There is no doubt that I would be talking about grilling at this time of year…but I would have never guessed these recipes would possess so much flavor and flare!
YES we all love the smell that comes from freshly prepared food on the grill, but sometimes we need to kick it up a notch by stepping out of the box and trying something new! These recipes are the perfect solution for a small gathering or just a regular family night dinning al fresco!
Enjoy!
Meredith McGrath RD, LDN
#1: Southwest Chicken Salad | #2: Korean Pork BBQ Skewers | #3: Caribbean Jerk Chicken |
#4: Hot Taco Burgers | #5: Zesty Italian Smoked Sausage Kabobs
#1 Southwest Chicken Salad
The beauty of this salad is remarkable and NO you do not have to be a Chef to perfectly position every ingredient on top…the mix of colors and flavor will take care of that for you! The actual chicken is so simple, I can pretty much guarantee you that you either have taco mix in your pantry OR you have the spices to whip up a batch of your own! After that, you can load up on any toppings that you have ready to go and SO many of these can be purchased without needing to do any more work (no chopping, dicing, slicing required!)
Serves 6
Total Time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 1 package McCormick® Original Taco Seasoning Mix
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast halves
- 8 cups salad greens
DIRECTIONS
Mix Seasoning Mix, oil, lemon juice and water in small bowl. Place chicken in large resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add marinade; turn to coat well. Refrigerate 30 minutes or longer for extra flavor. Remove chicken from marinade. Discard any remaining marinade. Broil or grill over medium-high heat 6 to 7 minutes per side or until chicken is cooked through, turning frequently. Cut chicken into thin slices. Divide salad greens evenly among serving plates. Top with sliced chicken. Serve with assorted toppings, if desired.
https://www.mccormick.com/recipes/main-dishes/southwest-chicken-salad
#2 Korean Pork BBQ Skewers
These Korean Pork Skewers make the PERFECT appetizer or party food. Simply marinade them the night before, and by Friday happy hour, they only take a few minutes on the grill and they look (AND TASTE) amazing!
Serves 8
Total Time: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons roasted red chile paste
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon McCormick® Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Ginger
- 1 pound boneless center-cut pork chops, (3/4-inch thick), cut into 8 diamond-shaped pieces
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon McCormick® Sesame Seed
DIRECTIONS
Mix honey, Korean pepper paste, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic powder and ginger in small bowl until well blended. Reserve 2 tablespoons marinade for brushing. Place pork in large resealable bag. Add remaining marinade; turn to coat well. Massage pork and marinade for 4 to 5 minutes. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Remove pork from marinade. Thread 1 piece of pork onto each skewer. Discard any remaining marinade. Grill skewers over medium-high heat 2 minutes per side or until pork is cooked through, brushing with reserved marinade. Sprinkle skewers with green onions and sesame seed.
https://www.mccormick.com/recipes/appetizer/korean-bbq-pork-skewers
#3 Caribbean Jerk Chicken
Any recipe that calls for 5 ingredients or less, is a definite winner! And as for the McCormick “A Hint of Sea Salt Caribbean Jerk Chicken Seasoning”, it will not disappoint. It is a delicious blend of McCormick spices including allspice, thyme and cayenne pepper, plus onion and garlic, which will add the enticing flavor of the islands to your favorite meals.
Serves 6
Total Time: 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 3 tablespoons McCormick® A Hint of Sea Salt Caribbean Jerk Chicken Seasoning
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 2 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken parts
DIRECTIONS
Mix Seasoning, oil, soy sauce and vinegar in small bowl. Reserve 2 tbsp. marinade for basting. Place chicken in large resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add remaining marinade; turn to coat well. Refrigerate 30 minutes or longer for extra flavor. Remove chicken from marinade. Discard any remaining marinade. Grill over medium heat with lid closed 30 to 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, turning occasionally and basting with reserved marinade during the last few minutes of cooking.
https://www.mccormick.com/recipes/main-dishes/caribbean-jerk-marinated-chicken
#4 Hot Taco Burgers
There is always a favorite right? Well this one happens to be mine! Although I love burgers, homemade burgers always seem to require a lot of work to get the flavor just right. Well that is not the case here! The recipe has officially been added to my “rotation”. And if you are wondering, NO they are actually not spicy but there is something about the bold flavor that just makes this a summer grilling must-have.
Serves 6
Total Cook Time: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips
- 1 package McCormick® Hot Taco Seasoning Mix
- 6 slices Pepper Jack cheese
Substitutions available - 6 hamburger rolls
DIRECTIONS
Mix ground beef, tortilla chips and Seasoning Mix in large bowl until well blended. Shape into 6 patties. Grill, broil or cook in nonstick skillet on medium heat 5 minutes per side or until burgers are cooked through (internal temperature of 160°F). Add cheese slices to burgers 1 minute before cooking is completed. Serve burgers on rolls with desired condiments and toppings.
https://www.mccormick.com/recipes/main-dishes/hot-taco-burgers
#5 Zesty Italian Smoked Sausage Kabobs
Hillshire Farm did it again. Simple solutions with their smoked sausage has to be their motto! I took some major shortcuts with this one, but there are no rules. Whatever you can slide on to a skewer will work!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 package Smoked Sausage
- 2 ears sweet corn, peeled, broken into thirds
- 3 small red potatoes, cut in half
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 6 cherry tomatoes
- 2 small zucchini, cut into 1-inch slices
- 6 large fresh mushrooms
- 1 cup fat-free Italian salad dressing
- 1 garlic, minced
DIRECTIONS
Cut sausage into 1” slices; set aside. Cook corn and potatoes in boiling water for 5-6 minutes or until just barely tender; drain.
Thread sausage and vegetables onto 6 skewers. Combine salad dressing and garlic; brush generously on kabobs.
Grill over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until sausages are browned and vegetables are tender, turning often and basting frequently with remaining dressing mixture.
https://www.hillshirefarm.com/recipes/grill/zesty-italian-smoked-sausage-kabobs/