Grilling Chicken: Temperatures Thermometers And Food Safety
Cooking a juicy, tender, and perfectly cooked chicken starts with checking the internal temperature of your chicken.
A quality digital thermometer will help you monitor the temperature in real-time so that you never serve undercooked or overcooked chicken again.
There are other methods to check for doneness, like checking the color of the meat or juices.
However, a digital thermometer is highly accurate, fast, and reliable. It can quickly tell you if your chicken is done or if it needs to cook for a few more minutes, without you having to do any guesswork.
Its a perfect way to check the internal temperature of your grilled poultry without spoiling its presentation. If you dont have one yet, stop by your local grocery or .
Once you have your thermometer, the next step is to know the guidelines and internal temperature requirements for a perfectly grilled piece of chicken.
How To Grill Chicken Breasts That Are Sooo Juicy
This post may contain affiliate links.
Learn the method for how to grill chicken breasts that are juicy, and never ever dried out.
Everybody loves chicken, and all cooks love a good chicken How-To. I know this because the most popular post on this site is How To Cook Chicken Breasts From Frozen and the most popular post on my sister site, TheCookful, is How To Bake Chicken Wings That Are Sooo Crispy. With summer and grilling season coming up, I thought it would therefore be a good time to tackle that real conundrum of how to grill chicken breasts that are juicy, every time.
The thing about chicken breasts is that they are not typically of 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!
What youre going to do is flatten the chicken out to an even thickness, then marinate them a bit for flavor, and then grill for as short a time as possible. Heres how!
How To Reheat Grilled Chicken
To reheat, place chicken on a plate and cover with foil. Heat in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until warmed through, or about 10 minutes. You can also reheat chicken on the grill by grilling over low heat until warmed through.
Whether youre grilling chicken breast for a quick weeknight dinner or for a summer cookout, these tips will help you to create juicy, delicious grilled chicken every time.
Recommended Reading: Can You Put Weber Grill Grates In The Dishwasher
How To Cut Up A Whole Chicken For Grilling
- Theres no need to buy separate chicken pieces, or cut a whole chicken into individual pieces. Buy a whole fryer and with a good sharp knife cut the chicken into two pieces.
- To do that, use the tip of the knife, or kitchen shears, and cut along each side of the back bone. Once the back bone is removed, turn the chicken over and cut the chicken into two pieces. Youll be cutting the breast bone in half. Youll have two separate chicken halves. Each with the leg section, a wing attached.
- Youll find this cut is easier to manage on the grill and the chicken halves will cook evenly.
See my guide on how to use an Instant Pot.
In the summer, theres nothing better than cooking dinner on the grill and enjoying a meal al fresco. These grilling recipes are flavorful, easy to make and perfect for a casual weeknight meal or a BBQ get together. These tasty grill recipes include grilled chicken, grilled meats, burgers, skewers, grilled vegetables and more!
There are so many delicious mains and side dishes that you can cook on the grill! Not only is grilling easy , it also makes foods incredibly flavorful. Hello, tasty grill marks!
This list is full of fresh ideas for what to cook on the grill. I hope it inspires a season of good food, enjoyed in great company!
Simple Grilled Chicken Recipe
This Simple Grilled Chicken Recipe has a lemon, garlic, and herb marinade that makes for the absolute best grilled chicken. Youll make this recipe again and again!
This Simple Grilled Chicken Recipe has a lemon, garlic, and herb marinade that makes for the absolute best grilled chicken. Youll make this recipe again and again!
This recipe for Grilled Chicken Breasts is so simple, but packs a lot of flavor. It can be made on a gas grill, charcoal grill, or indoors on a grill pan or electric grill. Mix and match the herbs with fresh or dried herbs of your choice to switch things up. The lemon and garlic will pair well with almost any herb combination so you can experiment to your hearts desire.
You May Like: How To Clean Grill Grates With Vinegar And Baking Soda
Also Check: How To Clean A Stainless Steel Grill
How Long Does It Take To Grill A Whole Chicken
A whole 6-pound chicken will take 105 minutes to 150 minutes.
The efficiency of your BBQ, ambient temperature and starting temperature of the chicken contribute to the overall cooking time.
Whether you grill it upright in a beer can chicken recipe, or on its back, the preferred temperature range for your grill is 200-300 °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.
However, if you spatchcock the chicken, you can reduce the time significantly!
Related Read
If you spatchcok a chicken, because the overall thickness of any part is severely reduced, and heat can get more readily to every part of the bird, you can reduce the cooking time for a whole bird down to 30 to 40 minutes!
Just remember thermometer tells you when the chicken is done, not the clock! Use a reliable thermometer and make sure every part is cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
How Long Does It Take To Grill Chicken Thighs And Drumsticks
Grill time for drumsticks and thighs takes at least 40 minutes. There are two schools of thought here.
One method uses direct heat the entire time. Using medium-high or 450 °F means youll need to turn them every 5 minutes to prevent burning.
The other method is to use indirect heat for 30 minutes and direct heat for the last 10 minutes or so to brown them off.
Regardless of the method you choose, if you want to add sauce, do it during the last 10 minutes, so the sugar doesnt burn.
Its the same as cooking whole leg quarters. Look for an internal temperature of at least 180 °F for best flavor and tenderness. At 190 °F the meat should start to fall off the bone.
Read Also: How To Clean Rust Off Weber Grill
What To Serve With Bbq Chicken
You can serve this Baked BBQ Chicken Breast with any easy sides you like! For a well-rounded meal, choose a vegetable, healthy grain, and serving of fruit to go with the protein-dense chicken. Here are some ideas to get you started:
If you try a recipe and you like it, leave us some feedback in the comment section below, and dont forget to rate it! We would love it if you shared it with friends and family.
Finally, please use our hashtag #healthyfitnessmeals on for a chance to be featured! FOLLOW Healthy Fitness Meals on | | | for all of our latest blog posts and recipes.
Direct Heat To Finish A Grilled Chicken Breast
The last step to the perfect grilled chicken breast is a direct heat sear. This gives the chicken a few minutes on each side to crisp up and get all of that tasty grilled chicken flavor that we love. The key here is caramelization. The sugars in the marinade and seasoning we used will hit the high heat from the flames and start to bubble and brown.
Be careful to avoid overcooking and burning at this point. It will make your perfectly grilled chicken breasts taste bitter. You are looking for a target internal temperature of 160 degrees. Since chicken is safe to eat at 165 degrees F, this last tip is crucial. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover immediately with a tight layer of foil. The carryover momentum from the heat rising within the chicken will create a little steam oven inside the foiled plate and push the final temperature up to 165 degrees F. This process takes about 5-10 minutes.
Also Check: Macaroni Grill Closures
How To Grill Chicken:
1. Preheat the grill on high for 10-15 minutes, then use your grill brush to scrape any previous remnants off your grates.
2. the fully thawed chicken breasts. A clean and easy way to marinate the chicken is to place it in a large plastic zip top bag, add your marinade and make sure your entire chicken breast is covered. In this particular instance, I used olive oil and added a few fresh basil leaves.
3. Here’s how long to grill chicken on a gas grill. Once you have preheated your grill for 10-15 minutes, prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat at 425-450°F and get your iGrill probes inserted into the chicken.
4. Place marinated chicken breasts on grill over direct medium heat.
How Long To Cook A 10 Ounce Chicken Breast On Grill
Grilling Times on the Average It will take between 8 and 12 minutes to cook 1 chicken breast, boneless and skinless, weighing 6 to 8 ounces, over direct medium heat . 30 to 40 minutes over indirect medium heat for 2 chicken breasts, bone-in . 3-bone-in leg or thigh, 30-40 minutes on indirect medium heat There are more items.
Also Check: How To Clean The Inside Of A Stainless Steel Grill
Delicious Grilled Chicken Breast Recipes:
– Thai Grilled Chicken Skewers: These easy chicken skewers are marinated in a Thai-inspired coconut milk mixture and grilled to perfection. Serve them with a simple salad or rice for a complete meal.
– Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad: This healthy grilled chicken Caesar salad is perfect for a summertime lunch or dinner. The homemade dressing is light and flavorful, and the grilled chicken adds a nice smoky flavor to the dish.
– Grilled Chicken Teriyaki: This quick and easy grilled chicken teriyaki recipe can be made in just 30 minutes! The chicken is marinated in a homemade teriyaki sauce and then grilled to perfection. Serve it with rice and steamed vegetables for a complete meal.
– Jerk Chicken: This Jamaican-inspired grilled chicken recipe features a spicy marinade with delicious flavors of ginger, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves. Its sure to be a crowd-pleaser!
Whether youre grilling boneless, skinless chicken breasts or another cut of chicken for your summer cookout, following these tips and recipes will help ensure that your chicken turns out moist and flavorful every time. So fire up the grill and enjoy!
The Best Grilled Chicken Marinade For Crazy Juicy Flavor Exploding Versatile Chicken Every Time
This grilled chicken marinade will make dry, bland and boring chicken a memory of the past and is destined to become your favorite go-to marinade! Its savory, tangy, slightly sweet, with layers of complex flavor due to a few key seasonings. Its stand-alone scrumptious or fabulous in salads, sandwiches or wraps. Best of all, this grilled chicken marinade is made with pantry friendly ingredients of soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, and seasonings so you can create effortlessly flavorful chicken in minutes. Come dinner time, just cook the chicken and serve with your favorite sides like roasted potatoes, fruit salad.
We love chicken marinades! They are the easiest way to infuse chicken with flavor and make dinner time a breeze. Some of our most popular chicken marinades include: Greek chicken,cilantro chicken,chili lime chicken, Hawaiian chicken,buffalo chicken and now you can add this grilled chicken marinade to the list!
You May Like: What Temp To Grill Pork Chops To
Looking To Grill Other Cuts Of Chicken
Ive got your back! Heres how to grill chicken drumsticks and thighs:
For chicken drumsticks:
- To grill: preheat your grill to medium high and lightly oil the grate. Place the chicken on the grill and cook for 8 minutes, then flip, brush with the reserved marinade, and grill for an additional 8 minutes. Turn the chicken over one last time, brush again with the remaining marinade, and cook for 5 more minutes, or until no pink remains in the center of the chicken.
- To bake: preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a oven-safe rack on a large baking sheet and grease with nonstick cooking spray so that the chicken doesnt stick to the pan. Place the drumsticks on the pan with the thicker part of the drumstick to the outside. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until cooked through.
For boneless skinless chicken thighs:
- To grill: preheat your grill to medium high and lightly oil the grates. Cook your chicken thighs for 6-8 minutes per side, flipping once. When the internal temp reaches 165 degrees F your chicken is done.
- To bake: preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and bake your chicken thighs for about 25-30 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 165.
For skin-on chicken thighs:
How Long To Grill Whole Chicken
Grilling a whole chicken can take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours depending on the size of the bird, the quality of your grill, the temperature in your location, and how much fat is on your chicken.
A smaller bird will cook faster than a larger one. Its best to keep an eye on your chicken throughout the process just in case any issues could cause it to burn or overcook.
When grilling a whole chicken, the preferred temperature range for your grill is 200 to 300 °F. Its a slow cooking process that needs your patience but yields perfect results.
There are various tips and recommendations for grilling whole chickens, from laying it on its side to using a setup to keep it upright during the cooking process.
Always be sure to test the temperature of your chicken before serving it.
For a whole chicken, insert the thermometer all the way into the thickest part of the chicken. As an extra precaution, you can check different spots in the meat to make sure everything is fully cooked.
Can Spatchcocking a chicken reduce its cooking time?
Spatchcocking, a process that opens up the chicken at the spine and removes the backbone and rib cage, can lower the cooking time. Doing so reduces the thickness of the meat, allowing the heat to penetrate the inside and cook it more quickly.
Recommended Reading: Cleaning Stainless Steel Barbecue
Grilled Chicken Thighs With Adobo Sauce
Flip the chicken and place it back on the same hot spot for the same amount of time. When the other side has achieved your preferred coloring, move the chicken to the top rack or a cooler part of the grill. Use a thermometer to check that each thigh has an internal temperature of 155 F, and then remove from the grill. While it rests, the chicken will continue cooking to 165 F.
How Long Do You Cook Chicken Breasts On The Grill
How long do you have? If you have spent anytime on Tailgate Master you have probably learned we like to take our time when grilling. Low and Slow is the normal rule to juicy and delicious tailgating food . Knowing the right grill temperature for chicken can make the difference between a juicy, flavorful hunka-hunka beautiful chicken, and an overcooked, dry disaster.
We prefer our perfectly grilled chicken to be cooked slowly over indirect heat and reach an internal temperature of 165°F before serving. That being said, there are several different grilling methods you might use depending upon the thickness of your chicken breasts and how much time you have. Oh and just for the record, the following recipe techniques assume you are using a boneless, skinless, non-frozen chicken breast, fresh from the cooler.
Chicken Breasts seasoned and ready for the grill
Don’t Miss: Cooking Frozen Burgers On George Foreman Grill Temperature
Makes It Easy To Slice Into Mealsized Portions
Furthermore, pre-cooked chicken is easier to work with since its already been sliced or chopped into meal-sized portions, making it a convenient option for busy people who want to get a healthy dinner on the table quickly.
Whether youre cooking for yourself or a family, pre-cooking chickens can help save you time and ensure that your food is safe and delicious!
What Is The Outcome Of An Overcooked Chicken
Chicken is one of the leanest meats and is less forgiving than red meat. Lean meats have a tendency to dry out faster than other kinds of meat.
If you cook chicken for too long it can become dry, tough, and difficult to eat.
If your chicken is cooked directly over high heat, the skin can turn brown and crispy, but the meat becomes tough and flavorless.
Check your chicken regularly as it cooks to ensure youre not overcooking it. Its better to check the temperature several times than to let the meat cook for as long as you think it needs and realize that youve overcooked it.
Read Also: Old Weber Genesis Parts
How Long To Grill Boneless Chicken Breast
How long does the boneless chicken grilling? It entirely depends on the grill temperature and thickness of the chicken. Such grilling on a charcoal grill is difficult to maintain as it will not regulate the temperature. In comparison, not all gas grill used for chicken grilling has a temperature regulating gauge.
However, the grilling time also depends on when your chicken breast takes to get to the proper internal temperature. When it reaches an internal temperature of 115F-165F, then remove them from the grill. Then cover it in foil and place it aside for 5-10 minutes before cutting to keep it juicy. Then serve it.
Although most chicken breast, when are prepared fully, will take 20 minutes on the grill with a surface temperature of 450F. So more little pieces may take less time, whereas large amounts may take a bit longer time. But when the internal temperature reaches 165, then its safe and perfect. And rest the grilled smoked chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
