Chicken breasts

[cabaiguan juan]

I have been having trouble lately with grilling chicken breasts. The difficulty is that one end ends up being very thick and then it tapers to a thin piece of meat. Since I like my chicken cooked through it always seems that the thin end is over cooked and the thick end is properly cooked. I do this over charcoal at 300-400. How do y’all handle grilling chicken like this with out one end being over cooked while the other end is perfectly cooked?

 

[Scap]

I sear both sides, then foil wrap and finish in an oven at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

Or I also have hammered them flat or butterflied them, it all depends on what type of recipe I'm cooking them for.

 

[JHolmes763]

I sous vide at 140 then finish on the grill to add a little color to the outside.

 

[bfreebern]

I typically put the bigger side of the breast, over the hotter part of the grill. I have in the past, tried to flatten out the bigger part of the breast and butterflied it, but normally I just adjust the placement of the chicken.

 

[bluue13]

Don't forget your backup fish.

 

[Nihon_Ni]

Put the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap or use a ziploc bag, and pound the meaty part to the same thickness as the tapered end. That way they will cook evenly. You can get a meat mallet, or just use a small saucepan to do the work for you.

 

[Nihon_Ni]

I sous vide at 140 then finish on the grill to add a little color to the outside.

I finish mine with a blow torch. No need to fire up the grill when I have portable fire to do the work.

 

[Setharsis]

Dark meat...all the way.

 

[JHolmes763]

I finish mine with a blow torch. No need to fire up the grill when I have portable fire to do the work.

At home, I'll put em in the oven under the broiler for color, usually. I was thinking more camping (glamping) where I finish over the campfire, since it's going anyhow.

Blowtorch is a good idea, though. I need to acquire one. Open flame or one of those searzall type things?

 

[Devil Doc]

Dark meat...all the way.

Absolutely. It's juicier and much more tasty. It's also a whole lot more forgiving if you should happen to over-cook it.

Doc

 

[bluue13]

Another for dark meat. Wait.... are we still talking about chicken?

 

[cabaiguan juan]

Another for dark meat. Wait.... are we still talking about chicken?

Yes. What parts of the chicken have dark meat?

 

[bfreebern]

Yes. What parts of the chicken have dark meat?

Thighs, drums, wings and the back. Basically everything, besides the breast.

 

[jfields]

Thighs, drums, wings and the back. Basically everything, besides the breast.

Don’t forget the sweet meats.

 

[Pugman1943]

They make a meat hammer where you can pound it down. We beat up our fair share of chicken here.

 

[cabaiguan juan]

I’ll give the hammer a try.

 

[Devil Doc]

A heavy frying pan will do.

Doc

 

[smellysell]

A heavy frying pan will do.

Doc

Yep cast iron skillets are the best in every way, but as already stated, don't have to worry about it with thighs, and they taste better.

 

[bluue13]

Thighs on the charcoal grill are the way to go IMHO.

 

[Not A Nice Person]

I typically put the bigger side of the breast, over the hotter part of the grill. I have in the past, tried to flatten out the bigger part of the breast and butterflied it, but normally I just adjust the placement of the chicken.

This. Flattened isn't as juicy.

On a charcoal grill, just scoop all the briquets to one side once they're ready, and cook the breasts on the side they're NOT on, with the thick end toward the coals.

I also like to cut diagonal slits across each breast & stuff them with things like prosciutto & Swiss or tomato, fresh mozz & basil, but you won't be able to flip them so the indirect coals method is the ONLY way to do it on a grill. Usually I just go with the oven for those.

~Boar