Our Favorite 4th of July Recipes
There's something about 4th of July that just feels like the kick-off to Summer. Maybe it's the barbecues, the sunshine, the lawn games, the friends and family—probably some combination of all of the above. So make sure to ring in the Summer with a 4th of July party unlike any other, which definitely means some unforgettable food and drinks! We've rounded up a list of our favorites so you can get this party started.
If you haven’t thought about party décor yet, we’ve done that for you. Check out our free downloadable 4th of July printables – we’ve got all the party décor you need to make your party star-spangled perfect.
Buffalo Chicken Sliders w/ Blue Cheese Slaw
We're bringing together buffalo wings and savory sliders for this new Summer staple.
Ingredients:
Cooked & Shredded Chicken Breast
2-3 Tbsp. Butter
Franks Red Hot Sauce
Kings Hawaiian Dinner Rolls
Blue Cheese Coleslaw:
Coleslaw Greens Mix (cabbage, carrots, broccoli)
Mayonnaise
Crumbled Blue Cheese
Apple Cider Vinegar
Celery Salt
Pepper
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Directions:
1. Prepare the coleslaw in advance, that way it has time to chill in the refrigerator. Combine all coleslaw ingredients except for the blue cheese in a bowl, gently mixing with your hand or tongs. Place in fridge to chill for at least an hour.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then add the shredded chicken and stir until coated. Add Franks Hot Sauce and stir well, cover, then turn heat to low and allow to cook for an additional 10 minutes.
3. To prep the rolls, slice them in half and brown under the oven broiler.
4. Once the chicken is done cooking and coleslaw is chilled, assemble your sliders and serve. Enjoy, and may the best team win!
Kickin’ Chicken Queso Dip
Gather 'round the table and prepare to eat your weight in chips, because you won't be able to get enough of this queso dip!
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. Butter
1 Tomato, diced
1/3 C. Chopped Red Onion
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1 Tbsp. Spicy Taco Seasoning, or to taste
1/2 C. Corn Salsa
2 C. Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese
1 Block of Cream Cheese
3 Chicken Breasts, cooked and finely shredded
1/2 tsp. Cumin
1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano
Optional: Cilantro for garnish
Directions:
1. In a large cast iron skillet, melt the butter and saute the tomato, onion, garlic, and taco seasoning over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until the juices and butter become thick. Add the corn salsa and stir briefly; 1-2 minutes.
2. Add the shredded Mexican blend and sharp cheddar cheeses and stir until melted, stirring constantly. Add the cream cheese, shredded chicken, cumin, and oregano, stirring constantly until the cheese is fully melted and the mixture is slightly bubbling at the edges. Remove from heat and place on a trivet, garnish with cilantro, and serve with tortilla chips. Enjoy!
Sweet and Tangy Grilled Pineapple Spears
If you haven't grilled pineapple before, trust us when we say you're missing out! Add some cinnamon and sugar to the mix, and you won't believe how sweet this fruit can be.
Ingredients:
1 Pineapple, cut into spears
2/3 C Brown Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon Honey, to taste
Directions:
1. Combine your pineapple spears, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a large Ziplock bag, and shake until the pineapple is thoroughly coated.
2. Grill the pineapple spears at medium heat for 5-10 minutes, or until they start to turn golden brown with a char. 3. Remove from heat and lightly drizzle with honey to your liking. Serve warm, and enjoy!
Chile Lime Shrimp Skewers
These fresh and tangy skewers are the perfect entree for your next barbecue.
Ingredients:
1/2 lb medium peeled shrimp
1/2 red pepper, finely chopped
2 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp Thai sweet red chili sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp parsley, chopped
2 tsp honey
Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients except shrimp in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour this mixture into a large plastic Ziploc bag with the shrimp, and shake until shrimp are fully coated.
2. Place the bag of shrimp in the fridge for 30-60 minutes to marinade.
3. Slide bamboo skewers through shrimp until the skewer is 2/3 covered.
4. Grill over medium-high heat until you have a light char, roughly 6-7 minutes, flipping halfway through. Serve hot off the grill!
Chili Lime Skirt Steak Skewers
If you or any of your guests are seafood fans, don't fret! We crafted a skewer recipe that's just as delicious as the last, but with skirt steak to replace the shrimp.
Ingredients:
1 lb. Skirt steak, thinly sliced
1 C. Soy sauce
4 Cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. Lime juice
1/2 Tbsp. Chili oil
1/2 Tbsp. Chili powder
1 tsp. Fresh Ginger, finely chopped Wooden Skewers
Directions:
1. This is a general rule with all recipes that involved grilled skewers: Soak your wooden skewers in water first (20-30 minutes) to prevent them from burning.
2. Combine soy sauce, garlic, lime juice, chili oil, chili powder, and chopped ginger in a large Ziploc bag and shake to combine. Add the sliced flank steak, and shake to coat. Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
3. Weave the marinated steak onto individual skewers, and grill over high heat for 2 minutes on each side, until browned to medium rare.
4. Remove from heat, and serve immediately.
Firecracker Pretzels
Don't forget the dessert! Fill a vase with these 4th of July-inspired pretzel sticks to double as table decor in addition to a sweet treat.
Ingredients:
Pretzel rods
Red, white, and blue candy melts
Ziploc sandwich bags
Directions:
1. Melt red, white, and blue candy melts in separate bowls according to the package directions, then pour the red and blue melted candy each into their own Ziploc bag.
2. Dunk each pretzel rod in the melted white chocolate, then lay flat on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
3. Cut a very small piece from one of the bottom corners of the Ziploc bag with the blue melted candy, then pipe/drizzle across all of the pretzel rods, going back and forth across the whole row at once to create those messy zig-zags. Then repeat with the red bag.
4. Place the sheet in the refrigerator to allow the chocolate to harden for at least 5 minutes, then remove and serve at room temperature. These pretzels last and will not re-melt, so you can package them and give them as gifts as well!
Call up some friends, fire up the grill, and pour a glass or crack open a cold one. This Summer is a time to celebrate!
