Surprisingly this is one of our most asked questions and the short answer is... it depends!
WOW, I'm sure that really cleared it up for you!
Seriously though it depends on what cuts of chicken you're planning on grilling- whole chickens, bone-in pieces, wings, or boneless skinless thighs or breasts. The general rule of thumb is the larger the cut or bone-in pieces need to be cooked longer and slower- more of a 'roasting' method.
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We'll provide a brief overview of the cuts mentioned above and our favorite cooking method-
Whole Chickens- beer can style or spatchcocked (what the heck is that?)... spatchcocked is simply butterflying the whole bird by removing the backbone and flattening the chicken or cutting it entirely in half by cutting through the breast plate- makes for beautiful half chickens for the grill or smoker- add your favorite rub, cook in-direct on your grill and enjoy!
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Now for wings... toss with oil, a good rub (like our BWR- Buffalo Wing Rub) and let rest for 8-12 hours, we then cook them direct first over medium-high heat as we like the char, then move them to the center of the grill and cook indirect with a touch of sauce until tender. Our go to sauce is equal parts melted butter and Frank's Red Hot, a good shake of BWR, and about 1/4 cup of honey. Enjoy but don't forget the napkins!
Lastly and certainly not least are the boneless cuts- breasts and thighs... the most frequently cooked type of chicken out there is the boneless skinless chicken breast. It can also be the most challenging because if not cooked right you'll end up with a dry, tasteless piece of meat.
How do you avoid that- simple! Either butterfly the piece of meat so it cooks more quickly and stays juicy or sear and immerse in your favorite sauce and finish indirect for a tasty and juicy finished product.
Marinating also helps a lot- a simple and flavorful marinade can be as simple as bottled salad dressing; oil, vinegar or citrus, and seasoning; or one of our favorites- a blend of milk and Frank's Red Hot. Remove the chicken from the marinade, season well with your favorite blend... grill and enjoy!
Below are some tasty breast tenderloins that we marinated in the milk mixture, seasoned with Turkey Burger Blend, and skewered... they were fantastic!!
If you have more cooking questions or comments please email them to info@mustardseedspice.com and we'll do our best to make you a skilled home chef!
As always- Happy Cooking & Eating!
Patrick Brown
Owner & Chief Culinary Consultant
Mustard Seed Spice Company
