Perfect Grilled Chicken

After many years of trying to figure out how to make chicken on the grill just right, it seems that I now have to formula to make that happen consistently.  It seems like so many times the center of the chicken is still uncooked while the outside has become a burnt offering!  🙁   Now you too can know what I have found out!

Ready To Serve!

At the last company BBQ, I cooked up some chicken for all to enjoy, and this recipe became a smash hit!  It is so simple that anyone can do it!

Ingredients

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons seasoning salt

nonstick cooking spray

Directions

Heat up the grill to medium – about 400 degrees

Spray the grill with nonstick spray so the chicken will not stick

Place the whole chicken breasts on the grill – hopefully you know your grills “hot spots…”

Grill enough to have it start to brown, but not burn, then turn it over to the other side

Once the second side is done about the same as the first side, take a knife and butterfly the breasts in half.

Now place the butterflied center on the grill and get the middle of the breasts grilling

At this point you want to sprinkle the sides that have already browned with the seasoning salt of your choice

Watch for the insides of the breast to be browned, then turn it over to finish the “outsides” while sprinkling the “insides” with seasoning salt

After a couple of minutes, you can turn it back over to the “insides” and finish grilling.

Most important hints:

Never overcook so the meat dries out.  This is accomplished by knowing your grill’s “hot spots” and by learning how to “feel” when the chicken is done but not overdone.  It takes experimentation to figure this out.  I used a sharp knife to cut into the breasts while I was learning this technique.  First, you know it is not done until the juices are running clear.  As soon as the juices are running clear, take you tongs and “feel” how the meat compacts when you squeeze it with the tongs.  Then use the knife to see if the middle of the breast is really done.  If it is done, voila!  If it needs a little more time, then repeat until it is done.  It will be moist and amazing if you get it off just as it gets done and not a minute later!  Once you have done this enough times you become confident in choosing, by “feel” when the breast is cooked but not overcooked.

This idea also works with any marinated chicken recipe, any BBQ chicken recipe, and with all other sorts of chicken that you want done to perfection on your grill!

Please respond and let me know how your experiments with this technique go for you!  🙂

Gary