Summer's almost over, celebrate it while you can with these simple, flavorful dinner recipes.
It’s true, it might stay hot through September (and you better believe we’ll be eating outside as long as we can), but with school returning and the leaves just beginning to turn, we know August is THE month to savor the last dregs of summer. Join us as we try and eat as much summer produce as we can (pies! cocktails!), stay out of our hot kitchens as often as possible (hello, air fryer), and put innovative spins on the recipes we’ve enjoyed all summer long (what else can we make on the grill?). We’ve got 40 recipes to help inspire you to make dinner this August—one for every day of the month, and then some.
We’ve included a good mix of entirely new recipes, like our Mexican street corn flatbread, our turkey zucchini enchilada casserole, or our shrimp katsu burgers, as well as some old classics, like our BBQ chicken pizza, our skillet eggplant Parm, or our chicken cheesesteaks. Looking for a new weeknight dinner on the grill? Try one of our new foil pack recipes, like our grilled honey-chipotle salmon foil packets with summer squash or our Santa Fe chicken foil packets. Craving something classic, but with a fresh, summery twist? Check out our spicy ahi tuna nachos, our Caprese chicken saltimbocca, or our strawberry chicken Cobb salad. They’ve got all the components you love, but with a little something extra.
Looking for a recipe where you can avoid cooking as much as possible? We get it, August gets HOT. Make our rainbow rolls, our chicken salad sandwich, or our Buffalo shrimp lettuce wraps. They come together fast, can be made ahead of time, and will help you beat the heat this August. If you’ve got an air fryer, now’s the time to use it. Take a look at our air fryer blackened tilapia with mango salsa, our air fryer BBQ chicken drumsticks, or our air fryer crispy chicken sandwich to see how versatile the appliance can be. Then check out our expansive list of air fryer recipes—there’s so many, you could avoid your oven all month long.
The foil packets trap in steam from the wine and juices from the tomato and corn as everything grills, which in turn cooks the gnocchi to perfectly tender while infusing the pasta with all the flavors of the dish. Bonus: Some of the meal browns a bit on the bottom right before it finishes cooking, adding extra flavor.
Get the Gnocchi Foil Packets recipe.
"Cilantro-lime" is a flavor profile we can never get enough of. Cilantro lime salmon, cilantro lime chicken wings, cilantro lime rice… we’ve done it all. Pretty much anything goes well with a kick from cumin, a little tang from lime juice, and fresh herby zing from cilantro, including these simple, low-carb lettuce wraps featuring quick-cooking shrimp.
Get the Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Wraps recipe.
The flavors in this recipe take their cues from shawarma, the popular Levantine dish that features thin cuts of seasoned meat. The spice mix here is a shortcut to those delicious flavors, including coriander, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and cinnamon. Each bite of flavorful chicken is nicely balanced by the tomato-cucumber-feta salad and chewy orzo.
Get the One-Pot Shawarma Chicken and Orzo Skillet recipe.
If you've ever been to California Pizza Kitchen, then chances are you know the joys of a good BBQ chicken pizza. Our recipe uses tangy gouda, creamy mozzarella, and a hefty dose of red onions and cilantro for freshness. We happen to think it gives good ol' CPK a run for their money.
Get the BBQ Chicken Pizza recipe.
For this summery dish, you'll start by crisping up chicken cutlets that are wrapped in prosciutto (this technique comes from the Italian "saltimbocca" dish made with veal, wine, and sage rather than chicken, balsamic, and basil). Next, you'll finish them off in a tangy vinegar sauce, then top the whole thing with mozzarella and tomatoes for a fresh and easy crowdpleaser.
Get the Caprese Chicken Saltimbocca recipe.
Think the crispiest chicken sandwich is only available at the drive-thru? Think again! We can’t believe how golden and juicy these cutlets turn out in the air fryer. They’re great in sandwich form but would be just as good on top of a salad or sliced over rice.
Get the Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Sandwich recipe.
Rainbow rolls includes a lot of elements of traditional Japanese sushi—seasoned rice, raw fish, nori—but the composition is definitely Americanized. This inside-out roll (or uramaki) has rice on the outside, while the sheet of nori on the inside holds the avocado, cucumber, and crab stick in place. Top your rolls with sushi grade fish, or get creative and try thinly sliced avocado, roasted red peppers, or smoked salmon.
Get the Rainbow Roll recipe.
This dinner is the perfect fix for a busy weeknight. Only 5 ingredients and 1 skillet and you’re on your way! Allowing the shrimp some time to marinate adds an extra layer of flavor to really make those 5 ingredients stretch. But DON’T let that stop the imagination from flowing—just like you can swap the ingredients, you can add more as well!
Get the Shrimp & Snow Pea Stir Fry recipe.
Grilling salmon can be intimidating, but with foil packs, there's no need to stress. Instead, fold your fish and summer squash medley into a tin foil packet, then drizzle it all with the smoky honey-chipotle sauce. Put them on the grill, and in less than 15 minutes, you'll have the easiest dinner, with no mess!
Get the Grilled Honey-Chipotle Salmon Foil Packets with Summer Squash recipe.
There's definitely more than one way to make a chicken salad sandwich, but this is our favorite—green apple, red onion, and celery add crunch, while mustard, mayo, and red wine vinegar add creaminess with the perfect amount of tang. It's the perfect easy, cold meal for those long hot nights this August.
Get the Chicken Salad Sandwich recipe.
Those who say that good things take time have clearly never grilled a tuna steak. Once the grill is preheated (be patient, and let it get very hot for best results), tuna steaks take only around 5 minutes to grill! They're perfect for a super quick weeknight dinner on the grill this August.
Get the Grilled Tuna Steak with Scallion Sauce recipe.
Using cooked rotisserie chicken, frozen corn, and sweet cherry tomatoes, you can have a summer chowder in under an hour, served in a crispy-tender stuffed zucchini boat. While bacon isn’t totally crucial in this dish, it's an ingredient packed with more potential than meets the eye: rendering it provides a salty, flavorful fat you can then brush onto your roasted zucchini and use to start your savory chowder with.
Get the Chicken Chowder Stuffed Zucchini recipe.
Typically deep- or pan-fried in oil, the option to air fry orange chicken instead is so much more preferable during the summer when it's too hot to think, much less fry. Of course, this dish is perfect over rice or whole grains, but if you are looking for a low-carb side, serve this over simple air fried vegetables, letting them soak up the extra sauce in place of grains.
Get the Air Fryer Orange Chicken recipe.
During the summer, we pretty much can’t get enough of elote, or Mexican street corn (it's really one of the best ways to enjoy corn on the cob). We like it so much that we’re constantly creating new ways we can enjoy it, like these fun skillet nachos. They're great for end of summer parties (though, thanks to frozen corn, you can also enjoy them year round too!).
Get the Elote (Mexican Street Corn) Nachos recipe.
Traditional tacos al pastor are made on a vertical rotisserie just like chicken shawarma. The method was used by Lebanese immigrants to Mexico and the tacos adapted to fit the culinary scene of Mexico with their spices and quickly became a popular street food. Serve these up with some queso and call it a fiesta.
Get the Tacos Al Pastor recipe.
Crispy and tender, fried fish sandwiches have nothing on these crispy shrimp katsu burgers. Inspired by a popular sandwich at a Japanese chain called Lotteria, you may have even spied these (also known as ebi katsu) at several McDonald's internationally or in restaurants across the US. The patty is made with chopped shrimp and is coated in panko bread crumbs that give the burger a deliciously crunchy coating—you're going to love it.
Get the Shrimp Katsu Burgers recipe.
This tasty Mexican-inspired hot dog is one of our favorites, and it’s not just because it’s bacon-wrapped… it’s also the condiments, which make up a totally irresistible, fully loaded dog. Our take on the Sonoran hot dog is based off of versions made in Arizona where it's a standard—warm pinto beans, fresh jalapeño salsa, onion, tomato, mustard, and mayo.
Get the Sonoran Hot Dogs recipe.
A classic BLT doesn't need much to be good, but we added some special ingredients anyway! Here we really elevate the bacon by brushing it with maple syrup and a little cayenne pepper, and spice up the mayo with some chili powder and paprika for a little kick.
Get the Classic BLT recipe.
Summer squash stands in for corn tortillas in this enchilada-inspired casserole. Ground turkey also helps make it a little lighter, meaning it won't weigh you down as you savor the last dregs of summer this August.
Get the Turkey Zucchini Enchilada Casserole recipe.
We’ve riffed on Mexican street corn in more ways than we can count—nachos, tacos, even enchiladas—and we’ve loved every version, but this flatbread is our new go-to. Here, we’re taking the creamy tangy sauce that usually goes on the corn, spreading it over pre-made pizza dough instead, and loading it up with corn, more chili, and lots of cheese. Twenty minutes later, it’s crispy, corny perfection.
Get the Mexican Street Corn Flatbread recipe.
This light but satisfying dinner starts with a vibrant sauce made with some of our favorite sunny, bright flavors: sweet bell pepper, nutty white miso, and earthy turmeric, along with plenty of garlic and ginger. Topped with garlicky sautéed shrimp, this meal comes complete with protein, carb, and plenty of veg.
Get the Sweet Corn Shrimp & Rice Skillet recipe.
We love a spicy tuna roll, but admittedly, rolling your own sushi can be tricky (you need a bamboo mat, the right consistency rice, good technique...). Avoid failure, and make these nachos instead! We used crispy wonton wrappers as chips for fun, but feel free to use tortilla chips if you're in a pinch. Whatever you do, don't skip that spicy mayo drizzle.
Get the Spicy Ahi Tuna Nachos recipe.
This sweet, tangy, and spicy sauce takes this shrimp from good to WOW. It’s a quick and easy dish that can be served as is, over rice with extra sauce from the pan, or in tortillas for some easy shrimp tacos. However you serve them, expect to be hooked.
Get the Crispy Honey Chipotle Shrimp recipe.
This blackened tilapia gets a hint of crunch from the cornmeal in the blackened seasoning. The mix is easy enough to mix ahead of time, so go ahead and make a big batch so it's ready whenever you want to make this easy weeknight seafood dinner this August.
Get the Air Fryer Blackened Tilapia with Mango Salsa recipe.
Because we believe that summer dinners should be both quick and easy, this skillet pasta dinner requires just 8 ingredients. Let the end of summer season be your guide to this dish, using whatever veggies you have on hand. And, of course, any short pasta shape will work in place of the farfalle, so swap in whatever you like.
Get the Summer Bowtie Pasta and Chicken Sausage Skillet Bake recipe.
This dish has all the eggplant Parm flavors you love—including sliced rounds of tender eggplant, tangy marinara sauce, and plenty of cheese. Instead of breading each slice of eggplant, though, you'll top the entire skillet with panko bread crumbs, making it easy enough for a weeknight dinner.
Get the Skillet Eggplant Parm recipe.
Packed with simple, everyday ingredients, this dish brings together chili-spiced rice, black beans, corn, peppers, and salsa-and cheese-topped chicken for a complete meal, all neatly wrapped up and grilled in an easy foil pack. You can also make it in the oven if you like, but we bet this August, you'd prefer to be outside!
Get the Santa Fe Chicken Foil Packets recipe.
There's a lot to love about a classic Cobb Salad, full of hard-boiled eggs, chopped chicken, bacon, avocado, and refreshingly crispy romaine. The gang's all here in this version too, except with some big-time upgrades. Strawberries stand in for the standard tomatoes, while feta takes the place of blue cheese. Fear not, there's still an extra-creamy buttermilk-based dressing that coats every bite.
Get the Strawberry Chicken Cobb Salad recipe.
Here’s an easy one-pot dish that comes together quickly and easily, while still being crazy flavorful. Adobo sauce and chipotle chiles bring a little heat and spice things up—we're effectively making our own adobo seasoning here, but feel free to swap out the spices if you've already got a blend.
Get the One-Pot Adobo Chicken and Rice recipe.
These turkey burgers bring classic Mediterranean zest to an American favorite. The bright bursts of flavor in the cucumber, tomato, red onion, and crumbled feta salad perfectly complement turkey. To top it all off: a minty-dill tzatziki sauce spread on each bun. Can you say yum?
Get the Mediterranean Turkey Burgers recipe.