Grilled Greek Chicken and Pitas
Roasted Chicken and Corn Salad
Cranberry Glazed Turkey Tenderloins
Grilling chicken is a fast, easy way to get a weeknight dinner done in a hurry. Boneless pieces like chicken breasts or thighs cook faster than bone-in, but have less flavor. Either way, we start with a rub and finish with a sauce, so everything tastes great.
Barbecued Chicken is grilled chicken, whole or in pieces, that ends with a good barbecue sauce. The most common problem we hear about is chicken that is burned on the outside before it is cooked all the way through. This problem is most often caused by putting the sauce on too soon - the sauce contains a lot of sugar, and sugar burns.
So start your chicken off with a good massage or a dip in a good marinade. Try our Texas Barbecue Rub! Sprinkle the pieces liberally with the rub and massage it in. Let it set for at least 30 minutes - use the time get the veggies ready and start up your grill.
You will need a medium-hot grill to start - use the usual hot side/cool side configuration, and heat up the grate before you put the meat on. Plop the chicken pieces over the coals and let sit for about 2-3 mins to develop good grill marks. Then turn the pieces 90 degrees and let them set for 2-3 minutes. Keep spraying down any flare-ups. Flip the chicken pieces, and repeat - 2-3 mins, then a quarter-turn and 2-3 more minutes.
Move the chicken pieces to the cooler side of the grill, add more wood chips, if necessary, and and shut all the vents half-way to cool the fire. Cook until the internal temperature of the smallest piece is between 155 and 160 degrees, flipping about every 8-10 minutes until it reaches that temperature. Then put the sauce on one side, letting it sit on the grill for a couple of minutes, then turn and sauce the other side. By this time, the internal temp should be about 165 - so take the pieces off, cover with foil and let them set them on the stove to "rest" for about 5 mins while you set the table.
Menu Suggestions:
Barbecue Beans
Romaine Salad with Apples and Pecans
Grilled Potato Wedges
Potatoes are easy to grill - just use a size and shape that will finish cooking in a timeframe that matches your other dishes. To roast a large Russet or Sweet Potato on a grill takes about an hour to an hour-and-a-half, depending on the size of the potato. To speed things up, quarter small or medium-size potatoes lengthwise.
Brush the wedges with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Make a simple foil tray, and put this on the cooler side of the grill while the chicken is on the hot side - then switch places when the chicken moves to the cool side of the grill. You will then turn the fire down, and the potatoes will roast while the chicken finishes cooking.
Turn the wedges occasionally while the chicken finishes. They're done when they are fork-tender, about 25-30 mins.
This is the most often asked question for the Girls on a Grill, and the answer is usually in the sauce! It's SUGAR! Sauces and rubs that contain sugar and other sweeteners, such as corn syrup, molasses, and even high fructose fruit juices, caramelize and burn long before the meat is cooked. Use rubs and marinades that are light on the sweeteners, spritz with fresh citrus, and save the sauce for the last 10 mins of cooking, or serve it on the side. Your chicken will thank you, and so will your guests!