How to cook barbecue chicken

Grill chicken, without turning, 6 to 10 minutes for boneless chicken and 10 to 14 minutes for bone-in. Flip and grill until cooked through, or a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of meat (avoiding bone) registers 160 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes more.

Most grillers will apply the sauce first and then continue to baste the chicken with sauce while it cooks. This is a common practice, but it can lead to burning your chicken. You want the chicken to slowly cook to perfection and then add the sauce during the final 10 to 15 minutes of cooking.

You don’t have to pre–cook chicken before putting on the BBQ. However, it’s a good idea to. We like cooking chicken in the oven and then giving it the final ‘finish’ on the barbecue. You will still enjoy that ‘smoky’ flavour but you’ll know for sure you’ve cooked the chicken all the way through.

Grill the chicken

Place the chicken breasts on the hot side of the grate, directly above the coals. Sear the breasts for about three to four minutes per side, turning only once, until golden brown. If the grill flares up, temporarily move the chicken away from the coals.

Every time you open the lid you vent all the built-up heat from the grill and slow the cooking process. It is usually best to leave the lid down as much as possible on your gas grill since grilling is best done fast and hot.

How long do you grill chicken on each side? Grill chicken breasts around 5 minutes on each side.

If you cook the chicken on too hot a grill, the skin will burn before the flesh cooks. Medium-low is the best temperature on a charcoal grill, and medium on a gas grill. This way, you‘ll crisp the skin and avoid flareups. Dark meat on the bone is more flavorful and will stay juicier on the grill.

All it takes is 30 minutes in a simple brine solution of 1/4 cup kosher salt dissolved in 4 cups water. This is all the time you need for the chicken breasts to absorb enough moisture so they can better hold up to the heat of the grill without drying out.

Maintain a temperature between 230º and 250ºF, opening or closing the vents and adding charcoal as needed. Baste with apple juice after half an hour. Continue to cook the chicken for about 3 hours, basting every 45 minutes. Wait until the chicken is cooked through before basting with the sauce.

One of the best ways to prevent burning is to make sure your meat doesn’t stick to the surface of the grill. So make sure you brush the grill with oil or cooking spray before you heat it up. It’s also a good idea to brush some oil on all sides of your chicken or soak it in an oil-based marinade before grilling.

You have the temperature set too high.

Unlike steak, which requires a high heat to sear and quickly cook on a grill, chicken will burn on the outside while not fully cooking on the inside if the heat is too high. Chicken will cook more evenly and thoroughly with a lower temperature.

It’s dangerous to eat raw or undercooked chicken due to the possible presence of bacteria such as salmonella or campylobacter. Campylobacter can also invade your system if you eat undercooked poultry or food that has touched undercooked poultry.

Always cook the chicken skin side down first and plan to leave it there for the next 20 minutes or more — or until it is nearly all the way cooked. You‘ll end up with crispy and beautifully browned skin (remember, it insulates the meat), plus the chicken will be cooked evenly to the bone.

Season the chicken skin with salt and grill skin-side down over moderately-low heat until the fat has rendered and the skin is nice and crisp. Keep the heat low—if it gets too high, the fat will sear and not cook slowly and melt away. Flip the chicken and grill for a few minutes skin-side up until cooked through.

Dry your bird.

“People put butter on the chicken skin with the idea that it’s going to help it become crispy — it doesn’t,” he laments. “It helps the skin to go brown because the solids in the butter brown, but it doesn’t make it crispier.” Instead, he recommends using vegetable oil after thoroughly drying your bird.

Preheat grill to medium high heat. Place chicken on the grill for 7-8 minutes. Flip over and cook an additional 7-8 minutes or until no pink remains and chicken reaches 165°F. Rest 3-5 minutes before slicing.