Cooking

The Broiler Is My Go-To for Summer Dinners Without a Grill

Sheet-pan shawarma-spiced chicken, smashed pork tacos, and more highly flavorful meals.
By Rebecca Firkser
Platter of chicken on white tablecloth.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer Richards, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua

Summer meals prioritize no-cook, low-cook, and outdoor-cooked recipes, but there’s another approach that I’ve come to rely on when the weather is sweltering: the broiler. Yes, I’m telling you to turn on your oven in the summer. But don’t click away!

In restaurant kitchens, a salamander broiler is used to quickly melt, crisp, and brown a single serving, or to quickly finish off a parcooked cut of meat, before it heads out to your table. Broiling at home works much the same way. Standard broilers are usually part of, or connected to, the oven. Yours may be an electric coil or flame on the ceiling of the oven; or it may be a separate drawer underneath.

Whatever the style, a broiler typically heats around 500°–550°. Some newer models offer a “low” option, which heats to about 450°. In BA recipes, we account for the higher temp, relying on it for cooking that’s fast and intensely flavorful, much like a grill. In fact: A lot of our recipes that were developed to be made on the grill were also tested to great success in the broiler, like this Charred Guacamole, Jerk Shrimp With Pineapple Salad, and Grilled Chicken Wings With Summer Berry Agrodolce.

That’s exactly why I love the broiler so much in the warmer months. It makes the fact that I don’t have a grill totally irrelevant. I get to enjoy juicy charred chicken bundled in a plush pita either way.

  • Sheet Pan Shwarmaish Chicken on a blue tray that is place on a blue background
    Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Prop Styling by Alex Massillion, Food Styling by Thu Buser
    1/8

    Sheet-Pan Shawarma-Spiced Chicken

    Boneless skinless chicken thighs and chopped onion char under the broiler for a speedy and satisfying meal. Senior Test Kitchen editor Jesse Szewczyk suggests scooting the chicken to the side and filling the negative space with other toppings, then bringing the sheet pan right to the table.

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  • Smashed tacos on a blue tray and blue cooling rack
    Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr, Prop Styling by Alex Massillion, Food Styling by Thu Buser
    2/8

    Smashed Pork Tacos

    This speedy recipe is my take on the viral “smash taco” trend. While many creators make one taco at a time in a skillet, we found that you can make eight at once by shingling them onto a wire-rack-lined sheet pan and popping it under the broiler.

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  • Broken up pieces of broiled salmon covered in a green curry sauce on a platter with sliced cucumbers rainbow radishes...
    Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness
    3/8

    Green Curry–Glazed Salmon

    No one broils fish like senior Test Kitchen editor Shilpa Uskokovic. Grab a hunk of salmon and brush it in a mixture of green curry paste and mayo. Shilpa advises using farm-raised salmon (what you’ll typically find at the supermarket), which releases enough fat as it cooks that you don’t need to add any extra oil.

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  • Five toasted English muffins topped with kimchi tuna melted cheese and sliced scallions.
    Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon
    4/8

    Kimchi Tuna Melts

    Sandwiches for dinner are never a bad shout come summertime. Instead of a diner-style tuna melt, which you have to griddle one or two at a time in a pan, this recipe takes an open-faced approach and melts them all at once under the broiler.

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  • Platter of chicken on white tablecloth.
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer Richards, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua
    5/8

    Zhug-Marinated Chicken Thighs

    Deputy food editor Hana Asbrink marinates chicken in Trader Joe’s Zhoug Sauce that’s bolstered with Greek yogurt and lemon juice. (Homemade or your favorite store-bought version of the hot sauce works too.) Broil the meat, followed by some flatbread, and serve with a juicy tomato and onion salad.

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  • A platter of al pastor chicken garnished with cilantro and onions next to a plate of tortillas.
    Photograph by Peden + Munk, food styling by Shilpa Uskokovic
    6/8

    Easy Chicken Al Pastor

    Chicken al pastor is tricky to replicate at home. Using the broiler is your best bet. Slathered in a mixture of vinegar and chipotle chiles in adobo, you don’t need to add more than white onion, cilantro, and corn tortillas to call it dinner. If you have extra, save for burrito bowls later in the week.

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  • A macro view of a spoonedin roasted salmon.
    Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Drew Aichele, and Prop Styling by Adrian Ababović
    7/8

    Hot Honey–Glazed Salmon

    Salmon! Glazed! In the broiler! If it’s not broken, don’t fix it. This other hit from Shilpa relies on white wine vinegar and sriracha-enhanced honey, which is gently reduced before it’s painted over the fish. We love this one with sliced cucumbers and brown rice.

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  • Boneless chicken thighs marinated in green chutney and broiled on a platter with red onions radishes and sliced...
    Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon
    8/8

    Green Chutney Chicken

    Inspired by Indian hariyali tikka, this chicken boasts outdoor-grill-level char without having to step outside into the heat. Speaking of warmth, don’t skip the serrano chile in the purée: It needs to stand up to the rich sour cream and chicken.

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Rebecca’s work has appeared in TASTE, Eater, Food52, The Kitchn, Serious Eats, The Strategist, and NYT Cooking, among others. Previously, she was a staff editor at a handful of media publications, as well as a freelance recipe tester, culinary producer, and stylist. Before joining Bon Appétit and Epicurious, she was ... Read More
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