Simple Grilled BBQ Split Chicken Breast

As simple as it gets. Start grill, trim chicken, put on a grill. Then a few flips and brush of sauce. Easy to follow step by step instructions.

Editor's Note: Originally Published June 7, 2011. Updated with re-edited text and photos. The post has tripled in size to give a complete explanation and a couple of dog pictures.

I think most of us normal people can not get a split chicken breast grilled to 165 internal temperature without having texture or burning issues.  It is hard to get great BBQ taste while the meat is still moist and tender.

So what is the secret of not burning the devil out of the outside of the chicken while getting the center done?

1. Correct grill temperature and having a cooler zone.
2. Trim the chicken correctly.
3. Correct timing of the flipping.
4. Brush with great sauce near the end of cooking.
5. Use a meat thermometer to cook to the minimum safe internal temperature.

 My Rating

Really good and really simple.

Pro Tips : Recipe Notes for Simple Grilled BBQ Split Chicken Breasts

1) Correct grill temperature and having a cooler zone.

The grill surface temperature needs to be 450 degrees. I usually give a range of 450-500 for chicken. Here I would prefer the range of 425-475.  That is for the majority of the surface.

That is a little above medium on most gas grills and at medium for my grill. See A Beginners Guide to Grill Temperature on a Gas Grill for more details.

I also want one burner turned down some for a cooler zone. Lower 300s if you want to measure. This will be used for pieces that are getting too brown or smaller pieces that are cooking faster.

If you only have two burners turn it down at about 10-15 minutes into the cooking. If you have 3 or more burners, turn one down at the beginning of cooking.

2) Trim the chicken correctly.

Most of us (including me) have a hard time cooking those big chicken breasts we all get these days. The outside will burn before you can get the safe internal temperature of 165.

So cut them in half or thirds if they are big. Cut it, and you will have more normal serving sizes, more surface area for the tasty sauce. And a much easier time getting to the right internal temperature.

I also like to chop off the rib section. There is no meat and so thin that it will start to burn before the meat can cook.

We don't recommend rinsing chicken anymore. Pat dry only, Please see Chicken… To Rinse or Not To Rinse? for a more detailed discussion.

3) Correct timing of flipping.

Sounds kind of stupid but not really. We need to get the center of the meat to the minimum safe temperature of 165 without burning the skin.  A little char is good, burnt is bad.

First, start with the skin side UP.

Next, we are going to do “uneven grill” meaning cook the meat/bone side facing the flame longer than skin side down.

Last, use the lower temperature zone we set up. If a thinner or smaller piece is getting done faster or the skin too charred, move it over to the lower temperature area.

4) Brush with great sauce near the end of cooking.

With a skinless breast, I will do a very light brushing of sauce at the beginning to get a "base" cooking. But sauce has lots of sugar and skin likes to burn.

Here I try to do a medium brush about 5 minutes before the end of cooking and then again the last few minutes. I try to keep skin side up once the sauce goes on.

Note that there are no salt, pepper, or other seasonings. We are using the sauce as the entire seasoning here. So a great sauce makes for great BBQ grilled chicken. Bad sauce means bad BBQ chicken.

Use the BBQ sauce of your choice. I love Gates BBQ of KC sauce but use Bulls Eye Original sometimes, which Cooks Illustrated likes. My Memphis BBQ Sauce would be the best choice but a little work.

5) Use a meat thermometer to cook to the minimum safe internal temperature.

You must use a meat thermometer cooking almost any meat, but it is required here. You will undercook and not be safe. Or overcook and have bad results.

I love my expensive thermopen instant-read thermometer but a $15 el-cheapo will work good enough. See Cooking for Two Shop for suggestions if you don't have one.

Other Split Chicken Breast Recipes

Crispy Baked Split Chicken Breasts

Crispy Grilled Split Chicken Breast

Preheat gas grill to a surface temperature of 450. That is medium on my grill but is usually medium-high on most grills. Clean and oil.

Pat dry chicken. Trim loose fat and rib section. Then cut the split chicken breasts into 2-3 equal pieces each.

A light brushing with oil and you're good to go.

Place the chicken pieces skin side up and grill for 5 minutes. Flip over with skin down for 4 minutes. Continue cycles of 5 minutes when skin is up and 4 minutes when skin is down.

If you only have two burners turn one burner down at about 10-15 minutes into the cooking. If you have 3 or more burners, turn one end burner down at the beginning of cooking.

With smaller pieces and pieces browning too fast, move them to the lower temperature area as needed.

When the chicken nears done, brush with BBQ sauce about 5 minutes before the end of cooking and then again the last few minutes. Grill until internal temp of 165. Total cooking time for me about 30 minutes.

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4.07 from 46 votes

Simple Grilled BBQ Split Chicken Breast

As simple as it gets. Start grill, trim chicken, put on a grill. Then a few flips and brush of sauce. Easy to follow step by step instructions.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time35 mins

Total Time40 mins

Author: Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

Servings/Adjust Amount: 4

Ingredients

• 2 split chicken breast - AKA bone-in skin-on chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon oil - for brushing
• 1/4 cup BBQ sauce of choice

US Customary - Convert to Metric

Instructions

• Preheat gas grill to a surface temperature of 450. That is medium on my grill but is usually medium-high on most grills. Clean and oil.
• Pat dry chicken. Trim loose fat and rib section. Then cut the split chicken breasts into 2-3 equal pieces each.
• A light brushing with oil and you're good to go.
• Place the chicken pieces skin side up and grill for 5 minutes. Flip over with skin down for 4 minutes. Continue cycles of 5 minutes when skin is up and 4 minutes when skin is down.
• Create a cooler zone for cooking. If you only have two burners, turn one burner down at about 10-15 minutes into the cooking. If you have 3 or more burners, turn one end burner down at the beginning of cooking.
• With smaller pieces and pieces cooking or browning too fast, move them to the lower temperature area as needed.
• When the chicken nears done, brush with BBQ sauce about 5 minutes before the end of cooking and then again the last few minutes.
• Grill until internal temp of 165. Total cooking time for me about 30 minutes.

Recipe Notes

Pro Tips:

1. Get grill surface temperature correct
2. Trim and cut up chicken. Large pieces don't cook well.
3. Keep skin up as much as possible to prevent burning.
4. Have a cooler zone to move smaller pieces to while grilling.
5. BBQ near the end to prevent burning.
6. Done when the internal temperature is 165.

 

 

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword BBQ Chicken, Grilled Chicken

 

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You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.  

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Simple Grilled BBQ Split Chicken Breast

Amount Per Serving

Calories 220 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 2g10%

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 83mg28%

Sodium 1112mg46%

Potassium 243mg7%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 30g60%

Vitamin A 100IU2%

Calcium 10mg1%

Iron 1.1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

Nutrition is generally for one serving. Number of servings is stated above and is my estimate of normal serving size for this recipe.

 

All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.

Originally Published June 7, 2011