The ABC's of Cooking Chicken

Chicken Grilling Tips

Preparation

• Thaw frozen chicken in refrigerator or microwave oven, not on the kitchen counter. Or thaw wrapped chicken under cool running water.
  
  
• Keep uncooked chicken refrigerated until it's time to grill.
  
  
• Flatten chicken breast halves with the heel of hand before placing on the grill for more uniform thickness and even cooking.
  
  
• Light coals 30 minutes before beginning to cook. Coals should be covered with light gray ash before placing chicken on grill.
  
  
• Be sure the grilling rack is clean. Spray with non-stick cooking spray or rub lightly with vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
  
  
• Try adding aromatic wood chips such as mesquite, cherry, apple or hickory to the fire.

Chicken on the Grill

• To preserve chicken's natural moistness, leave the skin on during grilling and remove before eating, if desired.
  
  
• The key to perfectly cooked grilled chicken is low temperature, at least six inches from the heat, and adequate, non-rushed cooking time.
  
  
• Place chicken on the grill skin side up, with smaller pieces near the edges.
  
  
• Turn chicken often during cooking for even doneness. Handle chicken with tongs rather than a fork to prevent loss of juices.
  
  
• Chicken leg meat (drumsticks, thighs and legs) requires a longer cooking time on the grill than chicken breasts.
  
  
• Nothing is more succulent than a whole chicken on the grill, basted as it turns and cooks slowly on a rotisserie.
  
  
• Chicken should always be cooked to an internal temperature of 180°F for a whole chicken or dark meat, 170°F for chicken wings or bone-in breasts, or 160 F for boneless breasts. When in doubt, remove chicken to a plate and cut with a knife to be sure the flesh is opaque throughout.

Serving Grilled Chicken

• Serve chicken from the grill on a clean platter, never on the dish or platter used to hold raw chicken before cooking, unless the platter has been washed thoroughly with soap and water.
  
  
• Cooked foods should be kept out for no longer than 1 hour, especially when eating outdoors.
  
  
• Grilled chicken is good served cold or reheated, so grill extra pieces to enjoy later. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers and reheat in microwave or conventional oven. Grilled chicken can be mixed into salads and pasta dishes.

Marinades, Rubs and Basting Sauces

• Marinating chicken before grilling adds flavors and helps to retain moisture. Marinating is especially helpful when grilling skinless, boneless chicken breasts.
  
  
• Always marinate chicken in the refrigerator, using a glass or non-metallic bowl, or a zip-lock plastic bag. Turn the chicken several times.
  
  
• A half hour's marinating time, about the time it takes to heat your grill, is enough to add great flavor to your chicken. If you want even more flavor, continue to marinate up to, but not over, 24 hours.
  
  
• Never re-use marinade from raw chicken on chicken that has been cooked. If some of the marinade is desired for basting the chicken during cooking, set aside a portion of the marinade to use for this purpose.
  
  
• Rubs are a dry form of marinade. Mixtures of spices are hand rubbed onto the chicken and allowed to set in the refrigerator before putting chicken on the grill.
  
  
• Basting sauces are brushed onto the chicken while it's cooking. Apply sauces to the chicken on the grill only during the last 10 - 20 minutes of cooking to revent over-browning.

For more poultry cooking information visit our Cooking Guide.

Marinades

• 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon ginger and 1/2 teaspoon minced parsley leaves.
  
  
• 1/3 cup plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons minced green onion, 2 tablespoons chopped toasted almonds, 1/2 teaspoon coriander and 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes.
  
  
• 2 tablespoons mustard, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 4 teaspoons honey, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger.
  
  
• 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon thyme.

Seasoning Rubs

• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
  
  
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
  
  
• 1 teaspoon cardamom, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

Basting Sauces

• Boil in small saucepan: 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons mustard, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 2 tablespoons vinegar.
  
  
• Boil in small saucepan: 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1 clove garlic (minced), 1 teaspoon paprika and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon honey.
  
  
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in frypan. Add 1 small chopped onion and sauté. Stir in 1/4 cup minced celery, 1/2 cup water, 3/4 cup catsup, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.

Want more recipes?
Try the "Ultimate Chicken Recipe Database" or the "New Recipes" at
The National Chicken Council and US Egg and Poultry Association's web site, EatMoreChicken.com