Sunday Dinner: Tropical Grilling Edition

🍍🥥 Tender bites of chicken and flank steak come together with grilled veggies, juicy pineapple and tropical inspired sides (toasted coconut rice, pineapple lime rice, and asian slaw) to create a feast fit for any summer occasion. For dessert serve up raspberry crumble bars on their own or with ice cream for a tasty treat. 

Setting aside time each week (for us that’s Sunday) to linger at the table over a great plate of food is a relaxing and rewarding part of the week. It’s a time to catch up with everyone we love, laugh with each other, watch some sports, or play cornhole in the yard.  

You can read more about Why a Sunday Dinner Tradition is So Powerful here.

If you want a menu that makes everyone happy, this is it! This menu has been served after church on a Sunday (many times!!), to my daughter’s new in-laws, and at a family reunion. It is met with rave reviews each time. All the tips and tricks you need to pull this off for a small or large crowd are in the free PDF👇. 

Let’s get right to it.

🐓 Menu

Main

Grilled Honey Chicken (un)Kabobs
Grilled Sweet & Savory Flank Steak

Sides

Toasted Coconut Rice
Pineapple Lime Rice
Asian Slaw Salad

Dessert

Raspberry Crumble Bars

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👩🏻‍🍳 Menu advice

This menu can be made all in one day. However, no matter the size crowd I prefer to do as much work ahead of time as I can. That way meal time is much more relaxing. The essential make-ahead items are:

• Prep and marinate the meat. Preferably freeze it or at a minimum marinate the day before.
• Make the rice ahead and freeze. That way the hands-on time is kept to a minimum when it’s time to serve. See How to Freeze and Reheat Rice Perfectly for a full tutorial on the process I use.
• If this menu looks like it’s too much, then pare it down. Choose only one main dish and one rice. As you get more comfortable you can add in more sides. I say this with confidence because once you make this, people will be asking for it again and again.
• Make the dessert ahead.

⏱ Shortcuts

Buy an asian salad kit that is ready to go. It’s more expensive than making your own, but sometimes the trade off is worth it. Our favorite is Taylor’s Asian Chopped Salad. 

👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 Tips for a crowd

A couple of the tips in this section reiterate what is in the menu advice section above. However, they are even more important if you are serving 20+ people. This is a great one for a large crowd...if the prep is done ahead. On the day of all you need to do is grill, heat the rice, and assemble the salad.

• Meat: Prep and marinate the meat. Preferably freeze it or at a minimum marinate the day before. The veggies and pineapple can also be cut up ahead.
• Rice: Make the rice ahead and freeze. That way the hands on time is kept to a minimum when it’s time to serve. See How to Freeze and Reheat Rice Perfectly for a full tutorial on the process we use.
• Salad: Prep ingredients and make the salad dressing. Assemble just before serving.
• Dessert: Make the bars ahead and freeze. Be sure to take out of the freezer several hours ahead to thaw.

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