Temperature Ranges For Grilled Chicken
Depending on the cut, beef and pork require a wide range of grilling temperatures, but the temperature for grilled chicken is more straightforward.
For the most part, chicken should be grilled at 350º to 450º F over direct or indirect medium heat.
The only exception is when youre smoking the chicken. Often used with wings or whole chickens, smoking meat involves indirect cooking over very low heat, 225º to 250º F, with the addition of smoldering wood chunks. Its another temperature range to have in your grilling toolbox, but for the most part, chicken finds itself right in the middle to upper limits of the medium temperature range.
Now, lets look at the different cuts and get grilling.
Mike Lang
Can You Grill Chicken At 300 Degrees
Whether you grill it upright in a beer can chicken recipe, or on its back, the preferred temperature range for your grill is 200300 °F . This is a long, slow cooking process, that will take approximately 1-1/2 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the bird and how well your grill maintains temperature.
Pro Tips On How To Cook Chicken On A Charcoal Grill
Here are my tips on how to grill chicken with amazing results.
Dont overcrowd the grill. The chicken will cook evenly when there is room for the heat to get around the meat.
Start on direct heat and move to indirect heat. The direct heat will help sear in the juices and give those beautiful grill grate marks on the meat. Moving it to the indirect heat allows the meat to cook at a bit lower temperature without the change of flareups. This will help keep the juices in too.
Heat to the correct temperature. Use a digital meat thermometer to make sure that the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165F.
Let the chicken rest. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the grill and let the chicken rest for 3-5 minutes before cutting into it. This resting time is important. It allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, making for juicier chicken.
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Tips For Grilled Chicken Breast
Dont grill chicken cold: As with most meats, you want to bring close to room temperature before grilling or cooking. This allows more even cooking throughout. If you grill directly from the fridge, the outside will cook much faster and you risk chairing before the center reaches the correct temperature.
Allow chicken breast to sit about 30 minutes at room temperature before cooking. Not much longer or youll increase the risk of food contamination.
Pre-season: Generously coat both sides of chicken with light olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and desired seasonings. The olive oil helps to hold in moisture while cooking, increases those nice golden sear marks and helps seasonings stick better to the meat.
Preheat the grill: Preheat the gas grill to medium-high until the temp reaches 350-400° degrees F. The grill needs to be hot when you add chicken, allowing it to sear and cook evenly.
How to add chicken breasts to gas grill: Lightly grease cooking grates of the preheated gas grill with vegetable oil spray or paper towel application to prevent sticking. Immediately add chicken with at least 2-3 inches between pieces. Close lid and cook.
Reduce heat to medium midway: Rotate mid-way for even sear marks and cooking.
Grilled chicken breast safe temp: Cook chicken breast just to an internal temperature of 165° F with an instant-read thermometer. Watch carefully and do not overcook.
Cooking Temperatures Thermometers And Food Safety
When it comes to checking the temperature of cooked chicken nothing can replace a quality digital, instant-read thermometer. They are highly accurate, fast and reliable.
I will touch on other methods to check for doneness if you dont have one, but nothing is better or safer. I STRONGLY recommend you have an instant-read digital thermometer before you cook your first piece of chicken! If you dont have one, check out our guide to the best instant-read thermometers.
Now that you have a thermometer in hand, you need to know the temperature of a properly cooked piece of chicken.
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How Long To Grill Chicken At 350
When grilling 6-to-8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, it will take approximately 10 to 12 minutes using direct heat.
The larger the breast, the longer it will take to cook. Additionally, chicken with the bone-in will take longer to grill. 350 degrees is a great medium heat. If you prefer cooking at this temperature, here is a great guide on how grilling times for various cuts of chicken.
Grilling from frozen? Increase grilling time by 50 percent.
Average Grilling Times for all Chicken Cuts at 350 Degrees Fahrenheit
Use this as a reference for average grilling times for various size pieces of chicken
Chicken breast, boneless, skinless. 6 to 8 ounces. Grill using direct heat between 8 and 12 minutes
Thigh, boneless, skinless. 4 ounces. Grill using direct heat 8 to 10 minutes
Chicken wings. 3 ounces. Grill using direct heat 18 to 20 minutes medium heat
Chicken breast, bone-in. 10 to 12 ounces. Grill using indirect heat 30 to 40 minutes medium heat
Leg or thigh, bone-in. 6 ounces. Grill using indirect heat30 to 40 minutes
Whole chicken. 4 to 5 Pounds. Grill using indirect heat 1 1/2 to 2 hours
Does Chicken Need Direct Or Indirect Heat
Whether youre using a gas or charcoal grill, youll want to set it up with the ideal cooking methods. Indirect grilling means the heat is to the side of your meat, not directly under it, like when you use direct heat. For some cuts of chicken, youll want to use direct cooking, while other cuts of meat, use a blend of direct and indirect cooking.
A pro tip is to keep the lid closed as much as possible when grilling with indirect heat. Every time you lift the lid, heat escapes and it affects the cooking time.
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How To Prepare And Preheat Your Grill
While your chicken is marinating and before youre ready to grill it, its important to get your grill ready.
How Long Do You Grill Chicken Breasts For
This is the biggest question that I get. It really does end up depending on how thick your chicken breasts are. If you flattened them, as discussed, theyre going to need about 4 minutes per side over direct medium-high heat . If your grill doesnt have a thermometer, heres how to find out what temperature its at.
After 4 minutes, you flip them over and do the other side for 4 minutes. This is going to get you nice parallel grill marks on your chicken. If you want crosshatched grill marks, after the first 2 minutes, turn the breasts 90 degrees and cook for 2 more minutes. Then flip and do the same thing on the other side, 2 minutes then turn, then 2 more minutes. But note that the crosshatched ones wont be as dark as the parallel ones. I therefore prefer to just do the 4 minutes per side without turning.
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Learn How To Grill Chicken Every Which Way: Whole Chicken Chicken Wings Thighs And Drumsticks All Without Drying Them Out
Grilled chicken is a mainstay of backyards everywhere, and for excellent reason: its a canvas for taking on a wide range of flavors, its economical for a crowd, its open to endless variation through cut or preparation, and when grilled, its downright delectable!
Thankfully, chicken is also straightforward to grill.
Why Are Grilled Chicken Breasts Usually Dry
You probably know that chicken breasts are very lean. Since theres not much fat in them, its hard to keep them juicy on the grill. But, its possible! Read on to find out how to make perfect grilled chicken breasts that are juicy, tender, and full of flavor every single time.
Another reason that chicken breasts can be dry is due to the fact that they are not usually an even thickness. This means that the thinnest part tends to dry out before the thickest part is cooked all the way through. There is only one way to fix this and it involves a tiny bit of work, but not hard work. Dont worry!
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How Do You Grill Chicken Breasts Without Drying It Out
The key is to cook on direct heat for the first 8-10 minutes , but then switch to indirect heat for the last 5-7 minutes. ALSO do not leave it on the grill until it reaches an internal temp of 165 remove it from the grill when it is around 160 and then let it rest off the grill. As it rests, it will continue to cook and the temp can continue to rise nearly 10 degrees! So imagine if you did leave it on the grill until it reached 165? It would continue to cook and might reach 175 before you eat it! It would be over-cooked and dry.
Benefits Of Baking Chicken Wings At 400f
- Faster cooking time: Baking chicken wings at 400°F will result in a faster cooking time compared to lower temperatures, which can be convenient for those who are short on time or hungry for a quick snack.
- Crispier texture: Baking chicken wings at a higher temperature will result in a crispier texture, which is desirable for many people. The high heat helps to create a crust on the outside of the wings, which can be satisfying to bite into.
- More flavorful: Baking chicken wings at 400°F can also help to bring out their natural flavors, as the high heat helps to caramelize the surface of the wings and release their juices.
- Easy to monitor: Baking chicken wings at 400°F makes it easier to monitor their progress, as the higher temperature allows for faster cooking and browning. This can be helpful for ensuring that the wings are cooked to the desired level of doneness.
- Safe cooking temperature: 400°F is also a safe temperature for baking chicken wings, as it is high enough to kill any potential bacteria or pathogens, while still being low enough to avoid drying out the meat.
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How To Grill Chicken Breast
Home » Chicken Recipes » How to Grill Chicken Breast
Learn how to grill chicken breast on a gas grill. Guaranteed tender and moist grilled chicken breast with perfect sear marks, every timejust a few simple steps needed. Plus youll learn about a gas grill that makes grilled chicken breast even easier.
This post is sponsored by Everywhere Agency on behalf of Char-Broil. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
How To Build A Charcoal Fire In The Grill
The first step to mastering grilled chicken is to understand how to work with charcoal and what visual cues let you know when your grill is ready for grilling.
STEP ONE: Buy good quality charcoal, lighter fluid, and a long-stemmed lighter.
Some people use a charcoal chimney to hold the charcoal close together so all the coals burn at the same rate. The hot coals may then be poured out across the grill.
You can add an additional layer of coal atop the first layer of burning coal if youre cooking multiple courses or cooking for a large barbecue with lots of attendees. The first layer which is already burning will catch the second layer on fire over 10-15 minutes, giving you a longer amount of time to grill.
STEP TWO: Pour the charcoal into the charcoal chimney or in a mound in the center of the grill.
Follow the charcoal manufacturers instructions for using lighter fluid or lighting their charcoal as recommended. The charcoal will start to burn but may take some time to get reliably burning where you know it wont go out.
The charcoal needs to be in this consistent burning stage for 3-5 minutes before pouring it out into the charcoal grill. Place the grill grate back on the charcoal grill. Do not place the lid on the grill at any time while the charcoal is getting hot.
STEP THREE: Wait until the charcoal goes ashen or white to start cooking.
STEP FOUR: Cook! The charcoal is ready when your hand can be held over the grill for 2 seconds without pulling it away.
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Whats The Best Temperature To Grill Chicken At
Youll want to aim for a temperature of 350-375 Fahrenheit. This will be the temperature directly above where you will be grilling, not necessarily over the coals. Use an infrared grill thermometer to check the temperature of your grill before adding the chicken.
If you dont have a grill temperature, you can use this hand temperature test to gauge the heat.
How Long To Grill Chicken Breast
From start to finish, it should take around 30 minutes to grill your chicken breast. As always, make sure you are cooking to temperature and not to time. Use your instant read meat thermometer to remove the chicken breast once the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
After you remove your chicken, cover or tent it with foil for 5-10 minutes to allow carryover cooking to bring the chicken up to a finished temp of 165 degrees F.
I hope you experiment with your own flavor combinations to make a grilled chicken breast that is absolutely perfect! If you do, please come back and leave a comment with your recipe so we can all try out some new chicken methods!
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What Is A Safe Internal Temperature For Chicken
No matter what piece of chicken you are grilling, the minimum safe internal temperature for chicken is 165°F. Eating chicken that hasnt reached this temperature puts you at higher risk for food poisoning. Plus, undercooked meat has an odd texture and doesnt taste pleasant.
Its important for your chicken to reach this temperature prior to serving but that doesnt mean you have to leave it on your grill the whole time. Carryover heat and cooking means that your meat will continue to cook even after you remove it from the heat source. Well look at the ideal internal temperature to remove each cut of meat.
How Long To Grill Chicken For Perfect Texture And Moisture
Chicken comes in many different forms: Whole, wings, thighs, breasts, bone-in and out How long does each cut need grilling for, to be safe for eating, and tasty too? What if you grill for too long? Or not long enough? Read on for the details.
How long to grill chicken? The answer mostly depends upon these two things: The size of the chicken piece including bone content and the temperature of the grill.
The more bones a piece of chicken has, the longer it will take to cook. The drumstick and thighs, for example, have the biggest bones and will take the longest to cook compared to other parts.
The other element is the temperature of your BBQ. The lower the temperature, the more time you will need.
In this article, we will explore the different chicken parts, the factors that can affect how long it takes to grill them, and describe in detail the time and temp required for grilling each different cut.
Having this knowledge will help you plan your cook of the perfect bird. No more guesswork, or embarrassing chicken fiascos.
So lets begin with perhaps the most important thing to consider first, the temperature inside and out.
Contents
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Quick Tips For Grilling Chicken Breasts:
How long do I grill chicken breast?
Grill chicken breasts for around 9 to 10 minutes total, flipping halfway through.
How long do you grill chicken on each side?
Grill chicken breasts around 5 minutes on each side.
What’s the perfect grilled chicken temp?
Internal temperature of chicken breasts should be 165°F.
How hot should your grill be for chicken?
Heat your grill to between 425 and 450°F for chicken breasts.
Sunny’s Hot Honey Brined & Grilled Chicken
Cheat the marinade: Seasoned pickle juice makes a great brine or quick marinade when mixed with oil. Leftover vinaigrette or even bottled vinaigrettes are very good, too. Just be sure to read the labels sugar can burn quickly, so pay attention when grilling.
Glaze: Love a sticky, slightly sweet, caramelized glaze on your chicken? Brush barbecue sauce on about 2 to 3 minutes before the chicken is done. That way the meat doesn’t overcook and the glaze doesn’t burn. Don’t have any sauce? No problem. Just mix some apricot jam, a squirt of ketchup, a shot of bourbon and dash of chipotle powder for an almostinstant substitute.
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How Can You Tell When Grilled Chicken Breast Is Done Without A Thermometer
The safest, and only foolproof, way to check if chicken is at a food-safe temperature is with a meat thermometer.
If you dont have a meat thermometer, you can test doneness by cutting into the thickest part of the chicken. If the meat is completely white and the juices run clear, the chicken should be done cooking. However, this can cause your chicken to dry out and doesnt prevent overcooking the chicken.
Grilling up a different cut? Heres a quick guide to chicken cooking temperatures:
| Type of Chicken Breast |
