Creative Grill Recipes for your Summer Cookouts

Nothing screams summer like a cookout with your friends and family! Everyone loves getting together to enjoy the sunshine, socialize, and eat some great food from the grill. After a while though, you might get bored with the classic hotdog and hamburger combination. Try surprising your guests during your next cookout with some if these creative grilling recipes. If you’re a beginner on the grill or if you have some experience under your belt, we’ve got some great ideas for you to try! Here are a few of our favorite dishes that are sure to be crowd pleasers and spice up your BBQ.

Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Garlic and Lemon

This dish is perfect for your guests that love seafood! This creative grill recipe is simple and if you use these measurements, it makes about 8 servings.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 6 thinly sliced cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
• 2 lbs large, easy-peel shrimp
• 2 lemons
• Salt
• Pepper
• Chopped chives

Directions:

1. Put your oil, celery seed, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over medium heat and continuously stir this mixture. After about 3 minutes, add your whole-grain mustard and whisk the ingredients together. Then, take your mixture off the heat and allow it to cool completely in a bowl.
2. Add your shrimp to the cooled mixture. Then, slice one of the lemons and add those as well. Finally, add a dash of salt and pepper. Make sure the shrimp is evenly coated and then refrigerate the final product for up to an hour.
3. Remove the shrimp and lemons and place them on a grill that has been set to medium-high. Let the shrimp cook through and become lightly charred, which should take about 1 to 3 minutes per side.
4. Remove the shrimp and lemons from the grill and sprinkle them with chives. Then slice your other lemon in half and squeeze the juice onto your dish.

Now you’re ready to serve your spicy grilled shrimp with garlic and lemon!

Grilled Chicken Breast with Chive and Herb Butter

This recipe is perfect if you want to serve chicken, but have less time to prepare for your summer cookout, because the chicken doesn’t need a marinade. Instead, the butter melts into the hot chicken to give it amazing flavor! With these measurements, you can make about 4 servings. Ingredients:

• ½ cup room temperature salted butter
• 3 minced chives
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley
• 1 tablespoon minced thyme leaves
• 3 ½ lemons
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions:

1. Zest one of your lemons and juice half of another.
2. Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, herbs, parsley, thyme leaves, and chives into a bowl. Once everything is mixed well, take a large piece of plastic wrap and lay it on the counter. Transfer all of the butter mixture on to the bottom third of the plastic wrap Then, roll everything into a log and refrigerate until it is firm. This generally takes an hour.
3. Halve two lemons.
4. Turn your grill to high heat and place the lemons and chicken down for about five minutes per side, or until there are grill marks. Then, remove the lemons. Turn off one side of your grill and move the chicken to that side. Keep the other side still on high heat. Cook the chicken for 8-12 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 185 degrees, turning them over once if necessary.
5. Slice the chive and herb butter into ½ inch slices
6. Squeeze the halved, grilled lemons over the chicken and add the slice of chive and herb butter.

Now, just sit back and let your guests enjoy your grilled chicken breast with chive and herb butter!

Grilled Pork Chop with Zesty Apricots

This creative grill recipe is great for someone who knows their way around a kitchen and grill a little bit more! It’s a great way to get creative with pork chops for your cookout this summer. If you use these measurements, you can make four servings.  

Ingredients:

• 4 teaspoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 4 double-cut, bone-in pork loin chops
• 1 small red onion
• 6 apricots
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• ½ tablespoon lime zest
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. Stir your 4 teaspoons of oil, garlic powder, 1 tablespoon of salt, pepper and sage into a small bowl until they are mixed well. Then rub this mixture evenly over both sides of the pork chop. Refrigerate the pork chops in a large resealable plastic bag overnight.
2. Pour your 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium pan that is simmering over medium heat. Add your onions and saute for 2 minutes. Then, add your apricots, honey, and lime juice to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue sauteing for another minute. Finally, take the pan off the heat and mix in the lime zest, cilantro, and ½ teaspoon of salt.
3. Heat your grill to medium-heat and grill your pork chops until their internal heat is 150 degrees. This should take about 12 to 16 minutes per side. When they are cooked through, place the pork chops on a plate and cover them with foil for five minute. Plate by topping them with apricots.

You’ve finished making your grilled pork chops with apricots!

We hope you’ve been inspired to revamp your next cookout with these fun and creative grill recipes. Everyone at Paradiso Insurance hopes that you have a wonderful cookout and summer!