When it comes to summer grilling, this balsamic chicken marinade is the one I come back to every single time. Made with just a handful of pantry staples, it delivers bold, tangy, savory flavor that works on any cut of chicken and comes together in about two minutes flat.

This balsamic marinade has been years in the making, tweaked and tested until it hit exactly the right balance. Balsamic vinegar brings the tang, olive oil adds richness, garlic gives it depth, and a pinch of sugar ties it all together. That is truly it.

No complicated ingredients, no special equipment, just a ziplock bag and a little time in the fridge. It works beautifully on chicken breasts, thighs, drumsticks, and kabobs, making it the most versatile marinade in my rotation. This is one of my favorite chicken recipes!

Balsamic Chicken Marinade Ingredients

Seven simple ingredients that you almost certainly already have on hand. Here is what each one brings to the marinade:

• Olive Oil: The fat base of the marinade that helps it cling to the chicken and keeps everything juicy and tender on the grill.
• Balsamic Vinegar: The acid component that tenderizes the chicken while adding that rich, tangy, slightly sweet depth of flavor the whole marinade is built around.
• Dijon Mustard: Acts as an emulsifier that helps bind the oil and vinegar together while adding a subtle tangy depth to the overall flavor.
• Honey: Balances the acidity of the vinegar and mustard with natural sweetness and helps create a beautiful caramelized finish when grilled.
• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic adds a bold, savory punch that infuses into the chicken as it marinates.
• Dried Basil: Brings a subtle, herby, Italian-inspired flavor that complements the balsamic beautifully.
• Salt: Seasons the chicken all the way through and enhances every other ingredient in the marinade.
• Black Pepper: Adds a gentle heat and a little bite that keeps the marinade from being one-note.

This recipe uses pantry staples, making it perfect for meal prep or feeding a group. Measurements can be found in the recipe card below. 

How to Make Balsamic Chicken Marinade

This could not be simpler. Here is all it takes:

1. Combine: Add all the ingredients to a ziplock bag or airtight container and mix well.
2. Add: Place the chicken into the bag with the marinade and seal tightly, pressing out as much air as possible.
3. Marinate: Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours for the deepest flavor.
4. Cook: Grill, bake, or pan sear the chicken using your preferred method until cooked through. Using a meat thermometer ensure the chicken reaches an Internal Temperature of 165 F 

The longer the chicken marinates, the d

This fresh pineapple salsa recipe is sweet, zesty, slightly spicy, and bursting with juicy tropical flavor. Made with fresh pineapple, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and crisp peppers, it’s the perfect salsa for chips, tacos, grilled chicken, seafood, and summer BBQs.

It only takes a few minutes to make, but somehow tastes like the kind of thing you’d order at a beachside restaurant on vacation.

We used to think homemade salsa was too much work until we finally found a few fresh salsa recipes we absolutely loved. Turns out, once you start making salsa at home, it’s hard to go back to store-bought.

Now we keep this pineapple salsa on repeat all summer long alongside our restaurant-style salsa, authentic salsa verde, and mango salsa.

This pineapple salsa is especially delicious for taco night, grilling season, pool parties, and easy summer appetizers.

What Does Pineapple Salsa Taste Like?

Pineapple salsa is sweet, fresh, tangy, slightly spicy, and incredibly refreshing. The juicy pineapple balances perfectly with the jalapeño, lime juice, cilantro, and crisp vegetables.

It’s especially delicious paired with smoky grilled meats and seafood.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s what you’ll need to make this pineapple jalapeño salsa:

• Fresh Pineapple: The sweet juicy base of the salsa. Fresh pineapple gives the best flavor and texture.
• Red Onion: Adds sharp savory flavor and crunch.
• Fresh Cilantro: Adds bright fresh flavor that balances the sweetness.
• Green Bell Pepper: Adds freshness and crisp texture.
• Red Bell Pepper: Adds sweetness, color, and crunch.
• Jalapeño: Adds fresh heat and balances the sweetness of the pineapple.
• Cumin: Adds warm earthy flavor and gives the salsa a subtle smoky depth.
• Sea Salt: Enhances all the fresh flavors.
• Lime Juice: Adds bright acidity and keeps the salsa tasting fresh.

How to Pick a Ripe Pineapple

• Color: Look for golden yellow color on the outside.
• Smell: Smell the

This burger sauce recipe is creamy, tangy, a little smoky, and absolutely the secret to better burgers. Think Big Mac sauce meets your favorite burger joint special sauce but homemade, fresher, and even better.

It takes just a few minutes to whisk together and instantly upgrades burgers, fries, sandwiches, and even wraps. Once you make it, you’ll never go back to plain ketchup and mustard again.

What is Burger Sauce?

Burger sauce is a creamy, flavorful condiment made with mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, pickle relish, and seasonings. It’s similar to Big Mac sauce, In-N-Out spread, or a classic fry sauce, but with more depth and flavor.

It adds the perfect tangy, savory finish to burgers and works just as well for fries, sandwiches, and dipping.

Burger Sauce Ingredients

So you’re probably wondering what goes into the best burger sauce. Well, let me tell you…

• Mayonnaise: Creates the creamy base and gives the sauce its rich texture.
• BBQ Sauce: Adds smoky sweetness and extra depth of flavor.
• Ketchup: Adds sweetness, tanginess, and that classic burger sauce flavor.
• Mustard or Dijon Mustard: Adds tang and a little sharpness to balance the richness.
• Sweet Pickle Relish: Adds sweetness, acidity, and that signature burger sauce taste.
• Worcestershire Sauce: Adds savory umami flavor and a little extra depth.
• Onion Powder: Adds mild onion flavor without changing the texture.
• Garlic Powder: Adds bold, savory flavor that rounds everything out.
• Salt and Pepper: Enhance all the flavors and bring the sauce together.

How to Make Burger Sauce

To make the sauce, whisk all the ingredients together and set aside until the hamburgers are ready to assemble.

How to Assemble the Perfect Burger

Forget the ketchup and mayo and go for a really good burger sauce. I am a huge fan of sauces and condiments but in the case of the burger, keep it simple, burger, sauce, cheese, lettuce and tomato. Besides the burger sauce, these are the other items you will want to make a drool-worthy burger…

• Brioche Buns: Always toast your buns. Always. Whe

If you’re looking for the best cilantro lime dressing, this creamy version is fresh, tangy, and packed with flavor. Made with avocado, fresh lime juice, cilantro, and garlic, this cilantro lime salad dressing blends up in just minutes and works on almost everything. Drizzle it over salads, tacos, burrito bowls, grilled chicken, or use it as a dip for veggies.

The avocado gives the dressing a naturally creamy texture without any dairy, while the lime and cilantro add that bright, zesty flavor that makes everything taste better. Basically, once you make this cilantro lime dressing recipe, you’ll want to keep a jar in the fridge at all times.

Salad Dressing Recipes

I’m slowly but surely gathering up all of my favorite salad dressing recipes… for my mom. Haha! I mean, I’m doing it for all of you as well, but this stems from a comment my mom made that I’m not completely ruminating on. 🙂 She said she doesn’t know how to make a good salad. AND, FURTHERMORE, she doesn’t really eat salad in the winter because she associates it with summer. 

Oh heck no. 

Salad is one of the greatest things of my life, so I absolutely have to help her out! Salads are the easiest recipe because literally anything goes. You wanna add roasted sweet potatoes? DO IT! You want to mix cottage cheese in? IT’S DELICIOUS!

So, first up, Cilantro Lime Avocado Dressing because it’s healthy, and so bright and zesty! And look at that green color! All the heart eyes!

Why You’ll Love This Cilantro Lime Dressing

• Ready in 5 minutes
• Naturally creamy from avocado
• Fresh and tangy flavor
• Great for salads, tacos, bowls, and wraps
• Gluten-free and dairy-free

Ingredients You’ll Need

This creamy cilantro lime dressing uses simple fresh ingredients that blend into a bright and flavorful sauce.

Creamy, tart, and mildly sweet, this simple coleslaw dressing is a great condiment for coleslaws, salads, and tons of other side dishes. We’ve been making it for years now, and it’s always a welcome addition to the dinner table.

We’ve grown to love our classic memphis-style coleslaw so much, we make it frequently. But, what I’ve found over the years is that nothing beats a freshly dressed slaw. Pre-made coleslaw just sits there, getting soggy. So, I’ve taken to making this coleslaw dressing recipe in advance and keeping it in the fridge alongside the rest of our favorite salad dressings. That way, when it’s time to eat, I just shred the cabbage, drizzle the dressing, and toss. Always fresh. Always crisp.

Coleslaw Dressing

I’ve been making dressings from scratch since long before the start of this blog. The convenience of prepping my favorite condiments with ingredients I have at home just can’t be beat. And, making your dressings fresh gives you flavor that is SO much better than bottled!

This one is southern style, through and through. Creamy mayo base, a good hit of apple cider vinegar for tang, a bit of sugar, and celery seeds. Those celery seeds are a must. They bring just the right earthy, peppery bite to contrast the sweet sugar. Try them in this recipe for coleslaw dressing, and you’ll never go back.

Beyond coleslaw, this dressing is versatile enough to bring a coleslaw kick to plenty of other salads. And, I don’t want to brag, but I’ve watched someone come back for thirds of this slaw at a cookout. So there’s that.

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