Amongst most non vegetarians, chicken is almost always a favorite. I love chicken and though I have tried to turn vegan plenty of times, chicken, especially grilled chicken always draws me back!! To make a perfectly cooked, succulent and well flavored grilled chicken is not too difficult especially if you know how to. It is simply important that you don't under cook or over cook your chicken. If it is undercooked it poses a problem for your health and if over cooked it destroys the chicken. Here are a few steps that will explain how you can grill chicken:

Grilling seasoned chicken?

1. Clean out the chicken cavity and wash it well under cold water. Pat it dry and then season the chicken.

2. Ready your charcoal grills with some hot coals and then push them to one side.

3. Brush the hot grill grate with oil. Use long tongs and hold a towel soaked in oil to do this.

4. Put the chicken breast-side-down on the unheated side of the hot coals i.e on the side of the hot coals and not over it.

5. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, then turn the breast side up and continue grilling for up to another 30 minutes.

6. You can check if the chicken has been done well by cutting into the centre of the breast piece. If the juices run clear when the thickest part is cut then the chicken has ben done well. The skin would have turned golden and the chicken will be well cooked by now.

7. To ensure the inner part of the chicken is done, use a thermometer to measure the temperature of the innermost part of the chicken. Make sure that it has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

8. Remove from the grill and let it sit for 15 minutes before carving and serving.

Grilling marinated chicken?

You can follow the above given steps but care has to be given to the following instructions tpp

1. If you are using a marinade, ensure that the chicken remains marinated for several hours in the refrigerator. Preferably 24 hours. While using marinade at the last moment, it is better if you can inject it into the chicken.

2. You can seal the chicken with butter or oil to prevent the juice from seeping out. When you use butter you have to ensure that you don't burn it.

3. While the chicken is grilling brush it with some fresh marinade mixed in with a little oil.

Grilling chicken -Things to remember

Do not use too much salt in your marinades or seasoning as salt will draw the juice out of the chicken. If required apply salt just before serving.

When you use marinades remember that anything with sugar or tomato will burn fast.

If you like BBQ sauce on you grilled chicken then ensure that you use it just before removing it from the grill.

Be cautious when you use Teriyaki sauce as it has high sugar content and burns faster.

Avoid grilling chicken pieces with bones as there is always a possibility that the flesh near the bone will not get grilled. If you are using chicken pieces with bones then the inner temperature should be 170 degree F for it to be done

When using your thermometer, make sure it is clean and that it does not bring salmonella or other bacteria from the raw chicken to the grilled chicken.

Guess all these instruction should arm you with enough info to grill your chicken properly. Remember that only with practice can you perfect this grilling art. Here are some interesting grilled chicken recipes that you can experiment your new grilling skills with.Happy Grilling!