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Ways to Spice Up Grilled Chicken

Ways to Spice Up Grilled Chicken

When planning dinner meals in the summer months we often grill chicken: it’s relatively inexpensive and it’s quick and easy. But, let’s face it, we can only eat grilled chicken for so long before we get bored both eating and preparing the same old chicken. We often use garlic salt and pepper and once in a while some BBQ sauce but there are a lot of different ways to grill chicken and bring some really wonderful and unexpected flavors by experimenting a bit.

Chicken is a versatile and affordable dish that we can spice up and serve with salads and grilled vegetables. We can all agree that outdoor grilled food just tastes better! Grilling adds a tasty caramelizing and a smoky flavor to the foods we just don’t get when cooking indoors.

Using marinade, either a rub or a sauce, actually tenderizes any cut of meat. Marinades are a combination of seasonings, oils and often acid which brings amazing flavors out. And the acid in vinegars and citrus juices works with oils and breaks down fibers in the meat and the result is a juicier piece of meat.

It isn’t wise to marinate over 24 hours as enzymes will break down the meat and it will be drier than desired. We have also learned that when marinating it is best to use glass or ceramic instead of aluminum, and zipper plastic bags are good, too. Always marinate foods in the refrigerator never on counters or outdoors. Remember that old rule: keep it hot or keep it cold or don’t keep it.

One big benefit of using rubs over marinades is you get the flavor without the fat. Another benefit is they form a tasty crust on the top of the chicken. And using rubs takes little preparation as you can rub the meat and get right to the grilling. The rule of thumb is to use 3 tablespoons of rub for 2 pounds of meat.

We have some fun grilled pizza recipes that are only a start for a great new twist to summer grilling. The whole family can get into this by choosing their favorite toppings. These pizzas are fun, fast and easy to create your own masterpieces. An added benefit is there is no clean-up.

We also have come up with some amazing Thai grilled chicken recipes that include lemongrass, peppercorns, soy, ginger, red pepper flakes and sweet chili powder. Thai meals are simple but have great flavors that shine when grilled and is pretty low in fat.

And we couldn’t leave out grilling when you are camping. A trick that will work for the camping grilling is to take precooked frozen chicken wings and breasts and they will keep in the cooler for up to 36 hours. Check out the Creole Chicken, Quesadillas, Chicken Stew and Sticky Chicken recipes.

Outdoor grilling is a relaxed cooking experience that allows you to socialize with others while you and family and friends cook .We have come up with some really wonderful recipes for grilling chicken using many different recipes such as grilled kabobs, grilled pizzas, grilling recipes for camping, leftover chicken, Thai recipes, marinades, glazes and spice rubs. We are sure you will find many of these recipes enticing. Let us know what you think of them! We would love to hear from you.