Ways To Test For Doneness
1. Prick with a Knife Jut the tip of a sharp paring knife into a juicy part of the chicken, such as its thigh joint. If the juices have a pink tint, keep cooking. The meat is safe to eat when the liquids run clear. Good for: butterflied broilers, bone-in thighs, wings
2. Use a Thermometer Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken, pressing it into the center of the flesh . The meat is safe to eat at 165° take it off the grill when it registers 160° to account for carryover cooking. Good for: whole chickens , leg quarters
3. Poke with Your finger Practice makes perfect with this no-tools-required technique. Using your index finger, tap the thickest area of the meat. If it springs back to your touch , chances are good it’s cooked through. Good for: boneless breasts, bone-in breasts, boneless thighs
4. Yank on a Joint Grab the end of a leg with your fingers or a set of grilling tongs and tug it away from the body. When the joint separates easily, the chicken is ready. Good for: whole chickens, butterflied broilers, leg quarters, wings
How Long Does It Last
After you mix all the ingredients together, store it in a cool, dry place. This seasoning blend will last up to 3 months.
I like to keep all my spice blends in glass jars as they are reusable and dont hold the flavors of the previous mixes.
Made with spices and herbs from your pantry, this easy chicken seasoning creates juicy, tender meat bursting with flavor.
If you are grilling, baking or roasting chicken, this seasoning is perfect for a whole chickens, breasts, wings or thighs.
After you cook your SUPER FLAVORFUL chicken, serve it with Street corn wonton cups or Mediterranean salad stacks, and wash it down with a glass of sangria.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below , and be sure to help me share on facebook!
This chicken seasoning is just what you need to amp up the flavor to any cut of chicken for the grill, oven, or stove top!
Our Favorite Chicken Marinade
Use this marinade with one or more pounds of chicken .
- 1 Bottle of Zesty Italian Salad Dressing.
We LOVE this chicken grilled! . This chicken is also very good baked! Simply put it into a baking dish and bake at 350-400 for 15-25 minutes based on how thick your chicken pieces are.
Always cook chicken to 165 degrees internal temperature. See my Resources page for my recommendations on thermometers.
pice
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Grilled Chicken Method: Wet Brined
Timing: 30-minute brine time + 25-minute cook time
Rating: 5/10
Wet brining, like this recipe from Simply Recipes, is different from marinating. Wet brines are a solution of salt and water that help keep meat moist and also season the meat through osmosis. Simply Recipes promises juicy chicken after a 30-minute saltwater soak. After brining, the chicken breasts are patted dry, brushed with oil, sprinkled with paprika, and grilled using a two-zone cooking method using direct and indirect heat.
Generally, Im a fan of brining, but this brine alone didnt bring enough flavor to our grilled chicken party. The chicken itself browned well and the middle was juicy. The edges of the chicken were very dry, which speaks a bit to why flattened chicken pieces grill better more on that below.
How To Make It
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Chicken Seasoning Recipe Ingredients
- Brown Sugar: The brown sugar helps to caramelize the outside of the chicken, which makes it especially juicy and flavorful. It also adds a touch of sweetness, which my family thinks is delicious. If you prefer a seasoning without sugar, you can omit the brown sugar.
- Paprika: You can use sweet paprika or smoked paprika, depending on your flavor preferences. Smoked paprika will lend a smoky flavor.
- Dried Oregano: Or try Italian seasoning, which is also delicious in this recipe.
- Garlic Powder: For flavor.
- Onion Powder: For flavor.
- Salt: I always err on the side of using less salt to keep my recipes on the healthy side. You can adjust the amount of salt to your tastes and dietary needs.
- Black Pepper: Freshly ground black pepper will give you the best flavor. You can buy an inexpensive pepper grinder with whole peppercorns at most grocery stores.
- Cayenne Pepper: For a bit of heat. Were using a small amount, so that the chicken wont be too spicy.
Recipe Variation:
- You can add 2 teaspoons of chili powder to this recipe for a bit of Tex-Mex flavor.
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!
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Grill And Chicken Temperature
Grill the chicken on medium heat. I have a gas grill with Grill Grates so it is easy to check the temperature with a laser thermometer. I grilled these at 450°.
If you use a charcoal grill, let the coals burn down a bit so they are not super hot. If you do a lot of grilling, you know how to use your charcoal grill.
At 450°, I grilled each side for 4 minutes. The internal temperature was 150° when I removed them from the grill. Put the breasts on a plate and cover with aluminum foil for 5 to 10 minutes. They will continue to cook a bit and retain their juices.
The U.S. FDA, , recommends that chicken be cooked to 165°. Thats a good temperature for legs and thighs, but Ive always been a rebel when it comes to white meat. The chicken will be a bit more tender and juicy at 150°. Use your own discretion about the temperature.
Serve the chicken with a big spoonful of the salsa on top and then drizzle with some Good balsamic vinegar. Aged balsamic is the best, but some 50 year old vinegar is $20.00 an ounce. I have pretty good balsamic that was $20.00 for 8 ounces. Use what you can afford.
Whether Youre Grilling Baking Frying This All
While Carrabbas Grill Seasoning is my favorite for steak, this is the best for chicken. It is so easy to make, it takes literally 5 minutes. Make a large batch and keep it on hand. Enjoy this Chicken Seasoning from our spice cupboard to yours.
I love seasonings. But I hadnt found one that was more all-purpose. I grew up on this being very seasoned. My dad has his to-go-to favorite Lawrys seasoning salt. The first time my husband went to grill he just threw a whole bunch of seasonings together and I was like wait, you arent using Lawrys??? He laughed.
Now he loves Lawrys but we like to change it up and since I have such distinct memories of that seasoning, I dont see it as all-purpose. So while I was on the search for the best all-purpose seasoning I decided to make my own. After some trial and error, this All-Purpose Chicken Seasoning was the winner.
It proved itself this past week for dinner. When I grilled up chicken for our salad, 5 chicken breast for 6 of us and it was devoured. Best chicken ever exclaimed Madden. Wow, that is a big comment coming from my most picky eater.
Cant wait for you to try our favorite summer grill base. Try it out and let me know how you best like it served. Enjoy! XOXO San
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How Long Does It Take To Grill Chicken Breasts
Cooking chicken breasts will take roughly 10-15 minutes. Flip the pieces halfway to get nice grill marks on both sides. If you are grilling thigh pieces, it may take up to 25-30 minutes to cook completely through. The time will vary depending on the size of the chicken, the temperature, whether its on the bone, and so on.
See Also:
How To Tell When Grilled Chicken Is Done
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A golden crispy exterior with those iconic grill marks and a juicy interior who doesnt like grilled chicken? We all do! However, there are many people who are not really comfortable with the process of grilling chicken because they cant tell when its done.
A lot of people ask me how to tell when grilled chicken is done, so I decided to create a post to explain this to all those who are curious about this. I would say that the safest way to tell this is by putting a thermometer into the deepest part of the meat. Ideally, the thermometer should read 165° Fahrenheit for the chicken to be done.
To get the right internal temperature, we suggest that you insert the thermometer either in the thigh or in the breast, away from the bone. The same also works for Turkey. If the temperature is below 165° Fahrenheit, then you should let the meat cook for some more time.
As we all know, looks can be quite deceiving. Oftentimes a piece of grilled chicken that looks done may actually be undercooked when you serve it to family and friends. If its still pink inside, this is a clear sign that you took the meat off the grill before it was done.
Contents
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What Is A Dry Rub
A dry rub is a combination of dry spices, herbs, salt, and pepper combined with your preferred flavor profile. The term Dry Rub and Seasoning are often used synonymously. Look on any store bought rub or seasoning and youll see similar ingredients. If were not using simply salt and pepper, were referring to this mix as a Dry Rub.
This is a combination of herbs and spices that we generally apply liberally to our protein of choice. Making a home made rub or seasoning is easy and we follow some basic principles in creating the right rub for your chicken, beef, or pork.
This particular one is fantastic for chicken or other poultry for the purpose of grilling or smoking!
How To Make Grilled Chicken With Rub
Now that you have all the ingredients for this low-calorie chicken rub for grilling, lets talk about how to barbecue all cuts of chicken.
You can use this grilled chicken dry rub on all cuts of chicken. But you can also use it on steaks, french fries, even pork chops! I recommend making some extra chicken grilling seasoning so that you can sprinkle it on anything you want to barbecue.
Below youll learn how to make the best grilled chicken recipe for all cuts of chicken. In this section, will use the spice rubs for chicken to make the perfect barbecued chicken. And also supply you with directions on how to barbecue all pieces of chicken.
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Do I Need To Oil My Chicken Before Applying Spices
That will depend heavily upon the recipe you are using and the cooking method. In general, if you are going to grill the chicken, then yes, you will need to apply a high smoke point oil such as vegetable oil.
This keeps the chicken from sticking to the grill and enhances the flavor slightly. However, if you are going to be baking your chicken, then NO you will not need to add oil to the chicken unless your specific recipe calls for it. Chicken releases a lot of juices in the oven and generally, oil is not needed.
The Spices Youll Need
Keep in mind that this really is just a basic guideline and you can sub in your favorites, but I have been loving this mix just as is!
- Dried Thyme I usually use dried, but you can use fresh if you have it. If using fresh, youll want to use 3 tablespoons instead of 1.
- Dried Oregano The same as the thyme above if subbing in fresh, use 3 tablespoons. I would roughly chop it, as well.
- Ground Cumin This brings a smoky flavor that is a must for me!
- Paprika I have been a smoked paprika addict lately, so I will sometimes use smoked paprika instead of plain paprika. But both are delicious!
- Onion Powder This gives a lot of flavor.
- Salt I use kosher salt not table salt.
- Pepper I like freshly ground pepper, but regular pepper will work here, especially if you arent using all of the seasoning and saving some for later.
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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.
How Long To Grill Boneless Chicken Breasts
Depending on the thickness of your chicken, allow about 15-20 minutes to grill boneless chicken breasts. Cook the chicken over direct heat for the first 10 minutes or until nicely seared then move to the indirect heat for another 5-10 minutes depending on its thickness.
Cook until the chickens internal temp is 165° F, or juices run clear. In testing the chicken breasts for internal temperature, slide the thermometer laterally at one end, so it hits the center of the piece. Be careful not to overcook the grilled chicken, otherwise itll become tough and rubbery.
Give it a rest. Once the grilled chicken breasts are cooked, transfer to a plate and tent with aluminum foil to allow the juices to rest for about 5 minutes. Cutting the chicken too early will cause the juices to run out and it wont be as juicy.
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How To Season Chicken For The Grill
- Pin15
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When life is flying by faster than you can keep up with, something is bound to fall through the cracks.
For me, its often getting the chicken out of the freezer and thawed in time to get it marinating. While I usually freeze chicken in a marinade in a freezer baggie, but sometimes I cant even manage to get that done when I get home from the grocery store.
So when I forget to marinate it before freezing, or if I forget to marinate it , or if I change the meal plan at the last minute and decide to do chicken on the grill, this is what happens
- Add some olive oil to a rimmed plate.
- Sprinkle some grill seasonings on the oil.
- Place the chicken on both sides.
- Let sit until ready to go onto the grill.
Delicious tasting chickeneven when you forget to marinate it!
Is Organic Chicken Better When Grilling Chicken Breast
When it comes to cooking chicken breasts, there is no difference between organic and non-organic chicken. Organic means that the birds are raised without pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, additives or animal by-products, and have access to the outdoors. But, it doesnt necessarily mean that the chicken is healthier for you, tastes better or will cook better. Heres more on how to read the labels on a pack of chicken.
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Ingredients For Grilled Seasoned Chicken
Its easy to make a homemade seasoning for grilled chicken, in fact you likely have all of the ingredients to make a dry rub for grilled chicken already. But just in case you dont, you will find a shopping list for chicken spice rub below.
You can screenshot the shopping list for this grilled chicken rub on your phone. This way, you have it at your fingertips the next time you go shopping.
Here you will find the ingredient list for the best chicken seasoning for grilling. The shopping list for chicken spice rubs can also be found in the recipe card below.
