ABOUT CHICKEN AND TURKEY COOKED ON AN OUTDOOR GRILL
The grilling techniques that yield perfect burgers and steaks do not always work for chicken. Burgers and steaks really need nothing more than a red-hot fire, but grilled chickenΓÇöwith its bones and skin and combination of light or dark meatΓÇörequires a more complicated management of heat.
The same hot fire that gives a steak its pleasing brown crust will char bone-in chicken pieces before cooking them through, and chicken fat dripping onto the hot coals will quickly spark a conflagration. No wonder so many of todayΓÇÖs cooks opt for boneless, skinless chicken breastsΓÇöno pesky bones, no fatty skin, no irregular shapes to contend withΓÇöbut the perks have their price. Both bones and skin add flavor to the meat, and the skin also protects the meat from the harsh heat and, when cooked to the proper crispness, adds richness and welcome textural contrast.
Chicken is cooked on an outdoor grill in one of two ways: either directly over the hot coals (grilling) or opposite the coals, which are arranged on the grill bottom across from the chicken (grill-roasting or barbecuing). Grilling requires a rather cool fire and an unheated spot on the grill to which the chicken may quickly be pulled in the case of flare-ups. It also demands the cookΓÇÖs undivided attention. Grill-roasting is much less bothersome, but it does not crisp and brown the chicken skin, and it imparts a milder flavor and softer, more barbecuelike texture than grilling. For those who want the flavor of grilling and the ease of grill-roasting, a combination of both techniques can be used, much like oven-searing at a high temperature, then roasting at a lower temperature to ensure even cooking. The chicken is cooked over moderately hot coals until its skin begins to crisp and render fat; then it is removed to a spot opposite the fire, covered, and allowed to cook through by indirect heat.
Butterflied whole chickens and skin-on chicken parts can be grilled, grill-roasted, or cooked by a combination of techniques, as you choose. But because of their short cooking time, boneless, skinless chicken parts, whether light or dark meat, should be grilled. (They also benefit from a marinade, which offers the flavor and protection normally provided by the skin.) Whole chickens, however, must be grill-roasted, or else they will burn before cooking through.
Chicken and vegetable kebabs are festive, colorful, and low in fat. Composed of chunks of marinated boneless, skinless chicken, either white or dark meat, and an array of multicolored vegetables, they are best grilled over direct heat. Since vegetables, generally speaking, cook rather slowly, cut them in pieces no bigger than the chicken chunks. (Most cooks tend to do the opposite.) Although less eye-pleasing, segregating chicken and vegetables on separate skewers guarantees that both will be cooked just right. Whatever you do, be sure to thread the chicken and vegetables on the skewers loosely, for neither will cook evenly in cramped quarters.
Although the recipes in this section are written for use with a coal-fired grill, they can be adapted for use with a gas grill as well. Turn both burners on high to preheat the grill rack (this takes about 10 minutes), then turn off one of the burners. If grilling, place the chicken on the heated side, reserving the opposite side as a safety area should flare-ups occur. If grill-roasting, place the chicken on the unheated side of the rack and cover the grill; the turned-on burner will provide the heat. If the grill is equipped with an upper rack set above the grill rack, you can turn both burners on and grill-roast on the upper rack or use this rack as a safety area when grilling.
grill-roasted whole chicken
grill-roasted whole turkey
chicken kebabs
ash-roasted chicken thighs
grilled chicken dijon
spicy chicken hobo pack with lime and chili peppers
grilled spice-rubbed chicken with lemon and garlic oil
