50 of our best summer chicken recipes
These summer chicken recipes are perfect for picnics and glorious warm evenings in the garden.
From chicken thighs to chicken breasts, whole roast chickens and chicken drumsticks; there are so many ways to get creative with chicken.
Not only is chicken versatile, but it's one of the most economical meats (thighs and drumsticks being the cheapest cuts), making it the perfect go to choice this summer. Always try and buy free-range chicken as you’ll be rewarded with better flavour.
If the weather is nice then fire up the BBQ and take your chicken cooking outside. We have an array of BBQ chicken recipes like our whole spatchcock chicken with Chinese five spice, chicken tikka skewers and try cooking our chicken and pineapple satay skewers on the BBQ too.
A simple chicken supper is a perfect light and summery meal. A simple piece of griddled chicken lends itself well to a leafy green salad but we have fancier salads to really elevate your chicken. Try our chicken and chickpea salad with a tahini dressing, or a Vietnamese twist on a salad that's packed full of crunchy veggies with a zingy dressing.
If you are still craving a roast, but the weather doesn't suit, then give our roast chicken, pancetta and orzo one-pot a go for a summery upgrade.
Lemon chicken on a plate of warm couscous and green beans feels like the ultimate dish for an understated alfresco dinner or if you still like the ease of a chicken casserole we have a light spring/summer version which uses garden peas and pesto.
Run out of time to marinate or prepare your own chicken? These are our top tried & tested pre-made BBQ chickens to buy this year.
Smokey Spatchcock Chicken
Smoked paprika, brown sugar and plenty of aromatics like garlic and thyme give this chicken dish an irresistible taste.
Recipe: Smokey Spatchcock Chicken
BBQ Spatchcock Chicken
Spatchcocking a chicken is easy and makes cooking it whole on the barbecue a doddle.
Recipe: BBQ Spatchcock Chicken
Air Fryer Sticky Chicken and Potato Wedges
Let the gadget do the work! This simple and tasty all-in-one dish is cooked in an air fryer
Smoky Paprika Chicken Traybake
This may not be the quickest midweek recipe, but it is one of the easiest – the oven does all the work for you, so you can get on with other things.
Recipe: Smoky Paprika Chicken Traybake
Chicken Tikka Skewers
Classic chicken tikka is cooked in an ultra-hot oven called a tandoor, and using a barbecue at home gives a similar charred and smoky result to this classic Punjabi dish.
Recipe: Chicken Tikka Skewers
Chicken Fajita Bowl with Cauliflower Rice
Cauliflower makes a great low-carb substitute to rice, although if you fancy something a little more hearty, use cooked brown basmati (but don’t whizz it).
Air fryer Chicken Parmesan
This air fryer chicken parmesan is super speedy to make and highly flavoursome too. Win!
Recipe: Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
Chicken and Pineapple Satay Skewers with Rainbow Salad
Nutty, sweet and oh-so good, we’ve paired these moreish skewers with a refreshing, crunchy salad.
Recipe: Chicken and Pineapple Satay Skewers with Rainbow Salad
Saffron and Honey Chicken Thighs with Braised Split Pea Traybake
Cooking times for split peas vary considerably depending on the brand and age, so go by feel rather than just on timings – they should still be firm but easy to bite. If not, keep the chicken warm in a low oven, add a little extra stock and cook the lentils for longer.
Recipe: Saffron and Honey Chicken Thighs with Braised Split Pea Traybake
Roast Chicken, Pancetta and Orzo
Make sure to buy a free-range bird here – you’ll be rewarded with better flavour in the meat as well as the pasta, as it absorbs the juices.
Recipe: Roast Chicken, Pancetta and Orzo
Lime and Caper Chicken with Green Rice
Cooking rice in mixture of puréed vegetables and stock is a great way to add nutrition and bags of flavour to this simple meal. Serve on its own, or with a big bowl of cooked spring greens, tossed in the juices from the roasting tin.
Chicken and Roasted Chickpea Salad
Perfect for a light dinner, or tasty lunch. Use any leftover cooked chicken you have, if you like.
Cheat's Satay Chicken and Salad
This quick version of satay sauce doesn’t require any cooking to thicken, which makes it the perfect midweek meal alongside the healthy and fresh slaw.
Recipe: Cheat's Satay Chicken and Salad
Spiced Spatchcock Chicken with New Potatoes and Tomatoes
A summer take on a classic roast dinner.
Recipe: Spiced Spatchcock Chicken with New Potatoes and Tomatoes
Preserved Lemon Chicken
This lemon chicken Mediterranean dish uses Orzo for a gorgeous one-pot.
Recipe: Preserved lemon chicken
Lemon Chicken Couscous Salad
This fresh and filling salad has bags of flavour from preserved lemons and fresh herbs
Recipe: Lemon chicken couscous salad
Chicken Caesar Salad
This proper chicken caesar salad is filling and easy enough for a midweek meal.
Recipe: Chicken caesar salad recipe
Mexican Chicken Salad
Too hot for Fajitas? Inspired by an American ‘chopped’ salad, this easy assembly salad is sure to become a firm summer favourite.
Recpie: Mexican chicken salad recipe
Chicken Wellingtons
These Individual chicken Wellingtons are the perfect addition to a summer buffet or picnic.
Recipe: Individual chicken wellingtons recipe
Moroccan Spiced Chicken Kebabs
Planning a barbecue? Make this your go-to dish. Bite-sized chicken pieces coated in a zesty herb and spice marinade and grilled. Need to make a vegetarian kebab alternative? Try our delicious Halloumi and shallot skewers.
Recipe: Moroccan spiced chicken kebab recipe
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
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