Cooking boneless chicken breasts is considered one of the easiest grilling skills to master. But slow down, barbecue lover. There are a few tips to help you go from grilling fanatic to grilling pro. How to grill chicken on a gas grill.
Grilled chicken recipes have long been a staple in our house. It’s my favorite meat to cook in every way, and it’s at the heart of some of my best BBQ recipes. My fondest summer memories are cooking beautiful chicken breasts on our patio.
Don’t get me wrong, I still love burgers and grilled steaks, but they don’t quite measure up to chicken either. From simple chicken patties to elaborate kebabs, there’s a great grilled chicken recipe for every carnivore.
But grilling chicken isn’t as easy as it seems. They can dry out very quickly, which is enough to flatten any cookout.
Chicken can be easily cooked on a gas grill at 220°C. Simply grill for 5 minutes on each side or until the meat’s internal temperature reaches 75°C.
The secret to a perfectly grilled chicken lies not only in its time on the grill, but also in its prep time. With pre-seasoning and curing, a step is as important as any other.
Here’s my step-by-step guide to showing you how to grill chicken on a gas grill.
Choose organic skinless chicken breasts
While everyone has their favorite style of chicken cut, personally I’m more of a fan of the wings (the cut, not the band), today we’re specifically cooking with chicken breasts .
The boneless chicken breast meat makes it easy to cook and makes a great side dish or part of a burger. True, the larger the food, the longer it takes to cook, but I think that gives a lot more flexibility in what you actually use it for.
When it comes to choosing your brisket, try to choose organic. Not only are there clear ethical reasons for buying organic chicken, organic meat is always far superior in quality.
Organic chicken often has a much better texture and flavor quality than non-organic varieties.
Also available to buy without skin. Chicken breasts are generally very lean, but the skin can contain layers of fat that can become greasy when grilled.
Prepare with a meat mallet
Using a rolling pin or meat mallet, gently pound the chicken onto a counter or table surface. Do this until they are about half an inch thick on the chest. Do this for each breast.
Why are we doing this? Well, as with many cooking methods, one of the biggest challenges when grilling is cooking the meat evenly. By supporting our meat with an even thickness, we help avoid the problem while also making it easier to eat and cut.
Salted for 30 minutes
Now start the brine. This process will help keep the breasts moist and caramelize them nicely on the grill.
Add 1 part salt, 1 part sugar, and 8 parts water to a pan. Combine as best you can.
Remove the chicken from the plastic bags and carefully place them in the pan. Put the pan in your fridge and let it sit for half an hour. Do not store longer in the refrigerator.
If you need a good brine, check out the chicken wing brine recipe I use.
Use a BBQ seasoning
I love grilled fries. I use them with almost every meat I cook, and chicken is a meat that goes great with a good rub.
Many BBQ fans have their own dressing recipe that they stick to, but if you’re not sure where to start, here ‘s an easy BBQ chicken dressing recipe .
Aim for 425°F
Heat your gas grill to high heat. I personally prefer around 220 °C. This may take some time depending on the grill.
We want to create an environment where the breasts will grill quickly on high heat, so be sure to let the grill heat up properly.
This will also prevent the chicken from sticking to the grill .
Preseason
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and pat the brine dry with a paper towel. Pre-season them by drizzled with a little olive oil and sprinkled with salt.
Roasting time
Place each breast on the grill, making sure to leave some space between each breast. Do not close the grill as we frequently turn the breast and want to control the temperature of the grill as much as possible.
Grill at 425°F (or 220°C) and smoke about 5 minutes per side. Turn the chicken frequently until the desired internal temperature of 75°C is reached. I highly recommend getting a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the chicken.
Writer & content creator. BBQ fanatic!
