Say goodbye to dry or bland poultry – learn how to make incredibly juicy and flavorful grilled chicken breasts. This is a basic method for bone-in skin on breasts that works like a charm with any spice blend.
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Nothing is as simple yet satisfying as great grilled chicken breast. There’s a mastery of the grill required to get the perfect flame-kissed exterior while locking in moisture and flavor. It’s a feat not all can accomplish. Rush it, and you’ll burn the outside, undercook the inside, and take too long, and you’ll end up with dry, rubbery chicken that no amount of barbecue sauce can rescue.
Ingredients
- ▢ 4 lbs Bone in chicken breasts
- ▢ 1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- ▢ 1/2 tsp Ground black Pepper
- ▢ 1 tsp Cumin
- ▢ 1 tsp Paprika
- ▢ 1/2 tsp Granulated garlic
- ▢ 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
Instructions
Prep the chicken:
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Remove the chicken from the package and pat dry.4 lbs Bone in chicken breasts
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Remove any excess skin or fat with kitchen sheers, if needed.
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Optional, marinate the chicken in a great marinade if desired and pat dry when ready to grill.
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Blend the spice mix together in a small bowl.1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt, 1/2 tsp Ground black Pepper, 1 tsp Cumin, 1 tsp Paprika, 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp Granulated garlic
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Rub the bone-in breasts liberally on both sides with the spice blend. Using your fingers, work to get the spice blend under the skin. Gently pull the skin back to cover as much of the breast as possible.
Prep the grill:
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Prep the grill for a two-zone fire by igniting all of the burners and allowing the gas grill to preheat.
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Clean and oil the grill grates.
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Turn off 2 of the 4 (or 2 of the 3) burners to create a hot side and a cool side of the grill.
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Close the lid and allow the grill to preheat to 350-375 degrees F.
Grill the chicken:
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Place the chicken breasts, skin side down on the cool side of the grill grates.
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Close the lid and let the chicken cook for 15 mintues.
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Rotate the chicken, still skin side down, moving the furthest back piece to the front and so on. Close the lid to cook for another 15 minutes.
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Flip the chicken, bone side down and cook for another 10 minutes or until the thickest part of the breats internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F with an instant read thermometer.
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The times will change based on the size of the chicken breast, but with chicken, although you want to keep the lid closed to lock the heat in, it’s best never to go too far from the grill.
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For the last 3 to 5 minutes, use long grilling tongs to transfer the chicken to the hot side of the grill, skin side down to add a little char to the skin. Rotate the chicekn as needed to avoid flareups from the dripping fat from the skin.
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If using bbq sauce, baste the chicken before this step to allow the sauce to set.
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According to the USDA, chicken is safe to eat at 165 degrees F. Always use a digital meat thermometer for the most accurate results.
Rest and serve:
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Transfer the chicken to a serving platter or cutting board, tent loosely with foil and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 155mg | Sodium: 735mg | Potassium: 553mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 405IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2mg
