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Tips for a Perfect Grilled Chicken
Grilled chicken is nutritious and tasty. It’s a good source of proteins and rich in other minerals such as potassium, magnesium, iron, etc. However, grilling chicken can at times turn out to be bad if it’s not cooked the right way.
Therefore, we’ve five tips down here that will help get a perfect grilled chicken. They are from seasoned chefs. Additionally, this post answers some of the frequently asked questions regarding grilled chicken.
Tips for a Perfect Grilled Chicken
Select the Right Cut
Consider selecting bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces. They are moist, taste great, and hardly overcooks. Also, keep in mind that larger chicken cuts or whole birds take longer to cook than small-sized cuts.
If you settle for boneless and skinless cuts such as chicken breast, consider pounding it first. Boneless cuts have an uneven shape and can be daunting on the grill. Pounding reduces the cooking time and enhances even cooking.
Butterfly the Chicken
As highlighted above, grilling the whole chicken is not the best idea. Therefore, consider butterflying a whole chicken. It means cutting out its backbone so that the chicken lies flat. This process is also called spatchcocking.
A butterflied chicken is easier to curve, cooks evenly and faster. Additionally, you’ll hardly end up with dry or overcooked chicken.
How do you do it anyway? Use a sharp boning knife to cut the chicken from the breast through the center section all way down. You can leave both sections attached or slice them into smaller pieces.
Add flavor to your chicken
Adding flavor to a chicken before it hits the grill is one of the essential steps you shouldn’t miss. There are three main ways to go about it. They include marinades, brine, and dry rubs.
Dry rubs are not new: they are often used on almost all types of meats. A dry rub is a mixture of various dried spices, salt, pepper, and herbs. Fry rubs are the best if you’ll be grilling your chicken over indirect heat. Dry rubs are used a few minutes before grilling and ensure they are evenly distributed.
Brine is also great in enhancing a chicken’s flavor and moisture. It’s a mixture of salt, sugar, aromatics, and water. Brining a chicken may take about 2 hours or more if it has bones.
Lastly, you can opt to use marinades. Marinades are like sauces made up of spices, oils, and acidic components such as vinegar or lime. It tenderizes the meat and imparts a flavor into the chicken meat. Depending on the results you want to achieve, marinating can take as little as 30 minutes or even 24 hours. Additionally, you can use marinades before grilling or after grilling.
Indirect Grilling is Better
Chicken and fish are lean meat and cooks best on indirect heat. You can easily and slowly cook chicken (even a whole) without worrying about overcooking or drying out your meat. Also, it allows heat to travel to the center part of the meat for even cooking.
Properly Preheat your Grill
You should preheat your grill about 350-400 degrees F (medium-high heat). Extreme intense heat on a grill is not necessary while cooking chicken. However, preheating your grill properly is essential to prevent the meat from sticking to the grill grate. It’s also crucial for forming excellent grill marks.
Monitor the internal temperature
You must keep checking on the internal temperature of the chicken while grilling. It helps you attain the right doneness of the chicken.
Chicken should be cooked to a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Use an instant-read thermometer to monitor the temperature. You should insert it into the thickest part of the chicken. However, you should be careful not to touch a bone to avoid false temperature reading on the thermometer.
FAQs
How long do you grill chicken breast?
Chicken breast should be grilled for about 8-10 minutes. You should always flip it halfway to cook the other side. Each side should cook for about 4-5 minutes.
How do you fix rubbery chicken?
A rubbery chicken is a result of drying while grilling. There are two ways to fix it. First, you should soak your chicken in heavily salted water before grilling. It tenderizes the meat. Lastly, if your chicken is already cooked and dry, consider using a sauce to compensate for the rubbery texture. Sauces also add moisture and flavor.
How long do you let the chicken rest after grilling?
You should let the chicken rest for about 10 to 15 minutes after grilling and before cutting and serving. However, larger cuts might take as much as 20 minutes to rest. While the chicken rest, it redistributes the juices and moisture throughout the meat; thus, your meat will be tastier and won’t dry up.
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Sources
thekitchn.com
