How To Cook Bbq Chicken On The Grill

How To Grill Perfect Chicken Breasts On The Barbecue

How to make BBQ Chicken – Easy Basic BBQ Grilled Chicken

When barbecuing chicken breasts, we tend to use a high temperature and direct heat, which makes them dry and tough. To get the most out of this cut of meat on the grill, we suggest a fail-safe four-step cooking method thats easy to apply to all your chicken breast recipesand no more sticking to the grill! Get ready for a summer of chicken perfection.

What To Serve With Grilled Chicken

Grilled chicken is a healthy, delicious main course to serve by itself-but there are tons of ways to dress it up, too. You can put grilled chicken in just about anything: sliced on top of salads, stuffed into sandwiches, shredded for chicken soups or skewered on a kabob. Or top the dish off with a heaping pile of grilled veggies and youve got yourself dinner!

Should You Marinate Brine Or Rub Before Cooking Does It Affect The Cooking Time

Wet marinades and wet brining add flavor but can increase the cooking time for the skin on chicken. It takes longer for the skin to dry before it can brown.

Boneless cuts of chicken take the same amount of time, marinated or not.

Dry rubs for chicken will help the skin to dry and will not affect cooking time.

Keep in mind that good old salt and pepper are the simplest yet best grilling seasonings. The smoke from the charcoal while grilling will overpower more delicate flavorings like herbs. And, if you plan on slathering with sauce at the end, youll just mask the other flavors from the marinade or rub.

While this guide works well, it still comes down to what thermometer says. You cant rush quality.

I hope the information here helps you the next time you grill your chicken, whole or parts. Let me know what you think in the comments below, and I hope you found this article helpful.

Happy grilling!

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How To Grill Chicken Legs

Ah the Mighty Drumstick. If youre a fan of meat on the bone, then youve gotta be a fan of the chicken leg. They have a ton of flavor, are tender and juicy and just look really cool! They are also perfect for slow cooking on the grill over the open flame. Because of the bone itself, chicken legs need to be cooked a bit differently than boneless chicken breasts or thighs. Rather than very intense heat for a short period of time, with chicken legs, you want to use indirect heat, over a longer timeframe. That technique allows you to get the chicken legs cooked all they way through , without burning the outside of the chicken.

Here I show you how to grill some BBQ chicken legs on a gas grill, but the same fundamental techniques apply for a charcoal grill too. In fact, youd use just about all the same methods even if you were to cook them inside in the oven.

How Long To Grill Chicken Thighs

BBQ Chicken on the Grill!

As with all types of chicken, the USDA recommends it is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. The best way to gauge this is by using a meat thermometer. Here are estimated grilling times for chicken thighs, based on a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

  • Boneless, skinless chicken thighs: 5 to 6 minutes per side
  • Bone-in chicken thighs: 8 to 10 minutes per side

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How To Make Grilled Bbq Chicken Thighs:

Place the chicken thighs into a large bowl. Sprinkle the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper over the thighs. Toss to coat the chicken in the spices. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to marinate for 2 hours or use immediately.

Preheat the grill to medium heat and oil the grates. Once the grill is hot, place the chicken thighs, skin side down. Do not touch it for 7 minutes, or you can move them at a 45-degree angle to form diamond grill marks halfway through.

Flip the thighs over and let cook for 3 minutes. Brush the chicken on the side facing up lightly with bbq sauce, cook for an additional 3 minutes.

Flip the chicken again, and brush lightly with more bbq sauce on this side. Cook for 2 minutes. Flip one last time, and brush again with bbq sauce, the skin side should be up at this point. Continue to cook until an internal temperature reaches 165°F. About 20 total minutes on the grill.

Serve immediately.

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!

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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.

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How Long To Grill All The Different Cuts Of Chicken

Now that you know the safe temperature of cooked chicken, and how to check the temperature of your barbecue, lets take a look at how long it takes to grill the different parts and cuts of a chicken.

We cover all the cuts from whole chickens down to thighs and wings, with some expert notes and tips to be mindful of for each.

How To Grill Chicken Thighs And Drumsticks

Delicious BBQ Chicken on a Gas Grill – Basic Backyard Grilled Chicken

The frequently used thighs and legs of a chicken result in the succulent fat-laden dark meat thighs and drumsticks. Harder to overcook and, in my opinion, more flavorful than breasts, thighs and drumsticks are among my favorite cuts to grill. Heres what to do:

  • Choose your thigh cut. Thighs can be grilled bone-in, boneless, with skin either on or off. I prefer the bone in place and the skin on for the full chicken thigh experience.
  • Quick sear over direct high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Thighs and drumsticks are a great example of two-zone grilling. To start, do a fast sear on all sides over direct high heat, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Finish cooking over indirect medium heat . Move the thighs and drumsticks to the indirect heat spot on your grill. The higher fat content in thighs and drumsticks can lead to flareups, which is why an indirect part of the grill is the best place to finish cooking. Cook to 165º F internal, approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Be careful the temperature probe does not touch the bone!
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    How To Make Bbq Chicken

    Making bone-in chicken takes longer than making grilled or Oven Baked Chicken Breasts but the results are tender and juicy!

    In this barbecue chicken recipe, the first 15 minutes will brown the outer skin and the next 20 to 30 minutes will finish the cooking process. Sugars can burn at high heat so adding the sauce later will keep the chicken from burning on the grill while producing a nice sweet sticky grilled skin!

    Preheat the grill to medium heat to make sure it is ready to evenly cook before adding your bird. Brush the grate with oil so the skin doesnt stick. I usually pour a little bit of oil on a paper towel and use tongs to quickly rub the oil onto the grate.

    Grilled Chicken Thighs With Blackberry Bbq Sauce

    Michael uses an overnight dry rub to infuse chicken thighs with tons of flavor and a charcoal grill ensures they come out with crispy skin and smoky flavor. Use the best of summer berries as the base for a tangy BBQ sauce for drizzling over the top.

    Get the Recipe: Grilled Chicken Thighs with Blackberry BBQ Sauce

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    Grilled Bbq Chicken Recipe

    There’s nothing better than grilled BBQ chicken breast on a warm summer evening. It’s flavorful, light, and versatile — and with a few simple tips it stays juicy and moist . Plus, this easy meal is incredibly fast! You only need about 10 minutes of prep and 10 minutes to cook the meat, so the entire dinner is ready in 20 minutes. Serve the grilled bbq chicken with your favorite sides, slice it on top of a crisp green salad, or tuck it into a sandwich. Leftovers are great, too!

    Cooking Tips For The Grilled Chicken Legs Recipe

    How to make BBQ Chicken

    Grilled chicken leg quarters are among the chicken recipes that I love at most! I like grilled chicken very much, so I cook this food often when I spend time outdoors. Additionally, I cook many times grilled chicken in the oven as well.

    I could not say which is my favorite grilled chicken leg quarters recipe because I have more recipes for grilling chicken that I use frequently. Most of them include a BBQ chicken marinade recipe since I love flavored food, so I cook chicken with different aromas, depending on the weather and my mood!

    Generally speaking, almost all marinade recipes that I make for grilling chicken feature garlic because I think chicken and garlic go very well together. The amount of garlic I use is pretty large in most peoples opinions, but I love garlic and use it a lot to flavor any kind of meat. Of course, you can adapt the garlic quantity that you are going to use according to your personal taste.

    Next to the best grilled chicken legs recipe I recommend to serve white wine or cold beer.

    Enjoy the BBQ grilled chicken leg quarters recipe with an easy chicken marinade!

    Read more about barbecue chicken origins here!

    grilled chicken leg quarters, | grilled chicken | cooking chicken | cooking chicken legs | home cooking | cooking

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    Prepare With A Meat Pounder

    With a rolling pen or meat pounder, gently pound the chicken on a counter or table surface. Do this until theyre about half an inch thick across the breast. Do this for each breast.

    Why do we do this? Well like with a lot of cooking methods, one of grillings biggest challenges is cooking meat evenly through. If we make our meat uniform in thickness then we help prevent the issue, while also making it easier to eat and cut.

    How Can You Tell When Grilled Chicken Breast Is Done Without A Thermometer

    The safest, and only foolproof, way to check if chicken is done cooking 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.

    Now that you know how to grill chicken breasts, check out our best grilled chicken recipes.

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    Grilled Chicken Wings With Spicy Chipotle Hot Sauce And Blue Cheese

    Bobby whips up a smoky chipotle sauce for his grilled chicken wings using Dijon mustard, chipotle puree and ancho chile powder. The cool blue cheese-yogurt dip is perfect for cutting the intense smokiness.

    Get the Recipe: Grilled Chicken Wings with Spicy Chipotle Hot Sauce and Blue Cheese-Yogurt Dipping Sauce

    The Best Grilled Chicken Recipe

    BBQ Chicken Weber Grill Cook

    You will be surprised at how good grilled chicken breasts in the Air Fryer are.

    The trick is to now overcook them because they will get dry and tough but you also do not want to undercook them with the risk the chicken is not done.

    So check the chicken regularly during the cooking time to see if the chicken doesnt dry out.

    Using chicken seasoning with olive oil will coat the chicken and leave it moist.

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    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.

    How Do I Make Bbq Chicken

    Its so simple! Youre going to start by grilling up your chicken and then as it gets cooked, layering the BBQ sauce on the chicken and turning it to get it cooked all over.

    Make certain you always check the internal temperature of chicken to make certain its cooked and ready! I always have my Instant Read Meat Thermometer handy to make sure its cooked to 170 degrees F.

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    Place The Chicken On The Grill

    Put the chicken on the grill by placing larger pieces closer to a higher temperature and smaller pieces further away. Move pieces closest to the heat in the following order:

  • Breasts
  • Thighs
  • Legs
  • Wings
  • Everything will cook evenly, and nothing will burn, when chicken pieces are placed appropriately. With this arrangement, the total cooking time will be determined by the largest pieces . Expect about 45 minutes of grilling total.

    Grilled Bbq Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

    Grilled BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

    This recipe for Grilled BBQ Chicken Breast is so simple. My 14-year-old made this all on his own from start to finish! While eating it, he said it was the BEST grilled chicken he ever tasted !

    No one wants to eat dry chicken . The secret to juicy chicken is in the chicken brine. It helps create tender grilled chicken breasts.

    Throw on your flip flops and warm up the grill. Once you taste this chicken, youll be grilling it all season long!

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    How To Grill Chicken Breasts

    Two ways to ensure a perfectly grilled chicken breast is the proper cook temperature, 165º F, and starting with a uniform thickness breast. The latter is key. If one part of the breast is larger, it will need a longer cooking time meaning the thinner part will cook longer and dry out.

  • Pound the chicken: Place a chicken breast on a sturdy surface, smooth skin side down. Cover with plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet, or even a rolling pin, until the breast is an even 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.
  • Grill over direct medium heat until the chicken breast reads 165º F with an instant-read thermometer. Flip once. Approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
  • Get A Timer And Instant

    Grilling chicken requires heavy-duty tongs, grill gloves, a timer, and an instant-read thermometer. While the tongs and gloves are important, the two must-haves are the timer and thermometer.

    The mortal enemy of grilled chicken is over-doneness. Last week, a friend asked me how to grill chicken breasts that were not dried out and tough. I told her to go out and buy a thermometer and use the timer on her phone. Her feedback? Instant success!

    Grill chicken to an internal temperature of 165º F. Cooked to anything greater robs the meat of its succulent moisture. This is especially true of the lean breasts. The timer keeps you on track, and the thermometer delivers perfectly cooked poultry every time.

    Mike Lang

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    Simple Grilled Bbq Chicken

    This sweet, tangy BBQ chicken recipe is a simple way to make slow-cooked, delicious, barbecue chicken on the grill. Barbecue chicken is one of the easiest and quickest ways to make great BBQ at home. All you need is some chicken, good barbecue sauce, and a grill.

    The secret to making great BBQ chicken at home is to cook the chicken over indirect heat. To grill the chicken using indirect heat youâll want to have high heat on one side of the grill and very little to no direct heat on the other side of the grill, where the chicken resides for most of the cooking time.

    During the saucing portion of cooking itâs ok if the chicken flames up as youâre turning it over. This is why youâre using long-handled tongs. Cooking the chicken in a little fire here is ok, but donât let them sit in the fire for more than 15 to 20 seconds at a time. For more helpful tips on making chicken on the grill read Fall in Love with Grilled Barbecue Chicken.

    A few side dishes we like to serve with this chicken recipe are Sweet Corn and Anaheim Peppers, Grilled Sweet Potatoes, and Orzo Pasta Salad.

    Temperature Ranges For Grilled Chicken

    How to Make BBQ Grilled Chicken – Barbecue Chicken & Sauce Recipe

    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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