How Long To Cook Chicken On The Grill

How Long To Grill Chicken Breasts

According to the USDA, all poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Using an instant-read meat thermometer is really the only accurate way to gauge your chicken’s doneness. But in the case that you don’t have a thermometer, cut into the chicken and ensure that the juices run clear. Here are the estimated grilling times for chicken breasts, based on an internal temp of 165 degrees F.

• Boneless chicken breasts: 7 to 8 minutes per side
• Bone-in chicken breasts: 15 minutes per side

Mediterranean Grilled Chicken And Grape Skewers

One very easy, yet delightfully different recipe variation you can make is to make grilled chicken and grape skewers. To do this, you will simply prepare your chicken skewers as instructed above, instead of only chicken on your skewers, you will also include grapes intermixed with your chicken on the skewers before cooking. This makes for a delicious sweet and savory dish.

Do You Close The Grill When Cooking Chicken

Just as steaks are better when theyve been grilled with the lid open, chicken benefits from a closed lid. This creates an oven effect inside the grill, which helps cook the chicken all the way through. If you still want nice grill marks and who doesnt? start by searing the cuts on both sides before closing the lid to finish cooking.

Your patience will be tested, but avoid opening that lid to see whats happening. Every time you do, heat escapes, which could make the cooking uneven or take longer.

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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.

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

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How To Parboil Chicken

• Add the chicken to a large, heavy-bottomed pot or stockpot. You can use chicken pieces or a whole chicken.
• Cover the chicken with water or chicken stock and add a good pinch of kosher salt, 3 bay leaves, and a couple of teaspoons of peppercorns as desired, to the pot.
• Set the temperature to medium-high and heat until the water comes to a boil.
• Reduce to a simmer and then remove the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Cook as desired.

How Long Should Chicken Rest Before And After Grilling

When grilling chicken, one thing you should keep in mind is that your bird should be at room temperature before going on to the grill. To be sure, keep it under such condition for 15-30 minutes before tossing it on the grills. As mentioned earlier, when you cook a cold chicken on the grill, it is likely to dry out before the inside is ready.

report this adAfter your bird is cooked, you may be tempted to tear your knife into it immediately. This is highly discouraged. Allow your chicken to rest for some 5 to 10 minutes so that the juices consolidate. This helps make it tender and delicious.

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How Long Does It Take To Grill Whole Chicken

We used an outdoor gas grill for this recipe. Once spatchcocked, our grilled chicken will take about 45 minutes to 1 hour over indirect heat.

While the grill is heated to 400 degrees F, the burner directly below the chicken will be turned off, the other burners surrounding it will be on. That’s what we mean by indirect heat here .

Why indirect heat? Grilling whole chicken over indirect heat is the secret to juicy, well-cooked chicken. The indirect heat essentially roasts the chicken to perfect doneness without dealing with flare-ups, burnt chicken skin, or underdone meat.

Instructions For Reheating Grilled Chicken

Whether you are looking to reheat grilled chicken thighs, grilled chicken wings, or grilled chicken breast, these instructions below will show you the steps you need to take to get moist reheated grilled chicken.

Each method will offer its own benefits. The microwave is the fastest whereas the oven will surely reheat it evenly all the way through.

Making sure to add liquid to your grilled chicken during the reheating process is key to not drying out your chicken.

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What Happens If It Doesnt Reach 165 Degrees F

There are two reasons the internal temperature must reach 165 °F :

When discussing grilling times, we are talking about the time it takes for the internal temperature to reach 165 °F .

Ways To Use Parboiled Chicken

• Finish parboiled chicken on the grill or in the oven. It wont need as much time to cook, and it will be tender and juicy with crispy skin.
• Add parboiled chicken to casseroles or soups. The cooking time of the dish can be reduced.
• Use parboiled chicken in tacos, fajitas, or quesadillas. Finish cooking the chicken with veggies or in sauces.
• Deep fry parboiled chicken for crispier skin and even cooking.

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How To Store Leftover Chicken

Let the grilled chicken sit a room temperature about 10 minutes to cool off, then refrigerate or freeze based on the times below.

• Refrigerate in a sealed container up to 34 days.
• Freeze whole, shredded, or chopped pieces tightly sealed up to 34 months. I like to freeze in separate smaller bags for easy leftover portions.

Costco Grilled Chicken Skewer

Although Costcos grilled chicken skewers are good, making your own homemade grilled chicken skewers is even better. With this recipe, you can make your own homemade chicken skewers that will challenge Costco. Give this recipe a try today, and taste for yourself all the goodness!

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The Best Grilled Chicken

Say goodbye to dry, bland grilled chicken breasts. This recipe guarantees juicy, flavorful chicken every time.

Sometimes in cooking the simplest dishes are the hardest to get right, and grilled chicken is a perfect example. Because boneless chicken breasts are so lean, they often turn out dry, rubbery, and bland. Contrary to popular belief, marinating alone will not save grilled chicken from drying out in fact, its often the marinade that causes the problem!

My technique and marinade ensure tender, juicy, and flavorful grilled chicken every time. You can serve the fillets on their own as a healthy main course , topped with cheese on a toasted bun, or, as I often do, sliced over a Caesar salad. Bonus: the recipe is quick and easy. You do all of the prep ahead of time and you wont even dirty a single bowl.

How To Smoke Chicken On A Gas Grill

Place chickens, breasts sides up, on grill grate over drip pan. Cover and smoke at 350 degrees for 1-1/2 hours or until chicken is no longer pink . Add wood chips as needed to maintain smoke, add more coals or adjust grill as needed to maintain a 350 degree temperature.

How long does it take to smoke chicken on gas grill?

Place the chicken, breast side up, on the grill rack away from the heat elements. Cover the grill and smoke the chicken until the juices run clear when the thigh joint is pierced with a knife tip, about 2 hours.

How do you smoke chicken breast on a gas grill?

Cook The Chicken Breast on the Gas Grill

Maintain 225°F by manipulating the setting of the burners on the hot side. Place the chicken breasts on the cool side of the grill for about 45 minutes or until they reach about 125°F. Keep the smoke going for the entire time to ensure great smoked flavor.

How do you smoke on a gas grill?

How to Smoke on a Gas Grill | Weber Grills YouTube

How long does it take to smoke chicken at 225?

Expect a cook time of about 2 1/2 to 3 hours for a 5 lb. chicken at 225 to 250 degrees F. With the whole chicken, the smoke time will be around 5 hours for a 5 lb. chicken at 225 to 250 degrees F.

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How To Make Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Kebabs

After an hour or two has passed, you can begin assembling your skewers with your marinated chicken. To do this, youll want to soak your wooden skewers for at least 30 minutes in water. This will prevent them from burning.

Next, take your marinated chicken and place them onto your skewers. You may alternate the pieces of chicken with vegetables if desired, otherwise, you can simply just use chicken. When your chicken is on the skewers you can get ready to grill. Preheat your grill, then place your skewers on your grill and cook until the juices run clear and your internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Grilling Times At A Glance

These grilling times are based on a minimal internal temperature of 165 degrees F, as recommended by the USDA.

• Boneless chicken breasts: 7 to 8 minutes per side
• Bone-in chicken breasts: 15 minutes per side
• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs: 5 to 6 minutes per side
• Bone-in chicken thighs: 8 to 10 minutes per side
• Chicken wings: 25 minutes total, flipping occasionally

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How Long Do You Grill Chicken Breast For

A boneless, skinless chicken breast usually weighs between 5 and 8 ounces. The cooking time is only 12 to 15 minutes. Turn them every 5 minutes to see that it does not burn. Its best to use a medium direct heat.

Grilling bone-in, skin on breast will take twice as long as boneless and skinless. Figure about 25 minutes.

Use indirect medium heat for the first half of the cook then finish on direct heat taking care not to burn the skin.

How Long To Grill Chicken Wings

Youre going to cook the wings directly over a medium fire for about 20-25 minutes total.

Start by leaving them on the grill with the lid closed for 3 to 4 minutes.

Then open and turn them every few minutes to brown them evenly.

After 15 minutes, use your instant-read thermometer to check if theyve all reached 165ºF. You want the wings slightly charred on all sides but not burned.

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What To Serve With Chicken Kebabs

When we think of chicken kababs, and what to serve with them, typically we think of other grilling recipes, or summertime dishes. There are all kinds of things you could choose to serve with chicken kebabs from rice to vegetables to baked beans and many more. Below is a list of some of our favorites.

Bacon-wrapped green beans

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, fillets, tenderloins, or thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes

6 cups water, or enough to submerge the skewers

8 skewers

Average Grill Temperatures And What They Mean

When a recipe says grill over medium heat, what do they mean?

If you arent familiar with the various temperature levels used in grilling, heres a handy guideline showing the average temperatures. Make sure you have a good wireless digital thermometer to check and monitor the temperature at the grill grates.

• Low heat 250-275 °F
• High 500-650 °F
• Cremation 650+ °F

Cooking chicken too fast or too hot will end up burning the skin but leaving the meat undercooked, ugh!

So, the correct chicken cooking temperature will be in medium range, to cook it long enough without burning.

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How To Grill Chicken Breast On A Gas Grill

• Coat both sides of chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper or desired seasonings. Let the chicken sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
• Preheat gas grill before cooking to medium-high heat, or 350-400° F.
• Lightly grease grill surface and add chicken. Close lid and cook 8 minutes, or until bottoms are browned with sear marks.
• Rotate chicken, close lid, reduce heat to medium, and cook 7-10 minutes more, or until internal temperature reaches 165° F.
• Remove chicken breast from the grill and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

How Long Does It Take For A Smoker Box To Start Smoking

We recommend turning your burners on the highest setting to get the smoker box hot enough to start producing smoke. It may take up to 10 minutes for the box to heat up depending on your grill. Once the smoker box starts producing smoke, you can turn your burners down to regular cooking temperatures.

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How To Make Perfectly Grilled Chicken

The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

Grilled chicken is one of the most popular dishes, no matter the circumstance or way of serving it, whether you serve a main dish or on a sandwich. Or at a cookout. Or at family dinners. You get the idea. People love grilled chicken. And no wonder: When done right, grilled chicken is super flavorful and goes with a huge array of side dishes. Sadly, grilled chicken is also one of the most frequently destroyed dishes out there, either thanks to overcooking or undercooking . Or sometimes, it’s just plain cooked at the wrong temperature, which allows the chicken to slowly but surely dry out.

Worry notthere is a much better way. If you start with a high-quality chicken , and follow this simple method, and learn how to grill bone-in chicken on a gas grill, you’ll be amazed. By pre-salting the bird and using indirect heat for the bulk of the cooking time, you will be rewarded with juicy, flavorful, tender chicken that tastes as chicken should.

Serve it with potato salad, baked beans for a backyard picnic during those summer days, or grab your favorite sides any time of the year.

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.

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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.

Is It Good To Marinate And How Does It Affect Cooking

Contrary, dry rubs help the skin dry out before browning, but there is no significant change in cooking time. Because you want tasty chicken, you cant avoid seasoning your chicken. You can use the simplest grilling seasonings ever, the salt and pepper. You can slather with sauce at the end to make it interesting.

Because you know how long it takes to cook chicken on a grill, it doesnt mean all you need to do is stay on your watch. Remember that quality cannot be rushed therefore, what the thermometer says counts.

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