Mastering Chicken Bbq On A Propane Grill

Grilling chicken on a propane barbecue is a great way to add flavour to the meat, but it can be easy to overcook or dry out the chicken. There are a few key steps to follow to ensure your chicken stays moist and tender. Firstly, it's important to let the chicken come up to room temperature before grilling, to ensure even cooking. Secondly, a good marinade will add flavour and moisture to the meat. You can use a dry brine or a wet brine, but remember that dry brines take longer to penetrate the meat. Thirdly, preheat your grill to a medium-high heat, and oil the grill grates to prevent sticking. Place the chicken on the grill and cook for around 9-10 minutes, turning every few minutes to ensure even cooking and to avoid burning. Finally, let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the juices to settle.

Preparing the chicken

Firstly, select the right chicken breasts. Choose breasts of similar size and thickness, preferably boneless and skinless. This ensures even cooking and prevents overcooking. If you do have thicker breasts, use a meat mallet to flatten them to a uniform thickness of about 3/4 inch.

Next, marinate the chicken. A simple marinade can be made with olive oil, salt, pepper, and any desired seasonings. You can also add some lemon juice, BBQ sauce, or other ingredients for extra flavour. Place the chicken in a large plastic zip-top bag, pour in the marinade, and ensure the chicken is fully coated. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes, or even overnight for maximum flavour.

Before placing the chicken on the grill, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. This helps the chicken cook more evenly. However, don't leave it out for too long to avoid food contamination.

Finally, pre-season the chicken generously with olive oil, salt, pepper, and any other desired seasonings. The olive oil helps to hold in moisture, increase those golden sear marks, and ensure that the seasonings stick to the meat.

Marinating the chicken

Firstly, you can use a dry brine. This involves pre-salting the chicken and adding flavourings such as seasoning, fruit juices or balsamic vinegar just before grilling. This method takes at least 3-4 hours, so if you're short on time, a wet brine is a better option. For a wet brine, submerge the chicken in a mixture of 3 cups of orange juice and 2 ounces of salt. Leave the chicken in the brine for no more than 2 hours, then season with your chosen spice blend.

If you don't have time to brine the chicken, you can still add flavour by marinating it. Place the chicken in a large plastic zip-top bag and pour in your chosen marinade, ensuring the chicken is fully covered. Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes, but preferably overnight if you have the time. A simple marinade could be olive oil for a simple, tender taste, or BBQ sauce if you want to add some heat.

Once the chicken is marinated, it's important to let it come to room temperature before grilling. This allows for more even cooking throughout. Leave the chicken out of the fridge for about 30 minutes before placing it on the grill.

Cooking temperature

The temperature you cook your chicken at is crucial to achieving that perfect, juicy grilled chicken. Get it wrong, and you could end up with dry, overcooked meat.

Firstly, preheat your grill to a medium-high heat. You want the surface temperature to be around 425-450°F. If you are cooking chicken breasts, this is the best temperature to ensure they are cooked through without drying out. Thighs, legs, and wings are better suited to lower temperatures and longer cooking times.

Once your grill is preheated, place your chicken on the grate and cook for around 9-10 minutes in total, flipping the chicken halfway through. You want to achieve an even sear on both sides. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165°F. This is the minimum safe temperature for chicken, and it is important to use a meat thermometer to check this.

If you are cooking chicken breasts, it is important not to overcook them. They are lean and easy to dry out. You can avoid this by butterflying and pounding the chicken breasts to an even thickness before grilling. You can also avoid overcooking by removing the chicken from the heat when it reaches an internal temperature of 157-160°F and letting it rest, covered in foil. The residual heat will bring the chicken up to the required 165°F.

If you are cooking thighs, legs, or wings, you can cook them at a lower temperature, around 250-300°F, for a longer time. This will give you that classic, slow-cooked barbecue flavour and ensure the meat stays juicy.

Grill preparation

Before you start grilling your chicken, there are a few important steps to follow to ensure your chicken is cooked to perfection.

Firstly, you want to bring your chicken to room temperature. Take it out of the fridge and let it sit for about 30 minutes. This is an important step as it allows the chicken to cook more evenly. However, do not leave it out for too long, or you risk food contamination.

Next, you will want to pre-season your chicken. Coat both sides of the chicken breasts generously with olive oil. This helps to hold in moisture, increase those golden sear marks, and ensures that your seasonings stick to the meat. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and any other desired seasonings.

Now it's time to preheat your grill. Turn on your propane grill and set it to medium-high heat, aiming for a temperature of around 350-450°F. You want to make sure your grill is nice and hot before adding the chicken, so leave it to preheat for about 10-15 minutes.

Once your grill is preheated, it's a good idea to grease the grill grates to prevent the chicken from sticking. You can use a vegetable oil spray or apply vegetable oil with a paper towel.

Your grill is now ready for your chicken!

Cooking time

Cooking chicken on a propane grill requires careful timing to avoid overcooking or undercooking. The timing depends on the cut of chicken, the temperature of the grill, and whether the chicken is boneless or bone-in.

Boneless Chicken Breasts

Boneless chicken breasts are one of the most challenging proteins to cook on a grill. They are very lean, so they can easily dry out and become tasteless. To avoid this, it is important to monitor the internal temperature of the meat with a meat thermometer. The USDA minimum safe temperature for chicken is 165°F, but you can take the chicken off the grill at 157-160°F as the temperature will continue to rise as the meat rests.

On a preheated grill with a surface temperature of 425-450°F, boneless chicken breasts will take around 10-20 minutes to cook. You should flip the chicken every 5 minutes to ensure even cooking and watch out for hot spots on the grill that may cause the meat to blacken and dry out. If your grill has adjustable burners, keep one burner on a lower temperature so you can move the chicken there if it is cooking too quickly and prevent it from drying out.

Bone-in Chicken

Bone-in chicken pieces, such as thighs, legs, wings, and breasts, are better suited to barbecuing than boneless chicken breasts because they can withstand longer, slower cooking times without drying out. On a grill with a temperature of around 250-300°F, bone-in chicken will take around 20-30 minutes to cook. You can sear the chicken skin-side down on a hotter part of the grill first, then move it to the cooler side to finish cooking.

Timing Tips

• Allow the chicken to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before grilling. This helps it cook more evenly.
• Preheat your grill for 10-15 minutes before adding the chicken.
• If your grill doesn't have a thermometer, medium to medium-high heat will be around 400-500°F on most propane grills.
• Always use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken, rather than relying on timing alone.
• Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes after removing it from the grill. This helps retain moisture and keeps the chicken juicy and tender.

Frequently asked questions