A foolproof method for perfect grilled chicken
Pieces of chicken cook at slightly
Grilled chicken is synonymous with summer, both for family cookouts and weeknight meals. But chicken is also one of the harder proteins to grill because the chicken’s skin and even the barbecue sauce are prone to burning in the grill’s high heat.
I’m a grill aficionado, and I’ve burnt my fair share of chicken before figuring out a simpler, rates depending on the cut, weight and whether they are bone-in. tastier way to grill it. This essential step-by-step method is perfect for first-time grillers or anyone who struggles to get delicious grilled chicken every time. Here’s how to do it.
One of the things I love most about this method is that you can buy different cuts of chicken and cook them all at the same time. I often grill chicken breast for meal-prep salads, extra drumsticks for my two kids and flavorful thighs for eating with corn and salad. For the most part, I recommend bone-in, skin-on chicken for the grill because both the bones and skin help keep the chicken from overcooking and becoming dry.
You also can use this method for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but the cook time will be slightly shorter. Use a thermometer to test for doneness rather than relying on time alone.
To avoid dry chicken (which is often a culprit of being underseasoned
Makes: teaspoons garlic powder 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces
Optional baste: tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1. Season 2. Make 3. Heat 4. Scrape the grill grates clean if needed. Place the chicken on the cooler side of the grill (over the medium burners on the gas grill or the empty side of the charcoal grill). Cover and cook, flipping and moving the chicken around every 5 minutes, until the thickest piece registers 155 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. It will take 20 to 30 minutes depending on how thick the pieces are. The skin will be light golden-brown with some darker spots.
5. Move
Recipe notes: The chicken can be seasoned up to 24 hours in advance. You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts here as well; just be sure to use temperature to determine doneness as boneless breasts will cook faster, 20 to 25 minutes of total time. and overcooked), we season with a dry brine, then cook the chicken over indirect heat first, which ensures that the chicken is done before the outside is burnished.
These steps yield chicken that’s incredibly juicy with crisp skin, even after you brush it with a baste or barbecue sauce.
The dry brine is a mix of salt and ground spices, including sumac. Sumac has a wonderful acidity, but if you can’t find it, use the same amount of smoked paprika. If you can, season the chicken the night before you grill for added flavor.
In lieu of barbecue sauce, I’ve fallen hard for a baste of honey mustard and apple cider vinegar brushed on during the last bit of cooking. But you could use the same technique — diluting a bottled sauce with a bit of vinegar — if you have a favorite barbecue sauce. Just be sure to add it toward the end of cooking, and brush it on intermittently, to prevent burning.
Pieces of chicken cook at slightly different rates depending on the cut, their weight and whether they are bone-in. Cook the chicken, covered, over direct heat for about 25 minutes, moving it around every 5 minutes to prevent flare-ups.
Begin checking the internal temperature after about 25 minutes and move it over direct heat to finish cooking for 8 to 10 minutes for a total of 30 to 40 minutes cooking time.