4 Light & Flavor Packed Chicken Meals to Enjoy this Summer

As farmers, we’re constantly critiquing the weather. Summer has just begun but we have to say, despite all that’s going on, the weather has been pleasant so far. The temps haven’t climbed too high. We’re seeing occasional storms that break the humidity on the few days where it has been stickier than we like, and the post-sunset temps are dropping into the cool 60s. 

As pleasant as it’s been, it’s still enough of a change to create a shift in our eating habits. When the temps go up, the heartiness of the meals tends to go down. We trade the heavy crockpot dishes and heaping carb-heavy meals for light, crisp, and fresh bites. We find ourselves reaching for lighter meats too. There’s often the notion that lighter and healthier means less flavor but that is certainly not the case, especially when we’re talking about using quality meat and fresh, local ingredients, which are not too hard to come by in New Jersey in the summer.

We rounded up a few seasonal recipes featuring chicken to get you started, or at least get the creative juices going. For any of the recipes, make sure you start with pasture raised chicken. The flavor difference, texture, and health benefits are priceless.

Grilled BBQ Chicken Bowls

You’ll Need:

Rice

• 1.5 cups white rice (or any kind of rice)
• 3 cups water

BBQ Grilled Chicken

• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1/3 cup bbq sauce (any kind)

Coleslaw

• 4 cups raw kale coleslaw
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Black Beans + Corn

• 1 15oz can black beans, rinsed
• 2 ears of corn, shucked
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 lime, juiced

Get the Recipe: https://fitfoodiefinds.com/grilled-bbq-chicken-bowls/ 

Garlic Butter Chicken Bites with Lemon Asparagus

You’ll Need:

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 2 bunch of asparagus, rinsed and trimmed
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or Herbes de Provence
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce, optional (we used Sriracha)
• 1/2 cup (125ml) low-sodium chicken broth
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley
• Crushed red chili pepper flakes, optional
• Slices of lemon, for garnish

For the chicken seasoning:

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• 2 teaspoons onion powder

Get the Full Recipe: https://www.eatwell101.com/garlic-butter-chicken-bites-asparagus-recipe

Grilled Caprese Chicken

You’ll Need:

• 4 5-7 oz chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness
• 2 tsp italian seasoning
• 2 tsp sea or kosher salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced into 8 even pieces
• 2 vine ripened tomatoes, sliced into 1/2" slices
• fresh basil, to taste
• aged balsamic or balsamic glaze, to taste

Get the Full Recipe: https://oursaltykitchen.com/caprese-chicken/

Cuban Mojo Chicken Recipe

You’ll Need:

• 4 bone-in chicken leg quarters
• ½ cup orange juice
• ⅓ lime juice
• 3 garlic cloves
• ¼ cup cilantro
• 1 lime zest
• ½ tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black ground pepper
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 onion quartered
• ½ avocado
• 4 ounces pineapple diced
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
• ½ cup black beans rinsed & drained (optional)
• 1 cup steamed rice