Summer means grilling season, and we all can agree that chicken is a favourite among people, and everyone loves to know all techniques when it comes to grilling chicken. So, let’s go over some simple tips that may help you get delicious chicken.

When grilling chicken, it is important to know which pieces you are grilling – or if you are grilling a whole chicken – in order to end up with perfectly grilled meat. Let’s see:

Whole Chicken – you can either cut it or cook it fully. Season well. Then, split or butterfly a chicken so that it is flattened. First, you’ll remove the backbone, then break breastbone by pressing down on the wings to flatten the bird. By being able to lay the chicken flat on the grill, it easily chars and absorbs smoke’s flavour, and the skin will crisp up while the chicken remains nice and juicy on the inside.

Chicken wings – wing tips should be cut off of whole chicken wings and then cut again between the joint. Oil your grill racks and then prepare your grill for direct grilling over medium heat, about 350ºF. Cook the wings for about 20-25 minutes total. What you want are wings that are nicely charred on all sides and cooked through.

Chicken Drumsticks – If attached to the thigh, separate it. Drumsticks can be sprinkled with seasoning like pepper and garlic. Chicken drumsticks, like all chicken, should generally be grilled over medium heat on the grill. That would be a surface temperature of about 450° and will take 30 to 35 minutes. They will need to be flipped every 5 minutes or so to prevent burnt skin and to a final internal temperature of 180°-185° which is best for drumsticks.

Chicken thighs – To start, grab a medium sized bowl and whisk together your marinade. Trim any fat from your chicken thighs if necessary, and place in a large bowl or a large zip-top plastic bag.  Pour the marinade over the chicken. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, and up to 12 hours.  Chicken should not be dark red or look raw inside when it is done cooking. However, colour does not indicate doneness.

Chicken breast – Split each boneless chicken breast into halves. A juicy chicken breast should be rubbed in olive oil and pounded so the breasts are flat and even. When it comes to grilling, chicken breasts can be problematic, especially boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The meat itself is lean, and without the bones to insulate it or skin to protect it, that naked chicken breast on the grill has a tendency to easily overcook and dry out.