In need of some new chicken dishes to make this summer? Here are some refreshing but filling chicken wraps and salads that will come in handy, no matter what the season brings you!
Summer cooking comes with its own host of classic flavors—and chicken is the perfect backdrop for many of them! We’ve rounded up some of our favorite summer chicken recipes that fit well with this time of year. They’re flavorful in familiar ways, but light enough to eat in hot weather, easy to make, and are even fitting for serving at all your summer gatherings. Bonus: they’re all packed with protein and can serve as either lunch or dinner, for yourself or a crowd.
Summer Chicken Recipes You’ll Have on Repeat
Chicken is a cooking staple that fits perfectly into summer menus. Everyone will enjoy these recipe ideas!
1. Tuscan Chicken Wrap
This light, Italian-flavored dish is perfect for summer in so many ways! Throw it together when you need a meal that’s filling but not too heavy. Because the recipe doesn’t require cooking, it’s perfect for those hot days when you don’t want to turn the oven on. It’s also great for a picnic at the park or the beach because it packs well. Or, make a whole platter of wraps for your next summer party!
Even though this summer chicken dish has an Italian flair with the pesto, provolone cheese, giardiniera, and sun-dried tomatoes, feel free to swap out the cheese for your favorite variety, or play around with additional vegetables for some extra crunch. It’s fresh, flavorful, and will make you think you’re vacationing in Tuscany!
INGREDIENTS
- 9 oz Buddig Original Chicken
- 2 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise
- 2 oz pesto
- 4 large spinach tortilla wraps
- 4 slices reduced-fat provolone cheese
- 8 romaine lettuce leaves
- 1 oz sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- Italian giardiniera to taste
DIRECTIONS
- Mix mayonnaise and pesto together.
- Spread the pesto and mayonnaise mixture onto each tortilla. Layer on one slice of provolone and two lettuce leaves per tortilla.
- Top the tortilla with Buddig Chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and Italian giardiniera.
- Fold in tortilla sides and roll. Slice diagonally and serve.
Read the full recipe!
2. Crunchy Chicken and Mango Salad
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This summer chicken salad is sure to become a staple in your warm-weather menu. It’s a twist on an Asian chicken salad with the addition of juicy, seasonal mango. But the usual crunch of cabbage and snap peas combined with soy sauce and sesame oil keeps the texture and flavor we always love. (Add the optional Indonesian hot sauce, sambal oelek, if you’re a fan of extra heat!)
What’s even better? Use our Fix Quix Grilled Chicken Breast Strips to keep this lunch or dinner meal as simple as possible—no cooking required! Simply chop up the strips into bite-sized pieces for a protein-filled salad that comes together in minutes. This summer recipe for chicken breast is one we’ll have on repeat all season!
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups chicken breast strips, chopped
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp less-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tsp sambal oelek (optional)
- 6 cups napa cabbage, thinly sliced
- 2 cups sugar snap peas, thinly sliced diagonally
- 1 medium mango, sliced
- ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
- ¼ cup scallions, sliced
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS
- Whisk the orange juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sambal oelek (if using) in a large bowl.
- Add the cabbage, snap peas, chicken, mango, mint, and scallions into the bowl. Toss gently with the dressing mixture to coat.
- Serve the salad sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Tip: Add some avocado and leafy greens for extra nutrients, or some walnuts for extra crunch!
3. Curry Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps
When it comes to warm-weather dining, summer chicken recipes are plentiful. But these chicken salad wraps are lighter and healthier than others you’ll find because they use lettuce leaves instead of traditional flour tortillas for the wrap—and fat-free Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise for the chicken filling.
The crisp of the lettuce and the extra protein from the Greek yogurt make this a refreshing but filling summer meal perfect for lunch or dinner. It’s packed with protein and flavor. The best part? You won’t miss the mayo or the tortilla! Add this one to your collection of summer chicken salad recipes!
INGREDIENTS
- 6 oz Fix Quix Grilled Chicken Breast Strips, chopped
- 1 (5 oz) container of plain fat-free Greek yogurt
- ½ tsp curry powder
- 6 oz seedless red grapes, halved
- ½ cup celery, chopped
- 2 tbsp slivered almonds, toasted
- 6 lettuce leaves
- 1 tbsp honey
- A dash of ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
- In a medium bowl, stir together yogurt, curry powder, and pepper.
- Add the sliced grapes, chicken, chopped celery, and almonds into the bowl. Stir to combine.
- Divide the chicken mixture evenly among the lettuce leaves.
- To eat, wrap the lettuce around the chicken mixture. If desired, drizzle with honey before serving.
Tip: To toast the almonds, spread them in a shallow baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes or until golden, shaking the pan once or twice.
4. Lemon Herb Chicken Pasta Salad
This fresh and vibrant dish is one of the best summer chicken pasta salad recipes out there! It feeds a crowd at a summer BBQ as a side dish that goes with anything from hot dogs and hamburgers to grilled steak. Or, divide it up into meal prep containers for grab-and-go lunches during the week. With the chicken, it’s perfect on its own as a filling meal!
Be sure to use high-quality olive oil and the freshest herbs and lemons to make the most of the flavors. And with our Fix Quix Pre-Cooked Chicken, you won’t even have to crack open the oven! (And who wants to do that in the mid-year heat?!) This is one of those summer chicken dishes you’ll make every year!
INGREDIENTS
- 18 oz Fix Quix Grilled Chicken Breast Strips, chopped (3 packages, 6 oz each)
- 8 oz bowtie pasta (or whichever shape you prefer)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Zest and juice of one lemon
- ½ cup fresh herbs like parsley and dill, chopped
- 1 small shallot, finely diced
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: vegetables like spinach, chopped tomatoes, or sliced bell peppers
DIRECTIONS
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Rinse with cold water, drain, and set aside to cool while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
- Combine all the pasta salad ingredients in a large bowl, including the cooked pasta, chicken, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, fresh herbs, shallot, and parmesan cheese. Mix it up and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer to a platter and top with additional fresh herbs and cheese. Serve immediately.
5. Skinny Waldorf Chicken Salad Wrap
This classic chicken salad recipe fits the bill for a light and healthy lunch or dinner when made with low-fat Greek yogurt and wrapped in a spinach tortilla. While a traditional Waldorf salad is made with chopped chicken, our recipe calls for sliced deli chicken breast, making it easy to throw together without sacrificing the taste.
Of course, the walnuts, grapes, and apples bring a welcome crunch and freshness to the wrap alongside the tang of the blue cheese. Make this once, and we’re sure it will become a staple in your summer chicken recipes!
INGREDIENTS
- 8 oz Premium Deli Rotisserie-Flavored Chicken Breast
- 4 large lettuce leaves
- ½ cup walnuts, lightly toasted and chopped
- ½ cup celery, thinly sliced
- ½ cup red seedless grapes, sliced
- 1 sweet apple, cored and chopped
- 3 tbsp low-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 oz blue cheese, crumbled
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 4 (10”) spinach tortilla wraps
DIRECTIONS
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the yogurt, blue cheese, and lemon juice. Add the salt and pepper.
- Mix in the chopped apple, celery, sliced grapes, and walnuts. Divide into four portions.
- Place 2 oz of chicken in the middle of each tortilla.
- Place a lettuce leaf on top of the meat, and mound a portion of salad into the lettuce leaf.
- Fold the bottom portion of the tortilla wrap over the salad. Then, fold in the sides and roll like a burrito.
- Slice the wrap on the bias and serve.
Read the full recipe!
Enjoy the Flavors of Summer with Buddig Chicken
Celebrate the season with summer chicken recipes that are not only delicious but easy to make with Buddig chicken. Made with real spices to create naturally delicious flavors, our products are gluten- and MSG-free, so you know you’re serving only the best.
Keep Buddig Fix Quix pre-cut chicken strips and premium deli meat on hand so you can make any of these quick, easy, and tasty summer meals! Find Buddig products at a store near you.