Most people would say that their favorite type of meat to eat is chicken, as it is lighter than other types of meat besides fish, and it is also quite tender and juicy if cooked properly. There are many ways for you to cook chicken, but one of the healthiest methods of cooking the said meat is by grilling, as it requires little to no oil and it adds a smoky flavor that is found in barbecue. The best part of the chicken to grill is the breast, as it is one of the most tender parts and it is great at absorbing the flavors of the rub, marinate, and the smoke of the grill. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to cook chicken breast on a gas grill if you want to try grilling chicken for your BBQ party or for lunch.
Ingredients for Grilled Chicken Breast
Of course, cooking grilled chicken breast doesn’t just involve a piece of chicken meat, as there are also other ingredients that should be used in order to enhance its flavor. Here are the essential ingredients for grilled chicken breast:
- 4 skinless chicken breasts (preferably boneless for better tenderizing)
- 1/4 teaspoon of granulated garlic
- 1/4 cup of lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
- 1/2 cup of olive oil
- salt and pepper
Much like personal recipes, you can personalize the list of ingredients by adding items that you think will add extra flavor to the dish. You can add chili peppers for a spicier taste, or you can BBQ for a tangy flavor that is common in barbecue dishes like ribs.
Tenderizing the Chicken
The next step involves tenderizing the chicken, which allows the chicken to have an even thickness since chicken breasts can be quite thick in the middle and thin at the edges. In addition, the tenderizer also allows the chicken to cook evenly since it now has an even surface. The best grills recommended by My Grill World would usually cook the chicken evenly, but it is still better to tenderize the chicken for better.
The first thing you have to do for tenderizing the chicken breasts is to cut the meat widthwise, which means you need to cut it on the center from right to left. Cutting the breasts horizontally will enable you to keep tenderizing the meat without growing significantly in size, which can happen if the chicken breast is too thick. After cutting one breast in half, wrap one half of the meat in plastic to stop the juice of the meat from leaking out while you are tenderizing it. Then, start tenderizing the meat by using the flat side of the tenderizer. If you don’t have the said utensil, you can just use a rolling pin or any utensil that has a flat surface. Keep pounding the chicken breast until it has an even thickness on the center up to its edges. Move on to tenderize the other pieces of chicken left.
Marinating the Chicken
Now that the chicken breasts are tenderized, it is time to prepare the marinating mixture. Get a small mixing bowl and pour all the remaining ingredients (lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, etc.) on the bowl. Mix the ingredients until they have a pasty texture.
Put the chicken breasts inside a Ziploc bag, and then pour the marinating mixture inside the bag as well. Lock the Ziploc bag and refrigerate the contents inside for about one hour. Don’t cool the chicken too much or it may get hard, which forces you to thaw it first before cooking.
Grilling the Chicken
Put oil on your grill grates by brushing it with cooking oil, preferably the one that has a high smoking point like vegetable oil. Then, turn on the grill at medium heat (about 350 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit) and let it preheat for a few minutes. Once the grill is hot, remove the chicken breasts from the Ziploc bag while shaking out the excess marinating mixture. Place the chicken breasts evenly on the grill, and keep turning the chicken from its side until it is cooked evenly.
The estimated time it would take for the chicken to cook on the grill at medium heat is 9 to 10 minutes, so it would be four to five minutes per side. If you want to be sure that the chicken is cooked properly, you can use a meat thermometer and see if the temperature is at 165 degrees Fahrenheit and above, or you can cut one breast in half and see if it is white at the middle and not pink. Once they are cooked, remove the breasts from the grill and place them on a serving plate. Let the chicken rest for about four minutes before serving it on the table.
That is a simple guide on how cook chicken breast on a gas grill. The process is relatively simple, as doing each step if straightforward and it leave little to no space for mistakes. Try doing this recipe and see if you, your loved ones, or you guests at the BBQ party would love it.