Chook Me!

How to grill chicken breasts on a Gas Grill?

I just bought a grill and propane tank. 1. What is the easiest way to cook BBQ chicken breasts? 2. How long does it take normally? 3. What level of flame should there be? 4. Any special way to prepare the chicken or grill?

Public Comments

1. First off, turn your grill down on low and just let the chicken cook for awhile (about 45min-1hour) depending on size. Do not add the BBQ sauce until about 10 min or so before removing the chicken. The reason for that is because the BBQ sauce will burn. So unless you like burnt chicken don't add until the end. Just prepare your chicken however you like, then add to the grill that is set on low, let it cook for about 45 min then add the BBQ sauce. I hope that this helps! Also, I always cut the chicken open before removing just to make sure it is done. If you are cooking chicken legs always cut to the bone to make sure there is no blood. Because obviously you don't want to wat raw chicken. Good luck with the new grill!
2. This is easy. Get your chicken breasts and put them in a ziploc bag. Add your favorite BBQ sauce (I recommend Stubb's Spicy) to the bag and let it sit there for about 20 minutes. It can sit longer, but in my experience it doesn't really matter with bbq sauce. Depending on the thickness of the breast, I usually grill each side about 7-8 minutes on medium heat. Afterwards, you can serve over a bed of rice or alone with some veggie like broccoli.
3. Boneless breasts? Marinate for a few hours (I like to start with a bottled Italian Dressing and then add extra garlic and a splash of balsamic vinegar. heat grill to high and then when it is HOT turn to low. Grill the breasts on one side until your see those nice grill marks. Turn over and grill on the other side. You will need to cut into one to see if the juices run clear. After you have done it a time or two on your new grill you will know how long it takes. You don't need to oil the grill if there is oil in your marinade If you are using bone-in breasts then marinate and cook in the mircowave for oh say, 8 minutes for 2 breasts. Then grill the same way as for the boneless ones. Pre-cooking cuts down on the time spent tending the grill. Have fun!
4. The best way I've found to cook chicken simply on the grill is to brine it first. In 8 cups of water, dissolve 1/4 cup kosher salt (not table salt), 1/4 cup sugar, and whatever spices you want to flavor the chicken with. Put the chicken in the brine for about an hour for boneless, skinless breasts. The salt will make the chicken retain more water, the seasonings will go deeply into the meat, and it will be well-flavored. It will also give you a little leeway on temperature; even though chicken breasts are notorious for being dry if overcooked, I've made mine to 190* before (whoops), and they were still pretty moist. If you grill it on high, it might take 6-7 minutes. Depends on the thickness of the breasts; brining also makes the cooking process go faster. Put them over direct heat, and have a meat thermometer ready if you have one; cook them to 165*F, and they should go up the extra 5* while resting. Preheat the grill; if you're using barbeque sauce, brush it on during the last few minutes of cooking so it won't burn.