anytime Chicken" good enough for busy weeknights, fancy dinner parties, and every season of the year. You can brown the chicken right in the roasting pan on the stove before sticking it in the oven to complete its flavorful journey. It makes a delectable sauce you can pour over the chicken and slices of French bread.

Get the recipe

18 of 34

Country Captain Chicken

This fragrant dish is packed with fresh vegetables, sweet raisins, and toasted almonds for an absolutely irresistible flavor. The Lowcountry favorite has been around since at least the 19th century, and it's time you give it a try if you haven't already.

Get the recipe

19 of 34

Mama's Fried Chicken

Behold: our best-ever fried chicken recipe of all time. It's great anytime of year, but we love it on a Southern summer day. Make sure to soak your chicken in buttermilk for a minimum of two hours before frying.

Get the recipe

20 of 34

Grilled Chicken Legs

What makes this grilled chicken different from the rest? How about a briny marinade made of mayonnaise and dill pickle juice. The result is incredibly juicy meat with flavor that penetrates to the bone.

Get the recipe

21 of 34

Marry Me Chicken

If you have so much basil in the garden you don't know what to do, it's time you try this easy but luxurious skillet recipe. Sundried tomatoes, cream, and fresh herbs marry together in a dish that's worth getting hitched for. Serve it over pasta or with slices of garlic bread.

Get the recipe

22 of 34

Chicken Salad With Grapes And Pecans

Personally, we're pro-grapes-in-chicken-salad, especially when it comes to this recipe. You get a wonderful mix of textures from the juicy grapes and crunchy pecans. Sour cream and a squeeze of lemon juice provide a light tang to balance out the salad.

Get the recipe

23 of 34

Doritos Casserole

Southern Living Doritos Chicken Casserole whole in pan — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Somewhere between enchiladas and nachos, this delightfully easy casserole uses ready-made ingredients like Nacho Cheese Doritos, rotisserie chicken, cans of Ro-tel and beans, and cream of chicken soup. This recipe is sure to be a kid-favorite and can serve a crowd.

Get the recipe

24 of 34

Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken Cutlets With Haricots Verts

We love an impressive-looking meal that is deceptively simple to prepare. You'll love the satisfyingly salty prosciutto wrapping chicken cutlets and anise-scented tarragon. Haricots verts are just a French variety of green beans, which can be swapped with any fresh-picked beans from the farmer's market or your garden.

Get the recipe

25 of 34

Chicken Brunswick Stew

This recipe starts with simmering a whole chicken in a pot until the meat falls off the bone. Corn, butter beans, tomatoes, onions, okra, and pepper join it for the classic summertime stew served up at every Southern barbecue joint.

Get the recipe

26 of 34

Chicken-And-Vegetable Pot

Chicken quarters nestle in a bed of tomatoes, fresh corn kernels, potatoes, and bell peppers in this recipe reminiscent of a hearty vegetable stew. The ingredients simmer in a Dutch oven undisturbed until they have fully absorbed each others' flavors. This soul-food favorite comes from Ruth L. Gaskins' 1968 cookbook, A Good Heart and A Light Hand.

Get the recipe

27 of 34

Martina McBride's Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

When the country artist shared her personal recipe for tortilla soup, it quickly became a fan favorite. A creamy masa mixture makes the soup thicker and richer than most. She recommends using fresh corn and adding more jalapeños if you get a kick out of spice.

Get the recipe

28 of 34

Chicken And Fontina Panini

This five-ingredient recipe packs a lot of flavor for so little effort. Buy a jar of pesto sauce from the store, or make your own with fresh basil. Plum tomatoes melt slightly along with the fontina cheese.

Get the recipe

29 of 34

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

Here's a Tex-Mex dish that's equally popular at family dinners and summer potlucks. Chicken, tortillas, bell peppers, and chiles melt into a bubbly mixture of cream soups and cheese. This dish can also be made ahead and frozen until you're ready to bake it.

Get the recipe

30 of 34

Chicken Noodle Bowl With Peanut-Ginger Sauce

Light, refreshing, and wonderfully cool, this noodle bowl features rotisserie chicken, cucumber, bell pepper, Napa cabbage, and a tasty Peanut-Ginger Sauce. Save this dish for when you'd rather not heat up the kitchen.

Get the recipe

31 of 34

One-Pan Hot Honey Chicken And Rice

Hot honey makes everything taste better, including chicken. This one-pan meal saves on clean up time and makes a complete supper, rice included!

Get the recipe

32 of 34

Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs

Southern Living Crispy Chicken Thighs on a plate with a salad on the side — Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke

Fried chicken is synonymous with summer picnics and potlucks, but who wants to stand over a frying pan? These oven-baked thighs are your ticket to cooler cooking.

Get the recipe

33 of 34

Chicken Stir-Fry

This stir-fry only takes 10 minutes and can be whipped together on any busy night. While the recipe allows for frozen veggies, it is meant to be customized with your favorite fresh produce—especially in summer.

Get the recipe

34 of 34