Want to know How Long To Cook Half Chicken On The Grill?

The chicken is divided lengthwise into two equal and symmetrical parts. Each part includes an identical quantity of meat from the breast, wings, thighs, legs, and back.

Different Ways To Cook A Half Chicken

There are many ways or methods to cook half chicken, like grilling, baking or roasting, stirring-frying, barbecuing, and pan-frying.  

1: Grilling Method 

In the grilling method, meat has the grill or cooked on the grill placed over a heat source. Grilling enhances the natural flavor of the meat.  

2: Baking Or Roasting Technique 

Baking and roasting are best for those parts of meat that have bones, as these parts may take more time to cook. Through baking, these parts had cooked with an equal amount of heat without charring the outer surface. 

3: Stir-frying Method  

In stir-frying, meat or vegetables are cut into thin slices. These slices had cooked quickly over high heat for one to two minutes until done for eating.  

4: Barbecue Technique  

In this method, thin marinated slices of meat had cooked directly over a heat source such as gas or coals for a few minutes.  

5: Pan-frying Method  

In pan-frying, meat is fried on both sides in a moderate amount of oil. The meat had cooked at medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes until cooked properly.  

Grilled Half Chicken, The grilled half chicken, is served as a delicious outdoor meal in many restaurants. It is cooked in the southern tandoori style to achieve a juicy texture.    

Preparations For Grilling Half Chicken

Step 1: First, you have to place chicken pieces on the cutting board. Discard the extra fat and skin tissues, but do not remove the skin. 

 Step 2: Then, flatten the chicken pieces by pressing hard or using a hammer to give them a butterfly-like shape. 

Step 3: Next, combine all of the ingredients with the marinating liquid and coat the chicken pieces with it. Furthermore, place the chicken pieces in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.  

Step 4: Take the chicken out of the refrigerator and set it aside for at least 30 minutes before grilling.  

The Grilling Of A Prepared Half Chicken

Step1: Brush the upper surface of the grill using canola or sunflower oil. Because it prevents the sticking of chicken pieces to the grill.

Step2: In the next step, set the gas burner or charcoal for medium to high heat and indirect heating. So, temperatures should be up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  

Step 3: Cook the chicken pieces for 15 minutes on both sides. Rotate the pieces to cook evenly. Moreover, use a thermometer to check the temperature of the deep layer of the chicken piece. So, the temperature of the thickest layer of the chicken piece should be 160 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.  

Step 4: Transfer the hot chicken pieces to the cooler side of the grill to finish cooking from the inside. Remove the chicken pieces from the grill. Allow them to rest for around 10 minutes and then serve. 

How long to cook half chicken on the grill

It takes almost an hour to grill the half chicken. Another 20 minutes had required for the preparation of half the chicken. Heat the grill, put the half chicken on it, and cook it for 20 minutes. Then turn over the side and cook for another 20 minutes. For checking the equal distribution of heat, you can use a thermometer. Rotate the half chicken for even cooking and cook it further for 20 to 30 minutes until ready to eat. Moreover, you can cook a little more if you want crispier skin. Then, remove the half chicken from the grill and let it rest for 10 minutes. 

Recipe For Grilled Half Chicken

Wash the chicken properly. Then, cut the whole chicken into two halves to make half a chicken that is juicy and easy to cook in one hour. 

Ingredients  

3-5 pounds whole chicken  

Barbeque sauce  

Two teaspoons of lemon juice 

Two teaspoons of garlic paste 

Four tablespoons paprika and one large onion (paste) 

Two teaspoons of black pepper  

One tablespoon red chili powder and 

Two tablespoons salt  

1 tbsp dried oregano  

One teaspoon of mustard powder  

One tablespoon of cumin 

Instructions

1. Cut the chicken in half and wash it with water before drying it with a clean cloth.
2. Mix all the ingredients and marinate for half an hour 
3. Preheat the grill 
4. Grill the skin side of half a chicken for 15-20 minutes 
5. Turn the side over and cook for another 15–20 minutes 
6. Rotate the chicken on the same side and cook further 25–27 minutes 
7. Cook more if you want a crisp 
8. Take it off the hot grill and let it rest for at least 7 minutes   
9. Finally, cut it into pieces and serve with tomato sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

 Do you close the lid when cooking chicken?

If the grill has a cover, always cook your chicken with the lid down. It will make your grill oven-like, and your food will cook evenly. Also, because the cover cuts remove some of the oxygen, you’ll have fewer flare-ups.

Should I add olive oil to the chicken before grilling?

Prior to adding the chicken to the hot grill, make sure to lightly oil and cover the outer layer of the meat with a high smoke point oil. This process helps to stop the chicken and spices from sticking to the grill plate.

Do I salt chicken before grilling?

The perfect thing you can do is to pre-season chicken with salt, especially a whole bird or thick bone-in, skin-on pieces. Just sprinkle a little salt on the top layer of your chicken right before cooking. It will only season the surface. Hence, not only will the chicken be tastier, but it will be much juicier, too.

How long should dry rub sit on chicken?

Mix dry ingredients all together in a small mixing bowl and rub into the chicken, making sure to get the rub into every corner and crannies. Let rub sit on the chicken for up to 12 hours in the refrigerator.

The Bottom Line

Half grilled chicken is absolute love. It is considered the star dish of the weeknight menus. If you are a beginner and do not know how long to cook half chicken on the grill, refer to our guide and grill scrumptious finger-licking chicken.