How to Grill Chicken for Beginners

Hey there, fellow grill enthusiasts! I’m SJ from SJ Cooks, and today, I’m going to walk you through how to grill some delicious chicken with just the basics—no fancy accessories needed. If you're just getting started with grilling, chicken is the perfect meat to practice on. It's affordable, versatile, and forgiving if you keep an eye on your temperatures. So, let’s fire up the grill and get cooking!

Setting Up Your Grill

First things first—let’s get that fire going! You’ll need some charcoal and a way to light it. If you don’t have fire starters, no worries—just grab two paper towels, add a little cooking oil, and use them as makeshift starters. Pile your charcoal up on one side to create an indirect cooking zone. In about 15 minutes, your coals should be hot and ready to go. Give them a quick stir, drop in the cooking grate, and cover the grill while we prep the chicken.

Prepping the Chicken

There are a few ways to cook a whole chicken—you can cook it whole, spatchcock it, or cut it into halves or quarters. For this cook, I’m quartering the chicken, which makes it easy to manage on the grill and ensures everything cooks evenly.

Start by using kitchen shears to remove the spine. Once that’s done, clean up any excess fat and remove the keel bone to make it easier to cut in half. From there, separate the quarters, leaving the legs and thighs intact.

Pro tip: Buying a whole chicken and breaking it down yourself is often cheaper than buying pre-cut pieces. Plus, it gives you a chance to practice cooking different cuts at once—wings, breasts, thighs, and drumsticks.

Seasoning the Chicken

When it comes to seasoning, keep it simple. Any good all-purpose seasoning will do—just pick a favorite and go with it! I’m using a blend of sesame seasoning, seasoned salt, and black pepper. Make sure to coat both sides evenly so you get flavor in every bite.

Time to Grill!

Before placing your chicken on the grill, oil up the grates to prevent sticking. Then, arrange the pieces so that the thicker cuts, like the breasts, are closer to the heat.

For vent settings, keep the bottom vent about halfway open and adjust the top vent between half to fully open. The goal is to maintain a cooking temperature between 325°F and 375°F—chicken loves high heat!

Halfway through cooking, check on your chicken. If it’s getting a good color but isn’t quite done, rotate the pieces for even cooking. If temperatures climb too high, adjust the vents slightly to regulate the heat.

One of the best investments you can make as a beginner is a good meat thermometer. Chicken needs to hit an internal temperature of 165°F to be safe to eat. Dark meat, like thighs and drumsticks, can handle going a bit higher—anywhere between 175°F and 185°F is just fine. But for breast meat, be careful not to overcook it! I like to pull mine at 160°F, knowing that the carry-over heat will bring it up to 165°F as it rests.

Finishing Touches

Once the chicken is cooked through, I like to give it a quick sear over direct heat to add extra color and crispiness—especially on the dark meat. Then, remove it from the grill and let it rest for a few minutes before cutting in.

Look at that juicy, flavorful chicken! The seasoning is spot on, and the meat is tender and delicious.

Final Thoughts

Grilling chicken is one of the easiest and most rewarding things you can do. With a little practice, you’ll be serving up perfectly cooked, juicy chicken every time.

If you enjoyed this guide, be sure to check out my YouTube channel.