What's for Dinner This Week: Our Favorite Grilled Chicken, a Wedge Salad, and More Easy Summer Recipes
Wondering what to make for dinner? Need some inspiration? Here's our list of suggestions: dinner recipes that take less than an hour of mostly hands-off time. Yes, there will be pasta (or noodles!) and, yes, it will be delicious. We'll be here every Friday with five weeknight dinners, including recipes, shopping lists, and everything you need to streamline your week ahead.
It's hot, still, so our mantra remains step away from the stove when you can and embrace grilling and salads for dinner. This week we're grilling two nights, turning on the broiler briefly to cook shrimp one night, and making two very different dinner salads. Because it's August we're still all about the tomatoes, as our shopping list shows, and you'll see big, juicy heirloom tomatoes starring in several meals. Plus, our month long celebration of fresh corn and zucchini continues.
Related: Our Favorite No-Cook Recipes
What to Buy
The produce and fresh ingredients you need to buy for your meals this week:
What to Make
Grilled Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
We're starting the week with a clever recipe that uses the grill two ways: direct heat softens the peppers before you stuff them with a delicious mix of couscous, feta, golden raisins, herbs, and tomatoes. Then indirect heat (aka a skillet on the grill) is used to finish these super-summery stuffed peppers. If you prefer a nuttier flavor or already it have it on hand, use bulgur instead of couscous in the filling.
Stuffed BLT Salad
You probably haven't made a salad quite like this before but you should. This take on the BLT emphasizes the "T" and is a delicious way to celebrate big heirloom tomatoes. It's also fun and might entice someone who's not a big salad fan to embrace fresh produce. Bonus: The only cooking tonight is the bacon.
Grilled Chicken Thighs With Charred Corn and Summer Squash
Here's another weeknight dinner that's made entirely on the grill. Boneless chicken thighs are one of our favorite cuts, they're more economical than chicken breasts, and they're more flavorful, too. But the essence of this recipe is versatility; you could make it with chicken breasts, either pounded into paillards or left as cutlets if you prefer.
After it's grilled, the chicken is tossed with a minty lemon dressing. Next up, corn and zucchini on the grates. Then transfer the vegetables to a platter and top with the chicken—the sauce will dress everything.
Broiled Coconut-and-Lime-Crusted Shrimp With Rice Noodle Salad
A 25-minute, one-pan dinner that's just a little different and altogether delicious is on the menu tonight. We're stepping away from the grill and using a sheet pan (that's our one pan) and the broiler. The coconut-and-lime crusted shrimp are the only element of this dinner that requires cooking. All the rice noodles need is to soak boiling water in a bowl. The salad you'll make with them strikes the perfect balance between sweet and spicy thanks to fresh chile and your choice of hot pepper jelly or mango chutney.
Steakhouse Wedge With Warm Tomato Vinaigrette
For a fabulous way to start the weekend, try this totally delicious riff on steak with an iceberg salad. Hangar steak is cooked on the stovetop, topped with blue cheese, and served with tomatoes, sweet onions, and that wedge of iceberg. A warm tomato vinaigrette brings it all together.
