20 Grilled Dishes That Made the Heat a Side Dish

Grilling season is built for bold flavor, and these dishes know how to handle the heat. Whether it’s steak, chicken, or seafood, each of these 20 grilled recipes proves that sweating over the flames is worth every bite. This isn’t about playing it safe—it’s about leaning into the fire and letting the grill do what it does best. Expect smoke, sizzle, and the kind of food that makes standing next to a hot grill the best seat in the house.

Grilled pork chops on a plate with oranges and limes. — Citrus Glazed Pork Chops. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Grilled Basil Pesto Chicken

Plate of basil pesto chicken with grilled tomatoes and avocado slices. — Grilled Basil Pesto Chicken. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Grilled Basil Pesto Chicken brings the heat without dragging it into the kitchen. The pesto crisps up over fire, locking in flavor while the chicken stays juicy on the inside. It’s a quick-grill kind of dish that won’t leave you sweating over a stove. This is how grilled dishes make the heat a background act.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Basil Pesto Chicken

Grilled Shrimp Grain Bowl

Overhead shot of shrimp skewers and veggie skewers next to a bowl of dressed grains. — Grilled Shrimp Grain Bowl. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Grilled Shrimp Grain Bowl is proof that grilled dishes don’t need to be heavy to beat the heat. The shrimp cook in minutes, leaving more time to stay out of the kitchen. Tossed with grains and vegetables, it comes together fast without sacrificing BBQ flavor. It’s the kind of meal that cools you down while the grill does the work.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Shrimp Grain Bowl

Tri-Tip with Pineapple Mango Red Pepper Salsa

Tri-Tip with Pineapple Mango Salsa keeps the grill hot and the vibe cool with juicy beef and bright fruit. This grilled dish delivers strong flame-seared flavor balanced by a salsa that tastes like summer. It’s perfect for feeding a crowd without warming up the house. This is BBQ that takes the heat and turns it into applause.
Get the Recipe: Tri-Tip with Pineapple Mango Red Pepper Salsa

Grilled Steak with Peaches and Onions

Grilled Steak with Peaches and Onions turns up the fire for a dish that feels both bold and fresh. The peaches soften as the steak gets a deep char, creating a combo that couldn’t happen indoors. It’s fast to cook and impossible to forget. This is grilled food that makes every degree on the thermometer worth it.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Steak with Peaches and Onions

Grilled Pork Chop Surf and Turf

Bone in pork chop topped with hollandaise sauce and shrimp, on a white plate next to green beans. — Grilled Pork Chop Surf and Turf. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Grilled Pork Chop Surf and Turf turns two quick cooks—shrimp and pork—into one big reason to stand by the grill. Both elements handle high heat fast, giving you max flavor with minimal time outdoors. It doesn’t ask much from the cook but shows up big on the plate. This is how summer meals get cooked without heating up the whole block.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Pork Chop Surf and Turf

Grilled Pork Chops with Pineapple Salsa

Grilled Pork Chops with Pineapple Salsa lean into the flame so your oven doesn’t have to. The chops come off the grill with a quick char, while the salsa cools things down with a punch of fruit. It’s a grilled dish built for the hottest afternoons. This one earns its spot as a reason to keep grilling even when it’s sweltering.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Pork Chops with Pineapple Salsa

Grilled Flank Steak with Chile Butter

Sliced flank steak with chili butter. — Grilled Flank Steak with Chile Butter. Photo credit: All Ways Delicious.

Grilled Flank Steak with Chile Butter turns up the fire and doesn’t look back. It sears hard, slices fast, and finishes with a buttery kick that’s made for BBQ nights. You can have it off the grill and on the table before the sun drops. This is what happens when grilled dishes make the heat look easy.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Flank Steak with Chile Butter

Ninja Grill Tomahawk Steak

A sliced tomahawk steak on a white plate. — Ninja Grill Tomahawk Steak. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Ninja Grill Tomahawk Steak puts bold cuts and high flames front and center. It’s ready fast, plated loud, and perfect for anyone who wants dinner to outshine the temperature. You get that thick steakhouse char without stepping foot indoors. This is a grilled dish that steals the spotlight and shrugs off the heat.
Get the Recipe: Ninja Grill Tomahawk Steak

Harissa-Honey Chicken Skewers

Harissa-Honey Chicken Skewers bring the fire without turning dinner into a sweat session. They grill up fast and land with flavor that’s spicy, sticky, and strong enough to carry a whole meal. Perfect for quick turns over the coals, these skewers don’t ask for much heat to stand out. They’re the kind of grilled dish that makes flames feel worth flipping for.
Get the Recipe: Harissa-Honey Chicken Skewers

Ninja Woodfire Grilled T-Bone Steaks

A grilled t-bone steak on a black platter. — Ninja Woodfire Grilled T-Bone Steaks. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Ninja Woodfire Grilled T-Bone Steaks go straight to the heat and finish fast, no extras needed. Big flavor comes from big flame, and that’s exactly where this steak lives. With no indoor cooking required, it keeps the house cool and the grill hot. This one’s a grilled dish that makes air conditioning optional.
Get the Recipe: Ninja Woodfire Grilled T-Bone Steaks

Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Shrimp skewers on a plate with lemon wedges. — Grilled Shrimp Skewers. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

Grilled Shrimp Skewers cook in minutes and bring big flavor without dragging you back into a hot kitchen. They’re light, quick, and perfect for throwing on the grill when it’s too hot to think. These grilled dishes punch above their weight with charred edges and just enough flame. This is how shrimp compete with steaks without breaking a sweat.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breasts

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breasts take high heat and turn it into crispy, juicy payoff without a long cook time. The grill handles the bacon while the chicken stays tender underneath, skipping any need for indoor prep. It’s rich, quick, and all done under open sky. This dish proves the grill can beat the oven at its own game.
Get the Recipe: Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breasts

Grilled Chicken Kofta Kebabs

Chicken skewers on skewers with lemon wedges. — Grilled Chicken Kofta Kebabs. Photo credit: At the Immigrant’s Table.

Grilled Chicken Kofta Kebabs bring high-heat flavor without high-effort cooking. The skewers cook fast over the grill, making them perfect for hot evenings when you don’t want to linger by the heat. They deliver bold taste in small portions with minimal fuss. This is a grilled dish that keeps things simple while the grill does the heavy lifting.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Chicken Kofta Kebabs

Grilled Greek Lemon Chicken Kabobs

Grilled Greek Lemon Chicken Kabobs pack citrus and herbs into skewers built for fast grilling. They char up quickly and keep the kitchen cool while delivering bright, bold flavor straight from the fire. Perfect for outdoor meals, they’re as easy to make as they are to eat. This grilled dish makes hot days feel like they came with a plan.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Greek Lemon Chicken Kabobs

Grilled Mango-Chipotle Chicken Wings

A plate of chicken wings on a white plate with a slice of mango. — Grilled Mango-Chipotle Chicken Wings. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Grilled Mango-Chipotle Chicken Wings turn high heat into sticky, sweet heat that bites back. The wings grill quickly and come off the fire with skin that grabs flavor without falling apart. No sauce bowl required, no oven needed. These wings make grilling worth every drop of sweat on your brow.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Mango-Chipotle Chicken Wings

Grilled Hanger Steaks with Chimichurri

Sliced Grilled Hanger Steak with Chimichurri on a white plate. — Grilled Hanger Steaks with Chimichurri. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Grilled Hanger Steaks with Chimichurri stay lean and bold while handling heat like pros. The steaks get a quick char and stay juicy inside, while the chimichurri adds sharp flavor without slowing anything down. No oven, no wait, just fast BBQ. This grilled dish shows how fire and speed win every time.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Hanger Steaks with Chimichurri

Grilled Steaks with Cowboy Butter

A grilled steak with cowboy butter on a white plate. — Grilled Steaks with Cowboy Butter. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Grilled Steaks with Cowboy Butter take flame and fat and make them work fast. The butter melts right into the grill marks, giving every bite extra flavor without much effort. These steaks are built for those who want the reward without long prep. This grilled dish doesn’t just stand the heat—it thrives in it.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Steaks with Cowboy Butter

Grilled Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce

Chicken wings on a white plate with sauce and carrots. — Grilled Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Grilled Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce come out hot, crisp, and fully coated without any messy fryers. They grill quickly and hold their own with flavor that sticks. No indoor cleanup, no baking trays—just fire and flip. These are wings made for anyone who’d rather brave the BBQ than touch the oven dial.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce

Grilled Hawaiian Chicken

Grilled chicken breasts stuffed with ham, pineapple and Jarlsberg cheese garnished with green onion. — Grilled Hawaiian Chicken. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

Grilled Hawaiian Chicken tosses pineapple and teriyaki onto the flames for a fast meal that tastes like summer. It sears up quickly, locks in flavor, and saves you from a sweaty kitchen. Every piece comes off the grill with that signature char and sticky edge. This is one grilled dish that proves the heat is just part of the fun.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Hawaiian Chicken

Citrus Glazed Pork Chops

Citrus Glazed Pork Chops go sweet, sharp, and seared with a glaze that’s built for grilling. The chops cook fast, stay juicy, and don’t rely on anything from the stovetop. It’s the kind of BBQ dish that lets the heat work in your favor. This is a pork chop that doesn’t just survive the heat—it runs it.
Get the Recipe: Citrus Glazed Pork Chops