Grilling will take chicken meat to perfection and making you the the official “pitmaster” level of the neighborhood. Knowing how long to grill chicken and how to prepare it will help you achieve perfect results, and we’re going to show you how to make tender and succulent chicken every time.
Let’s help you with the basics. It’s important to note that some chicken parts take longer to cook than others.
Two factors affect how long to grill chicken. The first is the section you’re cooking in, and the second is the temperature setting you’re using.
We’re covering some grilling basics, including different ways to flavor your chicken and the right way to grill it.
Grilling Chicken: The Basics
Understanding the basics is going to come in handy if you’ve just started learning how to grill or a crusty grill master who after all these years, who still overcooks chicken.
Some cuts have thin meat and small bones, which reduce the cooking time.
Drumsticks and thighs, however, are made up of thicker flesh and bigger bones so they take longer to grill. Let’s not even get started with the chicken breast, which depending on size can be so tough to grill correctly.
Additionally, if your grill temperature is too high or too low, your chicken will either cook too fast or too slowly, respectively.
Here are the essential things you need to know about grilling chicken.
The Grill
Knowing how to work your grill is crucial to avoid burning your chicken. Charred meat is one of the foods you need to steer clear of since it is reported to increase your risk of cancer.
So, to prevent that, you’ll need to adjust the temperature levels of your grill according to the chicken cut you’re cooking.
This is because different chicken parts need varying heat levels to avoid under or overcooking them.
Here’s a list of the average temperature levels you’ll be using in grilling:
- Low heat: 250°F–275°F
- Medium-low heat: 300°F
- Medium heat: 350°F
- Medium-high heat: 400°F–450°F
How Do I Check The Temperature On My Grill?
Ideally, your grill should have a built-in thermometer. However, if it doesn’t have that, you can always use the “hand test” to estimate the temperature of your grill.
To do a hand test, hold your palm three inches above your grill grate. Then, count the seconds you can keep your hand above the heat.
If you can keep your hand still for seven to nine seconds, the temperature is still too low to start grilling.
For medium-low heat, you’ll be able to handle the heat for approximately six to seven seconds.
For a medium temperature, you’ll only withstand the heat for no more than five seconds at most.
Lastly, for medium-high temperatures, you’ll likely pull your hand away after about two to three seconds.
Direct and Indirect Heat Zone
Your grill should have direct and indirect heat zones.
When we talk about the direct heat zone, we’re referring to the area where your heat source is situated right underneath the meat.
In contrast, the indirect heat zone is the rest of the grill area that’s only adjacent to your heat source.
For gas grills, direct heat is immediately above a burner. To create indirect heat, turn off the burner immediately under the meat, but keep the others turned on.
When Do I Use The Direct And Indirect Heat Zones?
The direct heat zone is ideal for portions that are fast to cook because they have smaller bones and thinner meat. These pieces include chicken breasts, tenders, and wings.
Parts with more prominent bones and thicker meat, like the drumsticks and thighs, should be placed over the indirect heat zone.
Since these pieces require a longer cooking time, grilling them in the indirect heat zone will allow you to cook them longer without burning them.
Internal Temperature
Raw chicken is prone to bacteria, such as Salmonella. That’s why you must grill your chicken to a temperature of 165°F.
That’s the minimum internal temperature where cooked chicken is deemed safe for consumption, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
How Do I Measure the Internal Temperature of My Grilled Chicken?
To ensure your grilled chicken is done, use a meat thermometer for fast and accurate temperature readings.
Insert the thermometer probe into the thickest part of the meat. Make sure the probe doesn’t touch any bones, as this will affect the accuracy of the reading.
If it hasn’t reached the minimum internal temperature, put it back on the grill and continue cooking until it’s done.
Different Ways to Add Flavor to Your Chicken
There are numerous techniques to flavor your grilled chicken. To help you get started, here are four typical flavoring methods you can use:
Marinating
Marinating is when you soak your chicken in a marinade for a certain amount of time. Typical marinades contain a mixture of seasonings, acidic ingredients, and oil.
Marinating will add that zesty flavor to your grilled chicken. It also increases the moisture in the chicken, making the meat nice and tender.
If you’re grilling a whole chicken, we recommend you marinate it for at least four hours before cooking it.
For single pieces, like breasts and thighs, you may marinate them for up to two hours. We marinated these grilled honey chicken kebabs for two hours and they were very flavorful.
When you need to put food on the table fast, try our rosemary thyme chicken. After just 30 minutes of marinating, you can grill the chicken and the results are delicious!
This allows the flavor to seep into the meat. Poking holes using a fork can also help the marination.
Standard marinade used on grilled chicken typically include some of the following ingredients:
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic
- Brown sugar
- Vinegar
- Soy sauce
- Lemon juice
Dry Rub
Dry rub is when you “rub” a powdery mix of salt, herbs and spices onto the surface of your chicken meat before grilling.
The usual ingredients of a dry rub include sugar, paprika, pepper, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder.
This flavoring technique creates a light, caramelized crust around your chicken meat, sealing in the juices. It also adds color and flavor to your grilled chicken.
To dry rub your chicken, sprinkle the seasoning on the chicken and gently massage it all around. Make sure to cover every inch of the chicken to ensure that the flavor fully penetrates the meat.
Once you’ve covered the entire surface, let your chicken sit in your fridge for no less than 30 minutes and a maximum of two hours.
We used a homemade dry rub for our grilled chicken drumsticks and it’s a classic recipe we keep coming back to. Even better, it works for almost any type of meat!
Wet Brine
Wet brining is essentially submerging your chicken in a salty mix dissolved in a liquid.
Salt breaks down the protein in the chicken meat which minimize water loss during grilling. It keeps the chicken nice and juicy!
Apart from adding extra moisture to your chicken, it also loads the meat with extra flavor. This is because when you brine, the meat will absorb the salt water until it has thoroughly worked its way into the chicken.
It also tenderizes the chicken, and helps it stay moist during cooking.
If you’re working with a whole chicken, it’s better to soak it for 12 hours up to 2 days for a more intense flavor.
However, if you’re grilling smaller cuts, like breasts and wings, you can leave them immersed in the brine for a few hours.
Basting
Basting is another way to add moisture and flavor to your grilled chicken.
A classic basting sauce you can use is just its natural juices that seep out during grilling.
You can also make a homemade basting sauce to enhance the flavor of your meat. We made our own IPA BBQ sauce for these grilled double IPA chicken wings. The rich flavor and sticky texture of the sauce made the wings even more delectable!
To create your basic basting sauce, you need meat stock, melted butter, and Worcestershire sauce.
You might also add some herbs and spices like pepper, salt, onion, rosemary, and garlic for a more intense flavor. Other options include commercial barbecue, ketchup and pesto sauce.
There are three ways you can baste your grilled chicken.
- One is to scoop the sauce with a spoon and pour it all over the meat.
- Dip a basting brush into your sauce bowl and spread it evenly onto the chicken. This is my personal favorite, but use whatever method works best for you!
- A third option is to use a baster, which is a cooking tool that looks and acts like a big syringe with a silicone bulb on one end. Place the tip into the bowl and squeeze the bulb to suck in the sauce. Then, let the sauce flow over the chicken.
One important thing you need to know about basting is that it’s best to add the sauce only when the chicken is nearly done. If you apply barbecue or pesto sauce too early, they’ll scorch your chicken.
That’s because they contain high sugar content can easily burn, charring the chicken meat in the process.
They won’t only burn the meat, but they’ll also make it difficult for you to determine whether your chicken has been thoroughly cooked.
If you decide to baste your grilled chicken, apply the sauce when your chicken’s internal temperature is at 160°F. Then, continue grilling the meat over the indirect heat zone for ten minutes as the temperature rises to 165°F.
How To Grill Chicken Parts
In this section, we’ll be talking about how to grill different parts of the chicken.
This includes the cooking time and the cooking techniques you should follow for best results.
| Chicken Part | Total Cooking Time | Temperature (°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Breast (Boneless, Skinless) | 12-15 minutes | Direct medium-high heat at 375°F |
| Breast (Bone-in, Skin-on) | 25 minutes | Direct medium-high heat at 375°F |
| Chicken Tenders | 4-6 minutes | Direct medium-high heat at 375°F |
| Chicken Wings | 20-25 minutes | Direct medium heat at 350°F |
| Thighs (Boneless, Skinless) | 20 minutes | Direct medium-high heat at 375°F |
| Thighs (Bone-in, Skin-on) | 30-40 minutes | Direct medium-high heat at 400°F |
| Drumsticks | 40 minutes | Direct medium-high heat at 400°F |
| Quarters | 35-45 minutes | Direct medium-high heat at 350°F |
| Whole Chicken | 105-150 minutes | Indirect medium-high heat at 375°F |
| Spatchcocked Whole Chicken | 30-50 minutes | Indirect medium-high heat at 375°F |
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Grilling boneless, skinless chicken breasts takes a total of 12–15 minutes of cooking time to grill.
You may cook them in direct medium-high heat at 375°F, grilling each side for five to seven minutes. Remove from heat when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
I recommend you flip the chicken breasts only once to get those gorgeous grill marks.
Feel like trying some new and exciting grilled chicken breast recipes? If you’re in a rush, go for this super fast grilled honey lemon chicken breast.
For bone-in, skin-on breasts, you’ll need about 25 minutes of cooking. You may use the same grilling temperature for these parts.
Chicken Tenders
Because chicken tenders are slender and less dense, it only takes about ten minutes to grill them.
You can cook these portions on direct medium-high heat at 375°F. You’re going to have to cook each side for two to three minutes to avoid scorching them.
Continue grilling until they reach the standard temperature of 165°F.
Chicken tenders are excellent as snacks or appetizers like these honey mustard glazed bacon-wrapped chicken bites. Keep in mind that wrapping the tenders in bacon will add a few minutes to the total cooking time.
Chicken Wings
For dark meats like chicken wings, it’ll take around 20–25 minutes to grill them.
Cook your chicken wings over direct medium heat at 350°F. Make sure to constantly turn each side of the wings for about three minutes so avoid charring them.
Grill them until they reach an internal temperature of 175°F to get that juicy meat that comes off the bone easily.
At this temperature, the connective tissue in the wings will melt into the meat, giving a tasty, appetizing flavor.
My family are huge fans of wings and we often try new ways to grill them. They cook fast which is a major advantage.
Here are some of my favorite grilled wings recipes to inspire you:
- Grilled Orange And Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings
- Grilled Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings
- Grilled Double IPA Chicken Wings
- Grilled Pineapple Mango Chicken Wings
- Grilled Apricot Chicken Wings
Boneless, Skinless Thighs
Thighs are the most readily available chicken parts you can find. They’re also quick to grill, similar to chicken breasts and tenders.
Grilling boneless, skinless thighs can take around 20 minutes tops. You can cook them on direct medium-high heat at 375°F and grill each side for about seven to eight minutes.
To ensure they’re safely cooked, wait until they reach the standard minimum temperature of 165°F before removing them from the grill.
Bone-In Thighs
The average grilling time for bone-in thighs is around 30–40 minutes. There are two methods for cooking these chicken parts.
For the first method, you can grill bone-in thighs in direct medium-high heat at 400°F. Sear each side for three minutes until both sides are golden brown.
Then, transfer them to an indirect heat zone where you can continue flipping the thighs until they reach the standard minimum temperature.
The second method requires you first to grill the thighs in indirect medium-low heat at 300°F. Then, cook them for 30 minutes on each side.
Place them in a direct heat zone for the last ten minutes until they turn brown. They should also meet the standard minimum temperature before you remove them from the grill.
Drumsticks
For grilled chicken drumsticks, the cooking time takes about 40 minutes. Just like the bone-in thighs, you can also grill them two ways.
One way is to grill them over direct medium-high heat at 400°F. Then, rotate each one every five minutes until they reach the standard minimum temperature.
Another way is to place them in indirect medium-low heat at 300°F. Turn them every 15 minutes for the first half an hour. Then, when you get to the last ten minutes, finish grilling them over direct heat.
Rotate them every five minutes until they reach the standard minimum temperature.
For a more tender texture, wait until the internal temperature reaches 180°F before you take them off the grill.
Feel like showing off? Try these grilled chicken lollipops for a more impressive display!
Chicken Quarters
Grilled chicken quarters are easy to make and very affordable!
Cook them over direct medium-high heat at 350°F until their internal temperature reaches 165°F. This will take approximately 35-45 minutes.
Turn them every 10-12 minutes so the skin doesn’t burn before the meat cooks through.
Prep-wise, you can marinate the quarters but we typically use a simple dry rub and it works great!
Whole Chicken
A six-pound grilled whole chicken takes around 105–150 minutes to grill. However, we recommend you spatchcock your chicken to reduce the cooking time to 30–50 minutes.
Position the chicken side up over indirect medium-high heat at 375°F. For the meat to cook evenly, you may place a foil-covered cast skillet iron on top of the chicken.
Turn it over once it’s golden brown. Continue grilling until the meat reaches the standard minimum temperature.
Why Spatchcock a Whole Chicken?
Apart from the fact that grilling a spatchcocked chicken will shorten the cooking time, this step also has other benefits.
Spatchcocking is essentially a process where you remove the chicken’s spine so you can easily splay it out onto your grill.
Spreading it out flat allows your chicken to cook evenly, lowering the chances of undercooked and overcooked parts.
Lastly, spatchcocking also helps your marinade, dry rub, and wet brine completely penetrate the chicken meat inside and out.
Want to speed up the cooking time even more? Try these spatchcocked Cornish hens. They’re smaller than the average chicken which also means they’ll be ready faster.
Another quick option is grilled half chicken. It’s just as tasty as a whole chicken and ready in under an hour!
Common Grilling Mistakes You Should Avoid
With cooking, there will always be some sort of trial and error. Before you can master the art of grilling chicken, be prepared to get it wrong once, twice, or even three times.
Think of it as being part of your learning process. Mistakes are a great way to help you learn the best ways of prepping and cooking your chicken.
So, in this bit, we’ll share some common mistakes others have made so you can help avoid them the next time you’re grilling chicken.
Cooking All Parts All at Once
You might think that it’ll save time and effort if you grill all the chicken portions at once. Unfortunately, you’ll end up doing the opposite.
You have to remember that different chicken pieces don’t cook at the same rate. They also don’t cook evenly on the same level of heat.
If you make this mistake, you’ll end up with both undercooked and overcooked grilled chicken.
Opening The Lid Often
Please avoid opening the lid more often than necessary. It’ll just make your chicken dry and overcooked.
The alternative is to take sneak peeks to check on your chicken every eight to ten minutes to allow your grilled chicken to cook evenly.
Not Letting The Chicken Rest
Once you determine the chicken has been thoroughly cooked, it’s important to let your grilled chicken rest. The best way to do that is to cover the chicken after removing it from the grill.
Then, let it rest for five minutes before you slice and serve your grilled chicken to your guests. During those few minutes, the chicken meat will reabsorb its natural juices, giving you a more tender and moist texture.
Not Moving The Chicken Around
This last one can make all the difference in achieving your perfectly grilled chicken.
Since pieces with thin meat cook at a faster rate than other portions, it’s crucial to turn and move them around to avoid burning them.
What Would I Do?
Knowing how long to grill chicken means understanding the basics of cooking and the differences between all the chicken parts.
You also have to know the different cooking techniques and the right temperatures for cooking each piece.
Don’t forget all those marinades and bastes that help ensure your chicken comes out tasting exquisite.
It may seem like an overwhelming task. Yet, once you know a few tips and tricks, you’ll be able to dazzle your friends and family with your grilling mastery.
So, go ahead. Fire up that grill, and get cooking!
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Ginny Collins is a passionate foodie and recipe creator of Savor and Savvy and Kitchenlaughter. Indoors she focuses on easy, quick recipes for busy families and kitchen basics. Outdoors, she focuses on backyard grilling and smoking to bring family and friends together. She is a lifelong learner who is always taking cooking classes on her travels overseas and stateside. Her work has been featured on MSN, Parade, Fox News, Yahoo, Cosmopolitan, Elle, and many local news outlets. She lives in Florida where you will find her outside on the water in her kayak, riding her bike on trails, and planning her next overseas adventure.
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