Chicken is an excellent choice of meat to grill for a barbecue. It is easy and needs very little preparation. A healthier option is to cook the chicken meat without the skin on. However, leaving the skin on as the chicken grills will keep the meat moist and trap flavor. Anyone not wishing to eat the skin can peel it away before they eat the delicious chicken underneath. Besides, who doesn’t enjoy licking all that tasty barbecue sauce off their fingers as they enjoy the feast?

Cooking the chicken on a gas grill also allows for a more indirect heat that thoroughly and evenly cooks the meat inside. Follow the steps below to see how to barbecue chicken no a gas grill that will make for a very simple. To get started, be sure you have a gas grill preheated to provide an indirect heat by turning only the outer burners on a 3 or 4 burner set up to high. Keep the middle burner(s) off. These may be adjusted later depending on how hot the burners get in your particular grill.

Ingredients:

• Split Chicken on the ribs with the skin
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Gas Grill
• Spray bottle of water
• Meat thermometer
• Barbecue Sauce of your choice
• Brush for applying the sauce
• Tongs for handling the meat

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: About 35-45 minutes

Ready to Eat: About 45-55 minutes

Preheat the gas grill for indirect heat by turning the outer burners on high leaving the middle burner(s) off. The temperature should be maintained between 230° and 250°F. If your grill does not have a built in thermometer, set an oven thermometer next to the chicken on the grill. Prepare the chicken while the grill is getting hot. The chicken should have already had time (a minimum of 30 minutes) to thaw at room temperature on the counter. Evenly thawed chicken will cook more thoroughly without the risk of some areas remaining raw. Rub this thawed chicken with salt and black pepper. If you are going to replace the barbeque sauce with a form of dry rub seasoning, this is the time to apply it.

The chicken is ready to be grilled. At this time, the grill should be hot enough. Place the chicken on the grill with the bone side down.

Close the lid of the barbecue to allow the meat to cook. Bone in meat will take longer to cook than a boneless cut will. For chicken, the best results will come from cooking at a slightly lower temperature for a longer amount of time. In general it should take about 40 minutes to cook the pieces of chicken. At a couple of intervals, open the lid and spray the cuts of meat with the water bottle. This will help to keep the meat juicy and tender as it cooks.

Be aware though that each time the lid of the barbecue is opened, it releases some heat and will increase the cooking time slightly. When checking to see if the chicken is thoroughly cooked, use a meat thermometer. Chicken that is not thoroughly cooked is dangerous to eat due to the risk of Salmonella poisoning.

Be sure that the thickest cut of meat in the center at the bone has reached a temperature of 170° F. Also, once the meat is cut the juices should run clear. If the meat appears pink or the juices of the chicken have any hint of color, cook the chicken a little longer.

When the chicken has about ten minutes left to go in cooking time, it is time to add any sauce that is desired. Use a brush to paint on a generous coating of the barbecue sauce of choice. Apply the barbecue sauce only to the top of the chicken. Close the lid of the gas grill and let the sauce cook into the chicken for about five minutes. Because barbecue sauces have such high sugar content they are prone to burning. Check on the pieces and turn the heat down if needed. The built up heat in the grill and inside the chicken meat will be enough to continue cooking it without the risk of charring the sauce.

Between five and ten minutes is all it should take to create a beautiful coated glaze of sauce on top of the chicken. It is time to remove the chicken from the grill. To do this, use the tongs, as the chicken will be very hot. Place the chicken on a platter and allow it to cool slightly for a few minutes before serving to your guests. Again, be sure to check that the meat is thoroughly cooked by cutting a small slice into a thicker piece. If the juices are clear, the chicken is ready to serve.