These BBQ chicken kabobs with creamy, herby ranch salad is the meal that tastes like summer to me. Sweet smoky chicken fresh off the grill, charred corn, cold crunchy lettuce, creamy avocado, and enough ranch to make everyone at the table happy.

When you grow up a picky eater, you learn pretty quickly how to survive dinner. And for me? The answer was barbecue sauce. If I could dip something in BBQ sauce, there was a very good chance I could choke it down with minimal drama.

These BBQ chicken skewers remind me of those easy days of summer growing up when the sound of the sprinklers were, the lawnmower was my alarm clock, and that hot trampoline with sprinklers set underneath of it was our favorite past time.

I hope you all take things a little slower this week. Do a little outdoor grilling and don’t rush to clean up, just sit and enjoy the sunshine as it lazily slips beneath the trees and night settles in like an old friend wrapping you up in comfort.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This BBQ chicken kabobs recipe comes together in a few simple steps and is perfect for easy summer dinners after a long day outside.

Kabobs

• Chicken Breasts: Tender, lean chicken that grills beautifully and soaks up all the smoky BBQ flavor.
• Avocado or Olive Oil: Helps the chicken stay juicy while adding richness and helping the sauce cling to every bite.
• Kosher Salt: Enhances the flavor of the chicken and balances the sweetness of the BBQ sauce.
• BBQ Sauce: Adds smoky, sweet, tangy flavor and caramelizes perfectly on the grill.
• Wooden Skewers: Make the kabobs easy to grill and serve. Soaking them helps prevent burning.

Homemade Ranch

• Mayonnaise: Creates a rich, creamy base for the homemade ranch dressing.
• Buttermilk: Adds tanginess and thins the dressing to the perfect consistency.
• Onion Powder: Gives the ranch that classic savory flavor.
• Garlic: Adds bold fresh flavor that makes homemade ranch irresistible.
• Fresh Dill: Brings bright, fresh ranch flavor.
• Fresh Parsley or Basil: Adds freshness and a summery herb

If you are a pickle lover, this dill pickle pasta salad is about to become your new warm-weather obsession. Creamy, tangy, loaded with fresh dill and chunks of cheddar, it is the kind of side dish that gets talked about long after the plate is empty.

My little sister was absolutely obsessed with pickles growing up. As in wrap-in-a-napkin-and-eat-it-walking-around-the-house obsessed. However, I have always been pretty against them until I realized that I have a husband who loves them so every once in a while, I find a recipe that is perfectly suited for him and this is that recipe.

This pasta salad is everything a summer side dish should be. The pasta gets tossed in pickle juice right after cooking, so it soaks up that bright, briny flavor before the dressing even goes on.
The creamy garlic aioli and sour cream base take it somewhere rich and indulgent, while the fresh dill and chopped pickles keep every bite zippy and fresh. It comes together fast, gets better as it chills, and is always the first bowl emptied.

Ingredients For Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

This is much better than your run-of-the-mill macaroni salad. The dill pickle flavors mesh with the creaminess of the dressing and the real mayonnaise.  Here is what you need and why:

• Rotini Pasta: The spiral shape is perfect here because it catches and holds onto the creamy dressing in every single bite. Other pasta shapes like cavatappi or bowtie pasta would work too, but rotini is my preference.
• Dill Pickle Juice: Tossed with the warm pasta right after cooking so it absorbs directly into the noodles for briny flavor from the inside out.
• Mayonnaise: Adds richness and body to the dressing as the creamy base.
• Garlic Aioli: Brings a bold, garlicky depth to the dressing that takes it well beyond a basic pasta salad.
• Sour Cream: Lightens the dressing slightly while adding a subtle tang that complements the pickle flavor beautifully.
• Salt and Pepper: Season the whole salad and can be adjusted to taste.
• Fresh Dill: The signature herb that ties all the pickle flavors together and adds a bright, fresh finish.
• Pickles: Sweet petite or dill pickles chopped throughout the salad for that satisfying briny crunch in every bite.

Deviled Egg Summer Pasta Salad

Looking for a crave-worthy recipe for a summer pasta salad? My creamy deviled egg filling creates the most luscious dressing that coats every bite of pasta in this simple Deviled Egg Pasta Salad.

Watch our Video on How to Make Deviled Egg Pasta Salad

Deviled egg pasta salad combines two side dish staples, the classic deviled egg and a traditional pasta salad to create the ultimate summer side dish for any BBQ or potluck. In fact, you may prefer this creamy deviled egg pasta salad over the old-fashioned appetizer after just one bite.

What Ingredients Do I Need to Make Deviled Egg Pasta Salad?

Remember that you’re essentially going to make deviled egg filling and use it as the dressing for this easy pasta salad recipe. You’ll need the standard deviled egg ingredients plus some pasta. Here a quick overview of everything you’ll need:

• Ditalini Pasta
• Hard Boiled Eggs
• Mayonnaise
• Dijon Mustard
• White Vinegar
• Sugar
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Smoked Paprika
• Green Onion
• Red Onion

Keep scrolling to the end of the post for all the measurements and details.

Why Shape of Pasta Should I Use?

I tested many different pasta shapes expecting macaroni to be the winner. I wanted something that would fit well with the shape of the egg as well as trap the dressing. Finally, I landed on ditalini because it’s the perfect size to match the chopped eggs and those little tubes hold onto the dressing so perfectly! Mini shells or orecchiette would also work great!

Lemon Cucumber Strawberry Feta Salad with Basil & Mint

An easy summer salad recipe is here! Learn how to make a Cucumber Strawberry Feta Salad with basil and mint! It is the ultimate side dish and you only need 8 ingredients to make it! BONUS…it’s ready in 15 minutes!

Watch How to Make a Cucumber Strawberry Feta Salad

A zesty symphony of summer, this Lemon Cucumber Strawberry Feta Salad with Basil & Mint bursts with refreshing flavor. Juicy strawberries, crisp cucumbers, and tangy feta come alive with a touch of lemon, fragrant basil, and cool mint topped with a honey balsamic vinaigrette—perfectly balancing sweet, savory, and herbaceous in every vibrant bite.

If your garden is bursting with strawberries or you just picked up a flat of strawberries from the farmer’s market, take 15 minutes and make this quick and easy summer salad!

What Ingredients You Need to Make Cucumber Strawberry Feta Salad

You’ll need a couple of ingredients for the dressing, and then a quick stop at the produce section, and you’ll have everything you need:

• Balsamic Vinegar
• Honey
• Strawberries
• Lemon
• Cucumbers
• Feta Cheese
• Mint
• Basil

The measurements and details for each ingredient can be found in the recipe at the end of the post.

How to Make Lemon Basil Strawberry Cucumber Herb Salad

1. Make the Simple Dressing: Whisk the balsamic vinegar and honey together in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Prep the Feta and Herbs: Add the feta cheese, lemon zest and juice as well as the fresh herbs and stir to combine.
3. Combine Salad Components: Add the strawberries, cucumbers and the feta mixture into a large salad bowl.
4. Toss with Dressing: Drizzle the salad dressing over the top and toss everything to combine.

Keep scrolling to the end of the post for the complete recipe card with all the instructions and ingredients needed.

Salad Variations

I’ve been reading online that many people have a st

Summer Grilled Chicken Salad w/ Creamy Basil Dressing

During the summer I love to make a big, satisfying salad that packs in a lean protein and is full of flavor without the fuss and mess of the oven. I use grilled chicken with our favorite chicken marinade, charred corn on the cob, crispy bacon, smoky and salty cheeses and of course, our summer basil herb dressing! It’s the best grilled chicken salad recipe on the internet for a reason!

Watch How We Make This Fabulous Summer Salad…

If you’re looking for the most delicious dinner to make on a hot summer day that does not include the oven, this is it! I’m utterly obsessed with the dressing and have been keeping all ingredients on hand to make every version of this summer salad possible.

Sometimes I skip the berries or only add one of the cheeses. Other times I sub out the chicken for another protein or even shove it all in a big fat wrap. No matter how you make it, this is the best summer salad ever. 

Ingredients for the Best Summer Salad

As with most salads, this salad is highly customizable depending on what you have on hand and what your family loves. There are two things I wouldn’t skip…the chicken and the dressing! I can’t say enough about this homemade basil dressing! Most salads use vinaigrettes or ranch dressing, but this unique creamy basil dressing is fresh, light and irresistible!

• Mixed Greens: You can grab any type of green you want…baby spinach, arugula, spring mix, romaine lettuce, etc.
• Boneless Skinless Chicken Brea