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For
many people chicken is a favorite "ol standby"
always easily paired with other items on the menu and
flexible enough to accommodate a variety of flavors, seasonings,
sauces and the like. Like most other meats, chicken can be
cooked in a variety of ways. One of our favorite ways to prepare
"ol faithful" is to grill it. There is something
about the wonderful flavors imparted by the grill that cannot
be duplicated in the oven.
The key to grilling chicken is to cook the
chicken all the way through and yet not dry it out in the
process. There are several ways you can avoid this all-to-common
outcome.
Indirect heat: Most of the
grilling we do in our test kitchen is done over a 4 burner
gas grill. This is the same size grill that is common in many
households.
Step 1: Light both sides of the
grill, cover and let the grill heat up to about 400-500
degrees F.
Step 2: Make sure that your chicken
is lightly coated in oil to prohibit it from sticking
to the grill racks.
Step 3: Turn 2 burners on one
side of the grill off. Place the chicken on the "off-side"
and let cook for 5-6 minutes. (The grill rack is still
very hot so the chicken will still sear on the outside
but will not be exposed to the direct flame. This allows
the chicken to cook through but not be burned by flare-ups,
or the intense fire.)
Step 4: Turn the burners that
were off back on and turn the other side off. Turn the
chicken over onto the new "off" side. Let cook
for another 5-6 minutes.
Step 5: Continue this process
4 or 5 times, or for a total cooking time of about 25-30
minutes. The chicken is done when the juices run clear
when pierced with a fork.
Step 6: Transfer the chicken
to a platter and tent with foil. Let the chicken rest
for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Brine
it: This method is particularly helpful with boneless,
skinless chicken breasts. Without the protective layer of
skin and the bone, and the uneven thickness, you frequently
end up with a dry piece of meat when its done. Pounding
the chicken to an even thickness, brining it and then grilling
it over direct heat will solve this problem.
Step 1: Remove the tenderloin
and reserve it for another purpose (this little piece
will not cook at the same rate as the other part of the
chicken breast).
Step 2: Pound the boneless, skinless
chicken breasts out to a thickness of 1/2 inch. This will
give the breast a uniform thickness, plus it will break
up the meat slightly which will allow the brine to penetrate
a little better.
Step 3: To prepare the brine,
dissolve 1-1/2 tablespoons of table salt (or 1/4 cup of
kosher salt) with 1/4 cup of sugar in 8 cups of cold water.
This will make enough brine for 4 chicken breasts. If
you are making more of less, adjust the amount of brine
accordingly. The sugar in the brine will caramelize on
the surface of the chicken as it cooks, giving it a good,
grilled coloring. To help dissolve the sugar and water
you can add it to 1 cup of boiling water, stir until dissolved
and add to the remaining water. Make sure the brine
is cool before you add the chicken. You can brine
in a shallow, covered baking dish or a large zip lock
bag. Brine the chicken for 30 minutes. It is important
that you give the brine enough time to work, but that
you dont over do it.
Step 4: Preheat the grill. The
grill should be hot before you put the chicken on. Make
sure that the grill racks are clean and lightly coated
with oil.
Step 5: With the grill hot, put
the chicken over the hottest part of the fire. The total
cooking time should be about 4 minutes. Turn the chicken
only once and leave the lid off the grill. You want to
cook by direct heat, and only direct heat. Timing is very
important because of the short cooking time.
Step 6: Transfer the chicken
to a platter and tent with foil. Let the chicken rest
for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Both methods are great and both will produce
a delicious, juicy piece of chicken. Now that you are a pro
at grilling chicken, test out these great summer recipes!
Grilled
Chicken & Grape Salad
Grilled
Chicken with Berry Relish
Grilled
Chicken with Chili Sauce
Grilled
Chicken with Lemons & Balsamic Vinegar
Grilled
Chicken Wings
Grilled
Chicken with Sweet Chili Glaze
Grilled
Chicken with Guava BBQ Sauce
Hawaiian
Grilled Chicken
Spicy
Grilled Chicken Wings
Grilled
Chicken with Rosemary
Grilled
Chicken with Fresh BBQ Sauce
Enjoy!
- Glutenfreeda
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