Basic BBQ Grilled Chicken

1. Take your frozen chicken quarters and rinse them in water. Place the chicken in a large plastic container and set aside. In a separate large bowl, mix together the water and all of the seasonings. Whisk until the seasonings are well mixed. Pour the brine over the chicken and make sure that the chicken is completely submerged in the water. Also, if you have one, take a flavor injector and inject the chicken quarters with some of the brine. If you do not have a flavor injector, take a fork and make small holes in your chicken pieces so some of the brine can fill the chicken. Soak the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. The longer, the better. (“That’s what she said” – Michael Scott from The Office).

2. Before you are ready to grill your chicken, go ahead and fire up the grill accordingly. If you are using a charcoal grill, make sure that the coals are slightly gray before adding your meat.

3. Now that your grill is about ready, get out your container with the chicken and drain off (and discard) the brine. Place your chicken on a platter and season with salt and pepper or whatever seasoning you want. What I like to do is squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top of the chicken before grilling because it enhances the flavor of the meat. You can allow that lemon juice to sit on your chicken for about 10 minutes while you are checking on your grill.

4. When the grill is ready, go ahead and place your chicken on top of the grill. If you are using a charcoal grill, if you cover the grill with the lid it is going to slow cook your chicken. If you keep the lid up then it is going to cook your chicken much faster, which is what I did. So you are going to grill your chicken for about 5 minutes on each side. Try not to continuously flip the chicken because you may cook them unevenly.

5. Use a digital thermometer to check to make sure that the chicken is completely done before removing it from the grill. The temperature should read 165 F. But, I would take it off the grill when it reads 160 F because you don’t want the chicken to be dry. Once you are finished with your chicken, dress with whatever glaze or sauce you want and enjoy!