Best Grilled Chicken
No one wants to get a dry, burnt up piece of flavorless chicken off the grill or the smoker. Stick with me here and you will never serve up another disappointing piece of poultry and I’m also sharing three of my favorite chicken marinades for y’all to try out.
Flatten the Chicken
Here’s one of the biggest tips in grilling and cooking chicken- you need to beat it!
Prepare the chicken breast by first placing it inside a gallon-sized plastic bag. Take a meat hammer or a rolling pin and use it to flatten the chicken breast. By beating the chicken breast until it thins out a bit, you ensure that the meat will cook evenly and it will also accept seasoning better.
TIP: In a hurry? Flattening the chicken breast will make it cook faster!
Marinate
I have included three different marinade recipes below. Remember, a marinade needs something acidic to help it sink in and tenderize, and also something sweet for balance. I like to add honey and brown sugar because they compliment the acidic ingredients. Add spices with smoky flavors like our Red River Ranch Mesquite Seasoning to sweeteners like honey. They will caramelize onto the outside of the chicken and create a beautiful shine so the meat looks as good as it tastes.
Pour the marinade into a plastic baggie with the chicken breast and seal up in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. The longer you marinate the meat, the stronger the flavor will be.
TIP: Flattening the chicken breast breaks the thin membrane that surrounds it, allowing the marinade to seep down into the meat and create a richer flavor.
Method 1: Tinfoil
The Hasty Bake grill I am using today (Legacy 131) will allow us to cook the chicken over direct heat on one side or over indirect heat on the other. For the chicken breast that is going over the direct heat, we are going to wrap it in foil to prevent the outside from burning before the chicken is cooked all the way through.
TIP: To smoke chicken or fish, use alder wood and apple wood.
Place the chicken breast on top of a sheet of aluminum foil. Pour a little of the marinade on top, reserving some for later. Top with butter. Wrap up in foil and cook about 5-7 minutes on each side.
After steaming, take the breast out of the foil and place directly on the grill. Pour half of the remaining marinade on top of the chicken and have it set there just a minute or two and then flip. Finish on the grill until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F.
Method 2: Indirect Heat
Now, we are going to use the side of the Hasty Bake grill that pulls the heat and smoke from the fire but that keeps the meat itself out of the flames. When grilling chicken on this side of the grill, we do not need to wrap the meat in foil. The smoke and heat from the fire will cook the chicken beautifully without burning the outside before it is done.
Remember to reserve the remaining marinade and baste the outside of the chicken breast every few minutes when you flip it. The more marinade you add, the better color, caramelization, and flavor you are going to get.
Tip: Don’t be afraid to flip the chicken as it cooks. Grill until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Method 3: Smoker
If you like that good smoked flavor and have a little more time, try out the smoking method.
I’m using the Pit Barrel Cooker. Place the chicken directly onto the grill. The fire in the barrel is pretty low so the chicken is smothered by the smoke. Keep the smoker temperature at about 200 to 210 degrees and leave it until the chicken is about 165 degrees.
The smoked method will take the longest about 20 to 30 minutes.
TIP: Top the chicken with a couple of pats of butter before you fold the foil over – this will help the butter steam the chicken inside of the foil and create more moisture.
These methods of grilling chicken should cover any type of outdoor cooker you have under any kind of conditions. If you are ever unsure how to cook any type of food outdoors, come visit us at our YouTube channel. We share a new video each week on Wednesday at 2:30 CST. See y’all next week!
Spicy Chipotle Chicken Marinade – Cowboy Kent Rollins
Ingredients
- 1 large skinless boneless chicken breast
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon Kent’s Mesquite Seasoning or your favorite all purpose or Mexican blend
- 3 tablespoons crushed chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce from can
- ½ cup honey
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a plastic bag and pound with a rolling pin to tenderize and reduce the thickness slightly.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients.
- Pour the contents into the bag with the chicken and roll around to coat. Place in the icebox for at least 4 hours.
- Remove from the bag and grill immediately when ready.
Mexican Chicken Marinade – Cowboy Kent Rollins
Ingredients
- 1 large skinless, boneless chicken breast
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons avocado oil
- 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons Kent's Original seasoning or blend of your choice
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a plastic bag and pound with a rolling pin to tenderize and reduce the thickness slightly.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients.
- Pour the contents into the bag with the chicken and roll around to coat. Place in the icebox for at least 4 hours.
- Remove from the bag and grill immediately when ready.
Italian Chicken Marinade – Cowboy Kent Rollins
Ingredients
- 1 large skinless, boneless chicken breast
- ⅓ cup Italian dressing
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cloves
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 tablespoon coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a plastic bag and pound with a rolling pin to tenderize and reduce the thickness slightly.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients.
- Pour the contents into the bag with the chicken and roll around to coat. Place in the icebox for at least 4 hours.
- Remove from the bag and grill immediately when ready.
