What Is The Best Way to Grill Chicken
It is summer and we are all thinking about having those great barbeque days!
Especially the men; there seems to be something about a barbeque that gets them really exited! Perhaps, it’s the chunks of meat, or the flames and fumes, but whatever it is, this is the one time that guys will definitely take charge of the food, leaving us ladies to sip our wine, and perhaps prepare the salad. Whether you are a guy or girl, if you are wondering what is the best way to grill chicken, than this article is for you!
Why Is Grilling Chicken Trickier Than Other Meat?
The main reason why grilling chicken can be trickier than other meat is because chicken has white meat (breast) and dark meat (legs/thighs). Because of this the grilling times of these two meats differ. In addition, keeping the meat moist while making sure it is thoroughly cooked can cause more problems. But don’t worry, by following the instructions below you can be sure that you will be able to grill the perfect chicken.
3 Rules to Guarantee Success
There are three rules that need to be followed when you grill the chicken.
1.) The Grill
To make sure you achieve that perfect measure of moisture and flavour, you need to sear the chicken over a hot flame and then move the meat on to a low heat.
So, if you are using a charcoal grill it is best to build a two level fire. All you have to do is make a double level of coal on one side of the grill and a single on the other- easy! If you are using a gas grill start with high heat, and turn down.
2.) The Chicken
There are two points to consider here, to marinate or not and how to approach the grilling process.
If you would like to marinate, best thing to do is to take the skin and fat of the chicken the night before and cut into pieces (legs, breast etc). Cover the chicken pieces in marinate and leave in the fridge overnight. Make sure you make enough marinate for the grilling the next day too. If you are not using marinate, just add seasoning before you start grilling.
To sear the chicken pieces on a charcoal grill, place all the meat on the hotter side first, after about 3-5 minutes move the white meat to the cooler side of the grill to keep it moist and tender and leave the dark meat on the hotter side.
To sear the chicken on a gas grill, place all the chicken pieces onto high fire. Once seared, turn one side down as low as possible and keep the other side a bit warmer. Move the white meat to the cooler side and leave the dark meat on the warmer side.
3.) Cooking Time
Now that you chicken has been seared, all you need to do is turn it over a few times. For the dark meat (legs and thighs) cooking time will take about 15-20 minutes and for white meat, about 10-15.
If you do decide to go for marinade a good trick to use is to brush on more marinade every time you turn the pieces of chicken (this seals in more moisture).
So there you have it! You now know the best way to grill a chicken! Roll up those sleeves, get the flames going and have yourself an awesome barbeque!
