Chicken on the Grill with Cheryl and Bill Jamison

When grilled properly, chicken is incredibly satisfying and succulent.  It also offers a rich array of options, mixing well with flavorful seasonal ingredients year round, promoting dietary preferences, and accommodating both tight and more leisurely cooking schedules.

Bill and Cheryl Jamison are the authors of the top-selling cookbooks The Big Book of Outdoor Cooking & Entertaining, Chicken on the Grill, Smoke & Spice, Born to Grill, and Sublime Smoke.

“Few things are tastier than properly grilled chicken, lightly browned and crusted on the surface, succulent and tender at the center,” says Cheryl Jamison. “Chicken is easy and relatively quick to grill when you know what you’re doing.  It’s a solid value for every night family meals, and great for entertaining because just about everyone likes it.”

Bill Jamison notes that most people get their start on the grill with hamburgers and hot dogs, “which aren’t much harder to prepare than peanut butter sandwiches.

“People build too hot a fire, or don’t watch the cooking time, and end up with chicken that overcooked, or burned on the outside and undercooked in the middle,” he says. “You can still have fun at the grill, but keep an eye on the heat, the chicken, and your watch.”

Many people “forget they’re cooking” when using a grill, says Cheryl.  “Intent on enjoying the outdoors, sharing a laugh with family or friends, or sipping a beverage, folks neglect the cooking basics of time and temperature.”  

To avoid cooking disasters, they say, start with a properly heated grate, oil it just before you begin to cook, and don’t try to move the chicken until it has cooked for at least a couple of minutes, or the chicken skin may stick to the grill.

“The key to grilling chicken that is nicely browned on the outside and completely cooked on the inside is to turn the chicken often and allow it to grill over a steady medium heat,” the authors say.  “This method will consistently produce juicy, deeply browned grilled chicken.”

The Jamisons also recommend using the “hand test” to gauge the heat of the grill.  “Hold your hand a couple of inches above the cooking grate and count the seconds until the heat forces you to pull away.  One to two seconds is hot, three seconds is medium-hot, and four to five seconds is medium, perfect for most chicken. For a gas grill, simply turn the heat up or down as needed. With a charcoal fire, add or remove coals, adjust the vents, or move the grate, depending on the design of your grill.”

Here is two recipes from the Jamison’s book Chicken on the Grill: 100 Surefire Ways to Grill Perfect Chicken Every Time.  Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad is a fresh take on the classic Caesar salad.  Boneless, skinless, chicken breasts are cubed and marinated in an easy store-bought Caesar salad dressing.  The chicken pieces are then skewered with pieces of country bread, grilled, and served over a bed of crisp romaine lettuce.

Grilled Chicken Caesar on a Skewer - Print -

Adapted from Chicken on the Grill:
100 Surefire Ways to Grill Perfect Chicken Every Time
By Bill and Cheryl Jamison

Serves 4

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¾- to 1-inch cubes
1 ¼ cups Caesar salad dressing, store-bought or homemade, or more to taste
4 ounces country bread, cut into 1- to 1 ¼-inch cubes
Several tablespoons garlic-flavored olive oil or olive oil
8 cups Romaine ribbons or a smaller quantity of crisp whole small inner romaine leaves (1-2 heads)
½ tsp fresh cracked pepper
Curls of Parmesan cheese (made by scraping a vegetable peeler over a chunk of cheese)

4 metal skewers, preferably 8 to 10 inches long

At least 1 hour ahead, or up to several hours before you plan to grill the chicken, place the chicken in a zippered plastic bag.  Pour enough of the dressing over the chicken to cover it, about ¾ cup.  Seal the bag, toss back and forth to coat the chicken, and refrigerate.

When ready to grill, drain the chicken and let it sit uncovered at room temperature for about 20 minutes.

Fire up the grill, bringing the heat to medium (4 to 5 seconds with the hand test).

Brush the bread cubes with the garlic oil, and skewer them more or less intermittently with the chicken cubes.  Arrange the skewers on the grill and grill uncovered for 7 to 9 minutes, turning to cook on all sides, until the chicken is firm and white throughout but still juicy.  The bread will get toasty brown.

Toss the romaine with enough dressing to moisten it thoroughly, then divide it among four plates.  Place a chicken Caesar skewer on each plate, sprinkle with pepper to taste and Parmesan, and serve while the chicken is still hot and the romaine is still cold.

Diavolo Chicken Thighs - Print -

Adapted from Chicken on the Grill:
100 Surefire Ways to Grill Perfect Chicken Every Time
By Bill and Cheryl Jamison

Serves 3-4

8 plump skin-on bone-in chicken thighs (6 to 7 ounces each)

Diavolo Paste:

¼ cup Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp dried hot red chile flakes, or more to taste
1 tsp coarse salt (kosher or sea salt)

At least 2 hours ahead, or up to the night before you plan to grill the thighs, prepare the paste: Combine the ingredients in a small bowl.  Coat the thighs thoroughly with the paste, rubbing it over and under the skin, working it as far as possible under the skin without tearing it.  Place the chicken in a zippered plastic bag, seal, and refrigerate.

When ready to grill, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let sit uncovered at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.

Fire up the grill for a two-level fire for cooking first on high heat (1 to 2 seconds with the hand test) and then on medium low heat (6 seconds with the hand test).  If you’re using a gas grill with two or more burners, create a two-level fire by adjusting the heat for each burner; if your gas grill has only one burner, adjust the heat at the appropriate time.  If you’re using a charcoal grill, create a two-level fire by arranging the coals in half of the grill area in a single layer for moderate heat and in the other half pile the coals two or three deep for high heat.

Grill the thighs uncovered over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, turning to sear all sides.  Move the chicken to medium low heat and continue grilling for an additional 12 to 15 minutes, turning every 3 minutes or so.  Watch for flare-ups, shifting the thighs away from the flame if necessary.  The thighs are done when the skin is brown and crisp and the juices run clear when they are pierced.  Serve immediately.