How to Cook Chicken on a Gas Grill

Although there are many ways to prepare chicken for eating, sometimes grilling comes out ahead due to the taste it achieves.  The cook can be creative with marinades and seasonings. Follow these steps for a simple way to fix your bird up right for the next family barbecue.

Step 1: Take the giblets of the chicken out of the cavity of the chicken and then rinse the rest of the bird under cold water.  Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season both inside and out with the salt, pepper and two tablespoons of minced fresh basil, along with cilantro, rosemary, sage, tarragon or thyme, or a mixture of a few of those seasonings depending on your taste.

Step 2: Get the hot coals ready for the charcoal grill.  Rake coals to one side; you will grill the chicken next to these coals and not atop them.

Step 3: Make sure the grill plate is clean. Use a stiff, wire brush to do so. Coat the grill rack with oil, using tongs and a small towel that is not important to you.

Step 4: Put the chicken on the side of the grill that is unheated, with the breast side down.  The bird should be cooked, with the grill top down for about a half-hour.  When time is up, turn the chicken breast over and continue to cook until the chicken’s skin is a golden-brown color and the meat is cooked all the way through.  This will take about 30 more minutes.

Step 5: Doneness can be checked by cutting the center of the chicken.  If the inside is no longer pink in color, the meat is done.  Juices should also run clear at the thickest part of the bird.

Step 6: Allow the bird to sit for about 15 minutes before serving.

Tips

  • Only turn one of the grill burners on high to ensure that half of the grill is lit. This will help avoid overcooking the meat.
  • Try using a marinade to add flavor to the chicken.  Chicken can be marinated for an hour or even 24 hour hours to let the flavor set in.

Warnings

  • Make sure the meat is completely done because partially raw meat is not safe to eat and can lead to food-borne illness.  To be safe, use a meat thermometer.  When it reads 170 degrees Fahrenheit, the chicken is safe to eat.

Items Needed

  1. Charcoal
  2. Chicken, herbs, olive oil
  3. Meat thermometer
  4. Barbecue grill
  5. Grill utensils
  6. Knife
  7. Wire grill brush
  8. Cutting board
  9. Salt and pepper
  10. Oil for grill

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