Mealtime Monday–A Barbecue Grill Favorite: Chicken
In our home, barbecue season starts as soon as my husband and I can stand to be outside (around 50 degrees). In fact, we love barbecuing so much, that we even occasionally fire it up in the winter months. Our neighbors probably think we are crazy! My love for the barbecue truly began in Idaho several years ago. I was staying with my grandma while attending ISU and working two jobs. As soon as the spring hit, my Grandma always had something marinating and ready to throw on the grill when we both got home. We would sit outside enjoying the weather, talking and laughing. I cherish those memories so much and I lovingly blame her for my now being a grilling addict.
Notice how the trees are still bare and my poor plant that I forgot to bring in is dead? We started grilling at the beginning of March. Like I said, we are addicted!
Something I love about barbecuing is that there doesn’t have to be a specific science to it. You can get as fancy and prepared as you’d like, or you can decide you are going to barbecue spur of the moment. Either way, your food will taste great! If you are a planner, then pull some chicken out of the freezer and get it defrosting and marinating the day before. If you’re like me and need something ASAP, then this is perfect too! Grab your meat out of the freezer, defrost it in the microwave, do a quick marinade and throw those puppies on the grill! It truly is this easy!
Most of my quick barbecue recipes are with chicken. A) We love chicken! B) It’s a healthy choice C) It is so delicious (especially when it is done on the grill)! and D) Did I mention that we LOVE chicken? I typically do quick marinades because to be honest, half of the time I don’t even know what’s for dinner until I get home from work at 6 P.M. But guess what? My husband never even knows because it tastes like something I spent days preparing for…So let’s get to it!
Step one: Grab your chicken. Whether you prefer tenderloins, breasts, thighs, or wings, gather enough that everyone can at least have one (or two or three since they are going to LOVE it!) If it is frozen, lets get it defrosting (day of– use your microwave defrost setting; day before– simply place it in the fridge and let it slowly defrost). If its already thawed, well then you are just that much closer to your mouthwatering, delicious grilled chicken. Place your chicken into a gallon sized ziplock bag.
Step two: Choose your marinade. Some of my favorite are citrus, balsamic, and italian. Truly, I have yet to try any marinades I don’t like. I try to steer clear of bottled marinades as they tend to be pretty high in sodium contents and calories. Place all of the ingredients for your marinade into the ziplock bag. Seal and let sit at least 10 minutes. (The longer you have to let it marinade, the stronger the flavor will be.)
Step three: Fire up your barbecue. If you are doing the quick marinade and only letting it sit for 10 minutes, now is a great time to fire up the barbecue and get it all heated up.
Step four: Place your chicken on the grill. I typically flip the chicken 3 times to that one side isn’t getting charred more than the other. I have also found that this helps keep them nice and juicy. Cook thoroughly until no pink is remaining. I recommend using a thermometer to ensure it is fully cooked. Most meat thermometers will tell you what your poultry should be at, but in case it doesn’t the recommended temperature is 165 degrees fahrenheit.
Step five: Pair with another barbecue favorite like corn or veggies. The veggies are some of my favorites. Prepare them just like the instructions say, but instead on placing them on the pan and cooking in the oven, place them in individual (one for each person) tin foil wraps and place them on the barbecue. YUM!
Step six: ENJOY!
