How Long to Cook Chicken on a Grill

Introduction

If you’re planning a barbecue this weekend, it’s important to know how long to cook chicken on the grill. There are lots of different cuts and styles that might require different cooking times, but luckily for us all there’s a simple formula: The more fat the meat has, the longer it needs to cook. How much fat there is in your cut will determine how quickly it cooks; things like skinless breasts and thighs take less time than ones with skin or bone-in.

How Long to Grill Chicken Breasts

Grilling chicken breasts is a great way to prepare them, because it’s easy and makes the meat moist. Chicken breasts can be grilled directly on the grill or brushed with oil and then placed in an oiled grill basket so that they don’t fall through the grates.

Directly Grilled Chicken Breasts: Place chicken breasts on hot grill rack over medium heat (400 degrees F). Cook uncovered 10-12 minutes until done, turning once halfway through cooking time.

Brushed & Basket-Grilled Chicken Breasts: Brush both sides lightly with vegetable oil; place in oiled grill basket lined with aluminum foil for easier cleanup; cook covered over medium heat (400 degrees F) for 15-18 minutes until done flipping once halfway through cooking time

How Long to Grill Chicken Thighs

The cooking time for chicken thighs depends on the size of the thighs, whether you are grilling or oven roasting, and whether you want to serve them charred or with more of a golden brown finish.

To determine if chicken is done:

  • Check for doneness by inserting an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of each piece of meat (not touching bone). The internal temperature should be 165 degrees F for both white and dark meat. If it’s not quite there yet, leave it on longer until it reaches 165 degrees F before serving or removing from heat source.*
  • If using a charcoal grill, move away from direct heat once internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.

How Long to Grill Whole Chicken

How long to grill a whole chicken depends on the size of the chicken. Smaller chickens will cook faster than larger ones, since they have less mass and therefore less internal heat to dissipate. This means that you should leave smaller chickens on your grill for only 15 minutes per side, while larger ones may require up to 25 minutes per side depending on their weight and size (it’s important not to overcook them!).

You should also consider whether or not you have an oven-safe roasting pan when deciding how long to grill your bird–butterfly it first! Butterflying involves cutting out the backbone with poultry shears or a sharp knife, then flattening out each breast so that they lie flat against one another instead of overlapping at one end like they normally would when placed vertically into an open flame. This technique allows heat from both sides of your grill rack simultaneously cook all areas equally throughout cooking time–and helps achieve crispy skin without drying out too much meat underneath those crispy bits.”

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How Long to Grill Chicken Wings

How long to grill chicken wings depends on the type of grill you are using, the temperature and size of your wings.

On a charcoal grill:

  • Cooking time for bone-in chicken wings ranges from 10-20 minutes depending on how hot your coals are. For example, if you want them well done then leave them on for 20 minutes; if medium rare is more like it then cook for 10 minutes only.
  • Place your chicken wings over indirect heat so that they have time to cook slowly without burning (or catching fire). If they start turning black too quickly then move them closer to direct heat where they’ll get charred instead but still taste good!

Learn how long to cook chicken on the grill.

The amount of time it takes to cook chicken on the grill depends on its size. A whole chicken will take longer than wings or drumsticks, so if you’re not sure how long to grill chicken, start with these two cuts first.

For example: If you’re grilling boneless skinless thighs (about six ounces each), cook them for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 Celsius). The internal temperature should reach 165 F when done; use an instant-read thermometer to check this as soon as they come off the grill.*

Conclusion

We hope this article has helped you determine how long to cook chicken on the grill. Remember that there are many factors that influence cooking times, so it’s important to keep an eye on your meat throughout the process.

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