If your Canada Day plans include a family barbecue here are 4 tips to make sure your grilled chicken is perfect, plus a few of our favourite recipes.
- Ice cold is great for beverages, not so much for chicken going on the grill. Take your chicken out of the fridge 30-45 minutes before putting it on the grill. Losing some of the fridge chill means the chicken will cook more evenly – less chance of charred on the outside, raw in the middle.
- Use medium heat (350F) unless the recipe says otherwise. And keep the grill lid down to keep the heat in.
- Use a digital meat thermometer to check if the chicken is ready to serve. This is the only surefire way to judge doneness.
- Once you take your perfectly grilled chicken off the heat, let it rest at room temperature before you dig in. This lets the juices settle back into the meat instead of flooding all over your plate. Boneless pieces need at least 5 minutes of rest time. Bone in pieces need 10-15 minutes and a whole bird is best with 15-20 minutes.