Funny Nature & Travel Art & Stage Going Viral Science Greetings Inspirational

Edit Profile Recently Viewed Favorites

Main > Health & Lifestyle > Recipes & Drinks

The Full Troubleshooting Guide for Grilled Chicken

Edited By: Tamar Z.

Add to Favorites In Favorites

Español

Font Size:

A+ A-

The relationship between the cook and the chicken they are trying to grill is usually a love/hate one. On the one hand, everyone loves a good grilled chicken. On the other hand, the road to the perfect grilled chicken is filled with obstacles. In this article, we'll try to teach you some ways to overcome each obstacle. In between, we included some photos of perfectly cooked chicken for inspiration and motivation.

Chicken is unevenly cooked: let it thaw to room temperature

Letting the chicken thaw in the fridge, even if you do it for 24 hours and it is not frozen solid, is not enough. What you should do instead is take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature before putting it on a hot grill. If not, you risk a dried-out exterior with an uncooked interior. 30 minutes out of the fridge will be enough.

The chicken came out dry: keep the grill at medium-high heat at most

Grilling is an art, and I’m sure every person who ever manned the barbecue would agree. And just like every other art form, you cannot rush it. Take enough time ahead to give your chicken enough time to cook on medium to medium-high heat. When you avoid cranking the heat all the way up, you will get an evenly cooked chicken AND grill marks.

Chicken is charred and stiff: preheat the grill

This one tip, just like the last section, comes down to taking enough time ahead. Let the grill preheat evenly and avoid putting the chicken straight on an open flame. Dedicate a section for indirect cooking; either turn off one of the burners on a gas stove or arrange the coals on one side of the grill. You could also cook it on the elevated rack.

The chicken came out dry: brine it

Just about every tip mentioned in this article will help you retain moisture. But brining the chicken will be your one game changer. Brining will ensure an even spread of moisture in all parts of the bird. It could be a wet brine with salt, sugar, and water or a dry brine with salt and herbs and maybe some butter. Let the chicken brine for a few hours before going on the grill.

If you prefer a marinade over brine, it can work perfectly fine too. Throw into your marinade whatever tickles your fancy. A simple mix of vinegar, mustard, oil, herbs, and some BBQ sauce or honey will do the job just fine. Basting the chicken with a marinade throughout the cooking will result in a satisfying crust.

Bored of chicken breasts? Try these two alternatives

Chicken breasts may be a crowd pleaser, but they’re not always the cook's pleaser. Try swapping them out for chicken thighs instead. A larger quantity of fat in the thighs makes it a much more forgiving cut on the grill. They could also stand higher temperatures than the lean chicken breast.

For a bigger challenge with rewarding results, try cooking a whole chicken spatchcock. Make sure you buy the entire bird, with the skin and the bones. This is important to protect the chicken from drying out. Don’t forget to brine it too. Spatchcock chicken can be cooked more easily. Let it brine and thaw in the fridge for up to 48 hours before putting it, skin side down first on the grill. If you’ve never done something like this before, this video will be a great guide.

having trouble playing this movie? click here

H/T: Huffpost

Like Next Post Send Share WhatsApp

Copy Link

Did you mean:

Continue With: Facebook Google

By continuing, you agree to our T&C and Privacy Policy

Report copyright infringement

Print this content

You may also like:

Recipes & Drinks

Do Not Throw Away Old Tomatoes! - 4 Delicious Recipes

13:12

4 Yummy New Ways To Enjoy Tomatoes

From stir-fried tomatoes with eggs to tomato kimchi, these delicious and simple recipes ensure you'll never have too many leftover tomatoes again.

Tips, Life Hacks and DIY

6 Common Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Barbecue

A few common mistakes to avoid if you want to get that perfect flavorful home barbecue.

Tips, Life Hacks and DIY

7:28

Clever and Speedy Breakfast Hacks Anyone Should Know

Preparing an amazing breakfast doesn’t have to take you much time and energy - these clever hacks and tricks will surely help!

Tips, Life Hacks and DIY

To Make the Perfect Burgers, AVOID These Common Mistakes

10:05

The Biggest Mistakes of Cooking a Burger

Cooking burgers is the easiest thing, right? Well, there a few common mistakes people still make quite often.

Tips, Life Hacks and DIY

Plating Tips & Tricks That’ll Make Any Dish Look Fancy

10:36

11 Clever Ways to Present Food Like a Chef

If you want to add that extra bit of glamour to your next homemade dessert, the plating tips in this video are exactly what you need.

Recipes & Drinks

After Reading This, You'll Never Buy Expensive Meat Again!

Do you know what the major difference between a cheap and an expensive cut of meat is? Here are 5 effective methods of making tough cuts of meat taste absolutely heavenly!

Baba Recommends

14:32

This Old Interview Sheds Light on 19th Century Living

This collection features rare, restored interviews with individuals born in the nineteenth century

Health

The Vitamins That Cancel Out Your Supplements

The Vitamin Mistakes That Quietly Cancel Out Your Supplements

All about what vitamins you shouldn't take together and which ones you should.

Send Comment

Related Topics: tips, food, cooking, baba recommends, chicken, meat, summer, BBQ, grill, home cooked meal, grilling tips, brine

Quizzes

Cold-Environment Animal Trivia Quiz

This 12-question challenge will test your knowledge of the frozen wild. Bundle up, grab a warm drink, and let's see if you have what it takes to survive the cold!

General Knowledge Quiz February 2026

General knowledge is the quiet accumulation of history, culture, science, geography, and the odd fact that sticks with us for decades. This test isn’t about memorization or trendy topics—it’s about the long view. Y

What is Your Relation to Time?

his test invites you into small scenes - workdays, dinners, trips, surprises - so your natural tempo shows up without trying.