Grilling and Barbecue
Cooking Skills: Chicken 1
Chapter 4 · Grilling and Barbecue
Skill goal
Cook chicken over high heat with marinades so the outside is charred and the inside is cooked through.
Shopping list for this chapter
The basics
Grilling (under a grill, on a ridged pan or on a barbecue) is fast, high heat. Chicken is a tricky meat for it because the outside burns before the inside is cooked. The trick is a two-zone fire: a hot side to sear and a cooler side to finish. Sear first, then move to the cooler side with the lid down, turning once or twice, until the thickest part reads 75°C. Under a grill, use a lower shelf for thick pieces.
Marinades add flavour and a little tenderness: acid (lemon, yogurt), oil, salt and herbs or spices. A yogurt marinade is gentle; a long acid soak makes the surface mushy. Thin, even pieces cook best. Cooking Skills: Sauces 2, chapter 7 covers marinades, rubs and glazes in detail, and Cooking Skills: Sauces 2, chapter 5 covers salsas to serve alongside.
The method
- Marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes to 4 hours in a covered dish; not longer with acid.
- Pat off wet marinade, so the chicken sears instead of steaming.
- Sear over high heat, then move to the cooler side or lower shelf to cook through.
- Turn only once or twice, and brush on sugary glazes in the last few minutes.
- Check 75°C, then rest for 5 minutes before serving.
| Dish | Cut | Marinade | Cook (approximate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grilled thighs | Boneless thigh | Lemon, garlic, herbs | 12 to 15 minutes |
| Yogurt skewers | Breast cubes | Yogurt, lemon, garlic | 10 to 12 minutes |
| Barbecue drumsticks | Drumstick | Barbecue-style sauce | Oven 30 + grill 10 minutes |
| Chicken burgers | Minced thigh | Herbs and spring onion | 5 to 6 minutes a side |
Raw chicken, hot grill, barbecue and marinade
Raw chicken: the safety rules: raw chicken often carries campylobacter and salmonella. Never wash it (the splashes spread bacteria around the kitchen), keep it covered on the bottom shelf of the fridge, use its own board, knife and tongs, wash your hands, boards and tools in hot soapy water afterwards, and never put cooked food back on a plate or board that held raw chicken. Use it by the use-by date, or freeze it on the day you buy it.Hot grill: a grill is extremely hot and food under it burns in a minute. Stay at the cooker, use oven gloves and keep the grill pan clear of loose items. Cheese bubbles and drips, so use a tray.
Barbecue safety: use a barbecue outdoors only, never in a tent, garage or indoors, because it gives off carbon monoxide, which you cannot see or smell. Never use petrol or extra lighter fluid on lit coals, keep children and pets away, and never leave it unattended. Always check chicken is cooked through, since it can be burnt outside and raw inside.
Marinades and raw chicken: never reuse a marinade that has touched raw chicken as a sauce unless you boil it hard for at least a few minutes. Marinate in the fridge, not on the worktop, in a covered dish, and discard the marinade or boil it before serving.
Try it
Level 1 · Start here
Lemon and herb grilled thighs
The easiest chicken for the grill, because thigh stays juicy even when you are not watching. A short lemon, garlic and herb marinade does the rest. Grill skin-side up first to render the fat, then flip.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 8 boneless chicken thighs, skin on or off
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 tbsp chopped thyme and parsley
- 1 tsp flaked sea salt
- Mix the oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper. Coat the thighs, cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- Heat the grill (or barbecue) to high. Lift the thighs from the marinade, shake off the excess, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes a side, moving to a cooler spot if they char.
- Check 75°C in the thickest part, rest for 5 minutes and serve with lemon.
Raw chicken, hot grill and marinade
Raw chicken: the safety rules: raw chicken often carries campylobacter and salmonella. Never wash it (the splashes spread bacteria around the kitchen), keep it covered on the bottom shelf of the fridge, use its own board, knife and tongs, wash your hands, boards and tools in hot soapy water afterwards, and never put cooked food back on a plate or board that held raw chicken. Use it by the use-by date, or freeze it on the day you buy it.Hot grill: a grill is extremely hot and food under it burns in a minute. Stay at the cooker, use oven gloves and keep the grill pan clear of loose items. Cheese bubbles and drips, so use a tray.
Marinades and raw chicken: never reuse a marinade that has touched raw chicken as a sauce unless you boil it hard for at least a few minutes. Marinate in the fridge, not on the worktop, in a covered dish, and discard the marinade or boil it before serving.
Is it cooked? Use a thermometer: chicken is safe when the thickest part reaches 75°C (or 70°C held for 2 minutes), the meat is white all the way through with no pink, and the juices run clear (general guidance, in line with current FSA advice). Push a probe thermometer into the thickest part without touching bone, and for a whole bird check the thickest part of the thigh. If in doubt, cook it longer.
Level 2 · Skewers
Yogurt and lemon skewers
Cubes of breast (or thigh) marinated in yogurt, lemon and garlic, threaded on skewers and grilled. The yogurt makes them tender and helps them brown. Cut the pieces the same size so they cook together, and leave space between them on the skewer.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 600 g chicken breast or thigh, cut into 3 cm cubes
- 150 g plain Greek yogurt
- 1 lemon, juice
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp flaked sea salt
- 8 skewers (metal, or wooden soaked in water for 30 minutes)
- Mix the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, paprika and salt, coat the chicken, cover and marinate in the fridge for 1 to 4 hours.
- Thread the chicken on skewers, leaving small gaps. Heat the grill to high.
- Grill for 10 to 12 minutes, turning every 3 minutes, until charred in places. Check a cube is 75°C and white inside.
Raw chicken, hot grill and allergens
Raw chicken: the safety rules: raw chicken often carries campylobacter and salmonella. Never wash it (the splashes spread bacteria around the kitchen), keep it covered on the bottom shelf of the fridge, use its own board, knife and tongs, wash your hands, boards and tools in hot soapy water afterwards, and never put cooked food back on a plate or board that held raw chicken. Use it by the use-by date, or freeze it on the day you buy it.Hot grill: a grill is extremely hot and food under it burns in a minute. Stay at the cooker, use oven gloves and keep the grill pan clear of loose items. Cheese bubbles and drips, so use a tray.
Marinades and raw chicken: never reuse a marinade that has touched raw chicken as a sauce unless you boil it hard for at least a few minutes. Marinate in the fridge, not on the worktop, in a covered dish, and discard the marinade or boil it before serving.
Allergens: contains milk.
Level 2 · Oven then grill
Barbecue-style drumsticks
Sticky drumsticks are best cooked in the oven first, so they are safe and tender, and finished on the grill or barbecue with a sweet, smoky sauce for colour. This avoids the classic problem of burnt outsides and raw insides.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 8 chicken drumsticks
- 4 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6). Roast the drumsticks on a lined tray for 30 minutes. Meanwhile mix the sauce ingredients in a small pan and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Brush the drumsticks with the sauce and finish under a hot grill (or on the barbecue) for 8 to 10 minutes, turning and brushing, until sticky and charred in spots.
- Check the thickest drumstick reads 75°C. Rest for 5 minutes.
Raw chicken, hot oven, grill and allergens
Raw chicken: the safety rules: raw chicken often carries campylobacter and salmonella. Never wash it (the splashes spread bacteria around the kitchen), keep it covered on the bottom shelf of the fridge, use its own board, knife and tongs, wash your hands, boards and tools in hot soapy water afterwards, and never put cooked food back on a plate or board that held raw chicken. Use it by the use-by date, or freeze it on the day you buy it.Hot oven and hot trays: ovens, trays and tins are hot enough to burn badly. Use dry oven gloves (a damp cloth conducts heat), pull the shelf out a little before lifting a tray, put hot things on a heatproof surface and keep children away.
Hot grill: a grill is extremely hot and food under it burns in a minute. Stay at the cooker, use oven gloves and keep the grill pan clear of loose items. Cheese bubbles and drips, so use a tray.
Is it cooked? Use a thermometer: chicken is safe when the thickest part reaches 75°C (or 70°C held for 2 minutes), the meat is white all the way through with no pink, and the juices run clear (general guidance, in line with current FSA advice). Push a probe thermometer into the thickest part without touching bone, and for a whole bird check the thickest part of the thigh. If in doubt, cook it longer.
Level 3 · Mince
Chicken burgers
Chicken burgers are lean and dry out easily, so use thigh mince, add moisture (grated courgette or onion) and don't overwork it. Because mince spoils faster, they must be cooked right through to 75°C. Serve in a bun with salsa or yogurt sauce.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 500 g minced chicken thigh
- 1 small onion, grated
- 4 spring onions, finely sliced
- 40 g fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp flaked sea salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 burger buns
- Mix the mince, onion, spring onions, breadcrumbs, parsley, paprika and salt gently with your hands. Shape into 4 patties 2 cm thick and chill for 30 minutes.
- Brush with oil and grill (or fry) over a medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes a side until no pink remains and the middle reads 75°C.
- Rest for 3 minutes and serve in buns.
Minced chicken, hot grill and allergens
Minced chicken must be cooked through: burgers and anything made from mince must be cooked right through to 75°C, with no pink inside. Mince spoils faster than whole pieces, so keep it very cold, use it the day you buy it, and wash your hands, board and tools in hot soapy water afterwards.Hot grill: a grill is extremely hot and food under it burns in a minute. Stay at the cooker, use oven gloves and keep the grill pan clear of loose items. Cheese bubbles and drips, so use a tray.
Is it cooked? Use a thermometer: chicken is safe when the thickest part reaches 75°C (or 70°C held for 2 minutes), the meat is white all the way through with no pink, and the juices run clear (general guidance, in line with current FSA advice). Push a probe thermometer into the thickest part without touching bone, and for a whole bird check the thickest part of the thigh. If in doubt, cook it longer.
Allergens: contains gluten (breadcrumbs and buns).
Experiments
Experiment
Marinade 30 minutes or 4 hours
Flavour and texture.
- Marinate two thighs in lemon and garlic, one for 30 minutes and one for 4 hours.
Look for: The longer marinade tastes stronger but the surface of lean meat can turn soft; 30 minutes to 2 hours is plenty.
Experiment
Skewers soaked or not
Burning.
- Grill a wooden skewer soaked in water and one dry.
Look for: The dry skewer chars at the ends; the soaked one lasts longer, though metal skewers avoid the problem.
Experiment
Direct or indirect heat
Charring.
- Cook one thigh over direct heat all the way and another seared then finished indirectly.
Look for: Direct heat chars the outside before the middle is done; searing then finishing indirectly gives a golden and fully cooked piece.
Experiment
Thick or thin pieces
Time.
- Grill a thick breast and a pounded thin one.
Look for: The thin piece cooks in 8 minutes and chars evenly; the thick breast is burnt before the middle is cooked.
Tasting notes
| What I tried | Method or amount | What I saw | What I thought | Will I do it again? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lemon and herb grilled thighs | ||||
| Yogurt and lemon skewers | ||||
| Barbecue-style drumsticks | ||||
| Chicken burgers | ||||
| Marinade 30 minutes or 4 hours | ||||
| Skewers soaked or not | ||||
| Direct or indirect heat | ||||
| Thick or thin pieces |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Burnt outside, raw inside | Heat too high or piece too thick | Use two zones; flatten thick pieces; finish in the oven |
| Dry chicken | Overcooked or lean cut | Use thighs, or take breast off at 75°C |
| Flare-ups | Dripping marinade or fat | Pat off the marinade; keep a cool zone |
| Sticks to the grate | Not oiled, or turned too early | Oil the chicken, and leave it until it releases |
| Sauce burns | Sugary glaze too early | Brush it on in the last 5 minutes |
| Burgers fall apart | Mince warm or overworked | Chill and handle lightly |
Hot grill, barbecue and leftovers
Hot grill: a grill is extremely hot and food under it burns in a minute. Stay at the cooker, use oven gloves and keep the grill pan clear of loose items. Cheese bubbles and drips, so use a tray.Barbecue safety: use a barbecue outdoors only, never in a tent, garage or indoors, because it gives off carbon monoxide, which you cannot see or smell. Never use petrol or extra lighter fluid on lit coals, keep children and pets away, and never leave it unattended. Always check chicken is cooked through, since it can be burnt outside and raw inside.
Leftover chicken: cool cooked chicken quickly (within about 1 to 2 hours), cover and refrigerate, and eat within 2 days. Reheat only once, until steaming hot all the way through. Never leave chicken on the table for more than 2 hours. Cooked chicken can be frozen for up to about 3 months.
Checkpoint: can you do this now?
- I can set up a hot and a cool zone.
- I can marinate chicken safely.
- I can cook skewers evenly.
- I can finish drumsticks without burning them.
- I can cook minced chicken right through.
Next chapter
Cooking Skills: Chicken 1, chapter 5 is Poaching and Steaming: gentle cooking in liquid for moist, tender meat.