Dress It Up With Sauces
So, now we have beautifully moist and evenly cooked chicken breastsno small achievement. But for all of this work, in my opinion, chicken is still rather dull on its own, so let’s pull out the sauces.
I smothered these particular breasts in an arugula pesto, which added a nutty, peppery kick. Some other flavorful toppers to consider: mango-habanero barbecue sauce, cilantro pesto, or chimichurri.
You can also introduce flavor with more complex brines, like an apple brine, or the nice spice rub on these blackened chicken breasts.
No matter how you gussy up your chicken, all of it will do little to help a poorly grilled breastwhich should be something we no longer have to tolerate, ever.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in 2012. It has been updated with new information based on further testing.
Time To Grill Some Delicious Chicken
Before you grill your chicken, here are some important points to remember.
- Remember to not make the heat of the grill too high, as chicken has to be well cooked throughout.
- When it comes to chicken, it has to be cooked well. It is not safe to eat if it is still pink.
- If there is still blood or pinkishness in the chicken when you slice it, there is no harm in putting it back on the grill.
- Chicken dries easily, so marinating it or putting it in a brine is an important step.
Increase your grilling knowledge with more of our guides:
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How To Grill Chicken Breasts That Are Sooo Juicy
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How long do you grill chicken breasts for? Do they need to be brined or marinated? How do you get good grill marks? How do you grill the juiciest chicken breasts? All your grilled chicken breast answers are here!
With summer and grilling season coming up, its a great time to grill up some chicken as an entree, to put onto salads, or to use in your favorite chicken recipes. Its therefore a good idea that we take a moment to tackle the conundrum of grilling chicken breasts.
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Looking To Grill Other Cuts Of Chicken
Ive got your back! Heres how to grill chicken drumsticks and thighs:
For chicken drumsticks:
- To grill: preheat your grill to medium high and lightly oil the grate. Place the chicken on the grill and cook for 8 minutes, then flip, brush with the reserved marinade, and grill for an additional 8 minutes. Turn the chicken over one last time, brush again with the remaining marinade, and cook for 5 more minutes, or until no pink remains in the center of the chicken.
- To bake: preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a oven-safe rack on a large baking sheet and grease with nonstick cooking spray so that the chicken doesnt stick to the pan. Place the drumsticks on the pan with the thicker part of the drumstick to the outside. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until cooked through.
For boneless skinless chicken thighs:
- To grill: preheat your grill to medium high and lightly oil the grates. Cook your chicken thighs for 6-8 minutes per side, flipping once. When the internal temp reaches 165 degrees F your chicken is done.
- To bake: preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and bake your chicken thighs for about 25-30 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 165.
For skin-on chicken thighs:
How Long To Cook Bbq Chicken
Whether you cook this BBQ chicken on the grill or in the oven, youll want to cook the chicken nearly all the way through before adding the BBQ sauce at the end. Sauces like BBQ sauce contain a fair amount of sugar that can easily burn. Adding the sauce at the end and searing quickly minimizes the chance of it burning.
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Choose Your Cut Wisely
While fattier chicken thighs can handle going skinless, when it comes to grilling chicken breasts, its skin-on, bone-in all the way. Not only is crispy, rendered skin delicious, it protects lean, delicate meat from drying outespecially in an open-fire cooking situation. And the bone underneath insulates the meat from the flames, allowing for more even distribution of heat. If you have access to a butcher, ask for skin-on, bone-in breasts, and if youre looking at a supermarket selection, skin-on boneless is the next-best compromise, and most likely easier to track down.
A Brine For Chicken Breasts And How To Cook Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts On The Grill
- Pounding the chicken breast to an even thickness results in more even cooking throughout.
- Brining the chicken breast helps the meat retain moisture during cooking.
- Drying the breast well before grilling leads to quicker browning.
In our constant quest to deliver the best of the best via the Serious Eats grilling recipes, with fancy dishes like homemade merguez sausage and peppered duck breast, it’s easy to lose sight of the basics. And there’s one really basic basic that no grilling recipe collection should be without: grilled chicken breast.
Despite their ubiquity, chicken breasts are arguably one of the most difficult of the standard meats to grill. It’s all too common of an occurrence to find yourself with dry, chewy, cardboard-y meat. This is all correctable, though, and chicken breasts can be fantastic on the grill it just takes a little know-how. This article will tell you everything you need to know about how to grill chicken breasts, including how long to cook them and a couple easy tips to ensure you don’t end up with tough, rubbery, dried-out grilled chicken.
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Brine Your Chicken Breast For Extra Moisture
Brining is the next important step to avoid horribly dry grilled chicken breast. I recommend catching up with Kenji’s explanation of the science behind brining, but for these purposes, you just need to know that salt alters the proteins in the meat in such a way that they retain moisture better when cooked.
That retaining-moisture part is key, as it provides some assurance that the meat will remain juicy even if it’s a tad overdone, and it’ll be even better if cooked correctly. You really want this added protection when cooking chicken breasts, and there’s really no reason to skip it, since the brine takes just a minute to put together and the chicken needs only about 30 minutes of briningwhich just happens to be about the amount of time it takes to get a charcoal grill going.
How Long To Grill Chicken Breast At 350
In this post Ill be sharing the cook time and best tips for How Long to Grill Chicken Breast at 350 degrees F.
Chicken is one of the most popular meats consumed. Its a family friendly protein that kids love to eat too .
Since skinless chicken breasts are probably the most popular choice, Im often asked for recipes on how to prepare them.
The great thing about boneless chicken breasts are that there are numerous ways to prepare them to enjoy a variety of delicious meals.
With the requests for the recipes using boneless skinless breast of chicken, folks also want tips for grilling them. Well my friend, Ive got ya covered on the grilling too.
So today, Im gonna share how to make juicy chicken breasts on the grill, so lets get cooking.
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How Long To Grill Chicken Leg Quarters
Since legs and thighs have the biggest bones, it takes longer to cook than the breasts or wings.
Youll want to grill whole chicken legs over indirect heat for 30 to 40 minutes, turning every 15 minutes. Finish over direct heat for about 10 minutes, 5 minutes per side.
Because of the dark meat and bones, you want to wait until the internal temperature is 180 °F to 190 °F before taking them off the grill. 165 °F is safe, but at 180 °F the meat tastes much better, and it will be tender.
Summary: Average Grilling Times For All Chicken Cuts
For your reference, here are the average times for grilling various size pieces of chicken:
- Chicken breast, boneless, skinless 6 to 8 ounces will take between 8 and 12 minutes over direct medium heat
- Chicken breast, bone-in 10 to 12 ounces 30 to 40 minutes over indirect medium heat
- Leg or thigh, bone-in 30 to 40 minutes over indirect medium heat
- Thigh, boneless, skinless 4 ounces 8 to 10 minutes over direct high heat
- Chicken wings 2 to 3 ounces 18 to 20 minutes over direct medium heat
- Whole chicken 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 lbs 1 1/2 to 2 hours over indirect medium heat
Do keep in mind that these times may vary if you , add a sauce, or change the chicken in any way.
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Do You Grill Chicken With Lid Open Or Closed
It is best to keep the lid closed when making thicker slices in order to maintain a high and equal temperature. Unlike small steaks and chicken breasts, large steaks, chicken breasts, and roasts have a lot more depth for the heat to permeate. Closing the lid will allow the heat to sink in and cook the meat thoroughly in a similar fashion to an oven.
The Best Grilled Chicken
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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 prevent 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.
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The Best Chicken For Grilling
For the juiciest, most flavorful grilled chicken, use bone-in, skin-on pieces. Place the chicken on a paper towel-lined tray and pat it dry. This removes excess moisture, which prevents the skin from getting crispy. Remember to wash your hands and all equipment after handling raw chicken.
Next, season both sides generously with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper and allow the chicken to come to room temperature for 15 minutes. This helps it cook evenly and gives the salt and pepper a chance to work their magic. Keep in mind that sweet sauces like glazes and barbecue sauce shouldn’t be applied until the chicken is finished cooking. They will burn before the chicken is fully cooked.
How Can You Tell When Grilled Chicken Breast Is Done Without A Thermometer
The safest, and only foolproof, way to check if chicken is at a food-safe temperature 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.
Grilling up a different cut? Heres a quick guide to chicken cooking temperatures:
| Type of Chicken Breast |
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Top Tips For Perfect Grilled Chicken Breast
- Remove moisture before cooking
How do I grill the perfect chicken breast?
In order to make the best grilled chicken breast, we suggest heating your grill to 400ºF. Grill chicken for 5-7 per side and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF.
Should I pound my chicken before grilling?
The option is yours. We dont personally pound our chicken before grilling because we love when a few edge pieces get nice and charred, but option to use a meat tenderizer to pound your chicken so that the entire thing is the same thickness.
How long to grill chicken breast?
Grill your chicken breast for around 15-20 minutes, flipping after 7-8 minutes. Grill until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF.
How to prevent your chicken from sticking to the grill?
We recommend spraying your grill grates with nonstick cooking spray right before before cooking. Alternatively, you can use a piece of tin foil with nonstick cooking spray.
Is it okay for chicken to be slightly pink?
As long as your chicken has an internal temperature of 165ºF, it is safe to eat even if its a little pinkish.
Should you let chicken rest after grilling?
Yes! By allowing your chicken to rest you not only 1. let it cool so you can eat it, but 2. the chicken continues to cook a little bit and becomes extra juicy and moist.
How long does grilled chicken last in the fridge?
Your grilled chicken breasts will last up to 3-5 days in the fridge.
Can I use a grill pan to grill chicken?
How To Grill Chicken Without Burning It
To avoid burning your chicken, make sure you use an oil with a high smoke point such as canola or avocado oil. This will help protect the chicken from scorching and sticking to the grill.
Additionally, pre-heat your grill until it reaches at least 400F this ensures that the chicken cooks evenly on both sides and doesnt suffer from excessive heat. Finally, time your cooking and use a thermometer to make sure you dont overcook the chicken.
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How Long To Grill Boneless Chicken Breast On Charcoal
Do you want to know how long to grill chicken breast? Grill for 9-10 minutes, depending on how hot your grill is. Halfway through the cooking time, turn the chicken breasts over. For the most part, I like to grill my chicken breasts for around 10 minutes each side, turning them midway through, in order to achieve lovely sear marks on both sides of the chicken.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Tips On Grilling Chicken
How to flatten chicken
Flattening chicken creates a uniform thickness and therefore ensures the fillet is evenly cooked. This is usually a chicken breast, but if youre using a thigh fillet just open it up first. To flatten chicken, take these steps:
How to marinate chicken
If you have time, it’s a good idea to before grilling. Submerging the meat in an acidic marinade like lemon juice or vinegar will ensure the meat is juicy and tender. Strong herbs, chillies, spices and aromatics will penetrate through the meat and add flavour.
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How Long Does It Take To Grill Boneless Chicken Breast
All grilled chicken lovers out there is always n search of how long to grill boneless chicken breast? They are always looking for ways that take less time in grilling boneless chicken breast to save them. But, do they always want to know how long to cook boneless chicken breast on the grill? Also, wants to know how long to grill boneless chicken breast on a gas grill? Or how long to grill boneless chicken breast on charcoal?
So Keep scrolling! to get detailed info about boneless chicken breast grilling. If you are wondering that how to have juicy, succulent grilled chicken breast? Then let me know, you guys, that its all in the brine! Its just a quick 30-minutes process to make brine chicken that will distinguish between dry chicken and perfect chicken.
When its a matter of boneless chicken breast grilling, it might cause a problem for you as chicken meat is lean and tends to overcook and dry out. But different methods can help you have perfectly cooked and grilled boneless chicken breasts, such as marinating chicken pieces or brine chicken.
Grilled chicken breast is a quick-made meal with a delicious taste of juicy chicken in a flavorful marinade. It means its a meal on the table in no time at all.
How Long Do You Grill Chicken Breasts For
This is the biggest question that I get. It really does end up depending on how thick your chicken breasts are. If you flattened them, as discussed, theyre going to need about 4 minutes per side over direct medium-high heat . If your grill doesnt have a thermometer, heres how to find out what temperature its at.
After 4 minutes, you flip them over and do the other side for 4 minutes. This is going to get you nice parallel grill marks on your chicken. If you want crosshatched grill marks, after the first 2 minutes, turn the breasts 90 degrees and cook for 2 more minutes. Then flip and do the same thing on the other side, 2 minutes then turn, then 2 more minutes. But note that the crosshatched ones wont be as dark as the parallel ones. I therefore prefer to just do the 4 minutes per side without turning.
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