Healthy BBQ & Grilled Chicken Recipes

Cook chicken tenders quickly on the grill and top with pesto made with cilantro and sesame seeds for a zesty, speedy dinner. Serve with: Quinoa and grilled asparagus.

A quick and efficient way to cook a whole bird on the grill is to butterfly, or "spatchcock" it. When cooking a whole chicken on the grill, try searing the chicken first over direct heat then finish cooking over indirect heat (as instructed in this recipe). That way you avoid the all too common problem when grilling--chicken burned on the outside and raw in the center. For best flavor, let the chicken marinate in the rub overnight in the refrigerator. Serve with lime wedges and fresh salsa.

In this recipe for gai yang, or Thai grilled chicken, the chicken marinade is enriched with a little coconut milk, which keeps the meat moist during grilling. Prepare the sweet-and-spicy dipping sauce the day you want to use it, because it loses freshness quickly. If you prefer to use chicken breasts instead of thighs and drumsticks, use 3 bone-in breast halves and cut each in half crosswise for 6 servings total.

Peppery arugula, grilled corn and a tangy lime vinaigrette give this healthy taco salad recipe a serious upgrade. This recipe is the perfect vehicle for using the crushed-up tortilla chips at the bottom of the bag.

This hearty grilled chicken salad recipe highlights the classic combination of sharp Cheddar and sweet crunchy apples. For a fabulous starter anytime you entertain, simply skip the chicken.

Cumin and red pepper spice up the grilled chicken in this fun tostada recipe. Kids will love the sweet kiwi topping.

This hearty chicken recipe gets amazing flavor from an apple butter glaze and grilled apple rings.

The deliciously thick, barbeque-based sauce on these chicken and zucchini skewers is flavored with bourbon and soy. Ready in just 35 minutes, this southern-inspired recipe is perfect served with brown rice and a side salad.

Fennel adds a nice flavoring to the marinade in this Mediterranean-inspired chicken souvlaki dish. The kabobs are perfectly paired with a veggie-packed, yogurt-dressed Israeli couscous.

The sweetness in this Maple-Bourbon Chicken recipe is from the real maple syrup and grilled sweet potatoes. Bacon is also included!

Marinate the chicken in fridge for a few hours before cooking to make sure the chicken is juicy, tender, and flavorful. Serve over homemade zesty Caribbean Rice for a crowd-pleasing meal.

Thanks to a yogurt-based marinade, these chicken kabobs are especially tender. The curry powder lends a kick without too much heat, and to please the vegetarians at your table, you can simply grill the chicken and vegetables on separate skewers.

Miso, the soy-based paste used in many Japanese recipes, forms the savory foundation for flavorful marinated chicken and shrimp grilled on skewers.

Serve this slow-grilled chicken dinner over fluffy couscous or saffron rice. The chicken is low in calories and fat but rich in flavor. An easy side dish for this chicken is hot cooked couscous mixed with chopped zucchini and/or yellow summer squash and shredded carrot. Remember to add the carbs for the couscous mixture to your daily carb count.

The chicken in this recipe gets its potent lemon flavor from a marinade of lemon peel and lemon juice. The Brussels sprouts are steamed first and then grilled on skewers with cherry tomatoes along with the chicken.

Chicken thighs are easy on the budget and great for grilling because they stay moist in the heat. Here, they are paired with a fresh corn and tomato salad for a simple summer dinner. When grilling skin-on chicken thighs, watch for flare-ups. Move the chicken away from the flames and reduce heat, if necessary, to keep it from charring.

Chopped artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese are a winning combination when served with this marinated, grilled chicken.

This Greek-inspired, main-dish chicken salad is enhanced with feta cheese, tomatoes and kalamata olives and served with a low-fat cucumber dressing.

This recipe involves one of our favorite make-ahead hacks: let the chicken and steak marinate in reverse. In this recipe, you'll pour a punchy, citrusy dressing over the meat right after it leaves the grill, so it soaks up the bright vinaigrette as it cools. Better yet, reverse-marinating keeps the grilled meat from drying out, even when kept in the fridge overnight.

You'll love these soft chicken tacos. The chicken is marinated in a lime-cumin mixture, grilled and then served with a refreshing mango salsa and thick grilled onion slices.

The bird is spatchcocked and grilled in this five-ingredient chicken recipe, cutting cooking time in half. A glug of Banyuls, a fortified red wine from the Occitanie region of France, adds special flavor to an otherwise-simple marinade. Try NV Domaine La Tour Vieille Banyuls Reserva ($27).

This chicken's sticky, citrusy glaze is a flavor-packed combo of Belgian wit beer, coriander and orange--plus it gets a Thai-inspired spin from lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. Use a bottle from your favorite brewery or opt for easy-to-find Blue Moon Belgian White (and have a few extra bottles on hand to drink with it!).

Use warm pita bread to deliciously corral a sophisticated combination of spinach, pear and chicken. Top with a robust goat cheese sauce.

Brining the chicken before grilling ensures that it's juicy and tender. A sesame-cilantro pesto, with ginger, mint, and crushed red pepper, is the perfect topping for this Asian-style main dish.

Thin rice noodles, made from finely ground rice and water, can be found in large supermarkets. For this easy grilled chicken main dish recipe, thin spaghetti can be substituted as well.