Grilled Boneless Chicken Breasts

This is a challenge to get right. I am going to bullet point several key factors that will help you grill skinless chicken breast to an acceptable doneness and not be bone dry. There are many variables you can play with, but a few things that must be done correctly.

 

·        Medium heated grill. Know your grill and it’s hot spots.  Find the most evenly heated zone, and use that area.

·        Chicken breasts are not uniformly thick. That is the culprit for most overdone or underdone cooking.  You must use one of a couple of methods to even out the protein.

o   Place breast in a plastic zip-seal bag, slightly oiled, and pound it to the desired thickness.  The goal is to get the whole piece the same thickness.

o   Or, butterfly the breast. This takes a bit of knife skills, but it is my preferred method. It does not mutilate the fibers and texture of the protein.  To do this, you only cut the thick part and not clear through. Butterfly the thick end to the same thickness as the thin part.

·        Chicken breast is bland. It needs a boost. Always marinade, and use any recipe you desire as long as there is come citrus (I prefer lime juice) in the marinade. Completely coat/cover the chicken and leave it covered in the frig for at least one hour.  This will add flavor, and even more importantly, it tenderizes your protein.

·        Remove from marinade and DRY both with a paper towel, This will allow for a great caramelized grilling experience.

·        Season each piece on both sides to your own taste and desire. Salt and fresh ground black pepper are standard, but there are numerous dry rubs and seasonings that you can use. Season sparingly.  Light coats, not heavy.

·        Place on grill with the smooth side down (this will be your serving side). I personally do not want crisscross grill marks on chicken breasts. One set of marks in one direction is what I go for. This should take about 3-4 minutes per side. Don’t fiddle with your chicken. Lay it on the grill and LEAVE IT ALONE for at least 3 ½ to 4 minutes. Turn it once.

·        DO NOT LEAVE the grill, and use a timer and an instant read thermometer. Chicken can be overdone (ruined) in a matter of 30 seconds, so stay with it.

·        Use an instant read pin thermometer. I have used several and the Thermapen is the one I trust.

·        Do not leave your chicken on direct heat past 150º. Nearly all charts will tell you to cook it to 165º. That’s great if you want bone dry, tasteless chicken. Pull it off direct heat at 150º and let it stay on the grill with indirect heat for another 1-2 minutes. You can also lightly sauce (BBQ or other) your serving side and let it warm up.

·        Use standard methods of preparing chicken and washing your hands to stay safe.  Most experts will advise not to wash your raw chicken pieces. This can result in splatter contamination. Don’t try to fix poor prep by overcooking.

 

There you go. Each person will find the ways that work for them. This is what I have found to have safely done, yet tender and juicy boneless chicken breasts.  Happy grilling!