Chef Shares 3 High-Protein Summer Recipes for Your Next BBQ

Summer is upon us. Or already here, if you count Memorial Day weekend as the unofficial start. And nothing says summer quite like backyard BBQs and shared meals with friends and family. From hot dogs and burgers to barbecue chicken and ribs, there's no shortage of tasty options this time of year. But if you're tracking macros or staying focused on supporting your metabolic health, it often feels like you have to choose one or the other. That's not necessarily the case, according to Chef Joel Gamoran.

Chef Gamoran recently partnered with Virta Health to share a handful of protein-packed summer recipes that deserve a spot in your cookout rotation. And yes, these are dishes he actually makes himself. From grilled skirt steak and shrimp skewers to spicy grilled chicken, these recipes prove you can fire up the grill without completely blowing off your health goals.

"These recipes work because of technique, not restriction," Gamoran says. "And the reason they're healthier comes down to one thing: we cut out all the hidden sugar. That's what I've learned cooking through the Virta program. Store-bought BBQ sauce has 15 to 20 grams of sugar per two tablespoons. Most marinades are basically candy syrup on protein. Once you know where the sugar is hiding, you just stop buying it - and you replace it with things that actually taste better anyway."

Check out the recipes below.

Related: This Breakfast Sandwich Recipe Packs 32g of Protein and Makes Meal Prep Easy

Grilled Skirt Steak with Board Sauce

"The skirt steak with board sauce is one of my favorite moves," Gamoran says. "You chop garlic, herbs, and chili flakes right on the cutting board, then slice the hot steak on top so the juices melt into everything. It looks stunning and takes about 10 minutes."

• Servings: 4-6
• Prep Time: 10 minutes + 30 min rest
• Cook Time: 8-10 minutes

Ingredients

Steak

• 1.5–2 lbs skirt steak
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 tbsp avocado oil

Board Sauce

• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 cup fresh parsley and/or cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp red chili flakes
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 3 tbsp good olive oil
• Flaky sea salt

Instructions

1. Pull the steak out 30 minutes before cooking. Season aggressively with kosher salt and pepper on both sides. Let it sit at room temperature.
2. While the steak rests, chop garlic, herbs, and chili flakes together on your cutting board until they're almost a rough paste. Add lemon zest, drizzle with olive oil, and spread it out in a loose layer across the board.
3. Get your grill or cast iron screaming hot. Brush steak with avocado oil. Cook 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare - resist the urge to move it. You want a real crust.
4. Let the steak rest 5 minutes off heat, then slice it thinly against the grain directly onto the herb board. The juices from the steak mix into the herbs and oil. That's your sauce. Finish with flaky salt.

Shrimp Skewers with Whipped Feta and Charred Lemon

"Four minutes on a hot grill, feta blended with olive oil and lemon, charred lemon squeezed over the top. People think you cooked for an hour," he says.

• Servings: 4 as an appetizer
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 4-6 minutes

Ingredients

Shrimp

• 1.5 lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined (16/20 count)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Kosher salt and pepper
• Skewers (soaked if wooden)

Whipped Feta

• 6 oz good feta (block, not crumbled)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 tbsp full-fat Greek yogurt
• 2 lemons, halved
• Fresh herbs (parsley, mint, or dill)
• Chili flakes

Instructions

1. Toss shrimp with olive oil, garlic, paprika, chili flakes, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Thread onto skewers. Let sit 10 minutes while the grill heats.
2. Blend feta, olive oil, lemon juice, and Greek yogurt in a food processor until completely smooth and creamy. Season with black pepper. Spread onto a serving platter.
3. Grill shrimp 2–3 minutes per side until pink and lightly charred. At the same time, place lemon halves cut-side down on the grill until deeply caramelized, about 4 minutes.
4. Lay shrimp skewers over the whipped feta. Squeeze charred lemons over the top. Finish with fresh herbs and a pinch of chili flakes.

Spicy Grilled Chicken with Buffalo Glaze and Blue Cheese Slaw

"The spicy chicken is dry-brined overnight, which gives you crackling skin with zero extra work, then finished with a buffalo glaze that's just hot sauce and butter. That's it," he says.

• Servings: 4–6
• Prep Time: 15 minutes + overnight dry brine (optional)
• Cook Time: 35-40 minutes

Ingredients

Chicken

• 3–4 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
• 1.5 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika

Buffalo Glaze

• 1/2 cup Frank's RedHot (or your preferred hot sauce)
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Pinch of salt

Blue Cheese Slaw

• 4 cups green and purple cabbage, thinly shredded
• 3 oz good blue cheese, crumbled
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp celery salt
• Black pepper
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Mix salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Pat chicken completely dry, season all over, and leave uncovered in the fridge overnight. This is what gives you the crackling skin without any extra work.
2. Combine shredded cabbage, blue cheese, mayo, vinegar, and celery salt. Toss well. Season with black pepper. Add scallions. Refrigerate until serving - it gets better as it sits.
3. In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add hot sauce and garlic powder. Whisk until combined. Keep warm.
4. Set up your grill for two-zone cooking - high heat on one side, no heat on the other. Start chicken skin-side down over direct heat, 5 minutes, until deeply golden. Move to indirect heat and cook 25–30 minutes until cooked through (165°F internal).
5. In the last 5 minutes, brush chicken generously with buffalo glaze. Return to direct heat briefly to caramelize the sauce. Glaze again when it comes off the grill.
6. Pile slaw onto a large platter. Lay glazed chicken pieces on top or alongside. Extra blue cheese crumbled over the top. Serve with the remaining glaze for dipping.

Related: Dietitians Say This Cheap Steak Cut Is Lean, Packed With Protein, and Delivers Ribeye-Like Flavor

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the Fitness section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 11, 2026 at 10:31 AM.