Simple Summer Dinners: 5 Grilled Dishes You Can Prep in Advance

The secret to quick and easy weekday dinners is sitting on your patio. Grilling steak, chicken, and assorted vegetables keeps the heat out of the kitchen and simplifies clean up so you can enjoy the long summer evenings with your loved ones. Each of these recipes calls for a few simple ingredients and basic knowledge of how to cook steak and other meat. Save even more time by marinating meats and assembling pouches and kebabs on the weekend. Let them come to room temperature before tossing them on the grill.

Steak Kebabs

Ingredients:

2 pounds sirloin

2 zucchini

1 red onion

2 potatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup steak or barbecue sauce

Cut the steak into 1-inch pieces and coat each piece with sauce to marinate for at least 4 hours. Chop the vegetables into 1-inch pieces. Parboil the potatoes until they are slightly tender. Assemble the kebabs by alternating layers of steak and vegetables until you fill the skewer.

Easy Marinated Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:

2 pounds chicken breast

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 teaspoons garlic powder

Prepare the chicken marinade by combining the olive oil, soy sauce, sugar, lemon juice, and garlic powder. Pour the marinade into a zippered bag and add the chicken. Massage the chicken so that the marinade completely coats it.

Steak and Veggie Packets

Ingredients:

1 pound sirloin

2 zucchini

1/2 red onion

4 potatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 teaspoons seasoning blend

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cut the steak, potatoes, onion, and zucchini into bite-size pieces. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and coat the steak and vegetables. Divide the mixture between four pieces of foil. Fold the foil into packets to keep the flavor inside.

Pesto Portobellos

Ingredients:

8 portobello mushroom caps

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup prepared pesto sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth and remove the stems and gills with a spoon. Thin the pesto sauce with the olive oil and completely coat the mushrooms with the mixture. Serve the grilled portobello mushrooms as a savory side, or make them the centerpiece of a sandwich along with your favorite fillings.

Steak Fajitas

Ingredients:

1 pound sirloin

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup lime juice

1/2 cup oil

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 package fajita seasoning mix

8 flour tortillas

Marinate the steak for 4 hours in a blend of soy sauce, lime juice, oil, brown sugar, and seasoning mix. For medium-rare steak, cook on the grill for 3–5 minutes on each side and remove it from the heat as soon the edges are golden brown and slightly charred. Let the steak cool to room temperature before slicing it into strips. Serve with tortillas and your favorite toppings, such as grilled onions, peppers, cilantro, cheese, and sour cream.