Food - Drink
The Biggest Mistake You're Making When Grilling Chicken
By KALEA MARTIN
Cooking chicken requires precision and good timing, and grilling it can be especially tricky. While overcooked chicken isn't ideal, undercooking it is worse, since this can lead to foodborne illness. When grilling chicken, don't make the mistake of not checking if it's properly cooked; here's how to do it.
Grills don't heat meat very evenly, so carefully monitor the chicken while cooking, and move it around the grill grates with tons and flip it a few times to make sure each side gets enough cooking time. Instead of high heat, stick to a medium-low temperature on a charcoal grill, and medium on a gas grill.
The color of the chicken's juices are the best indicator as to whether the chicken is fully cooked or not, so check the juiciness by piercing the chicken with a knife. When the liquid that comes out is clear, rather than pink, take the chicken off the grill and let it rest; if the juices drip out when sliced, it's perfectly cooked.
Another easy way to help chicken retain moisture is by weighing it down with something, such as a brick wrapped in aluminum foil. Pressing the chicken into the grill allows the skin to crisp nicely while the inside meat remains juicy.