Easy Grilled Half Chicken with Dry Rub is a delicious and flavorful main dish that will have your taste buds dancing. Whether hosting a summer barbecue, looking for a tasty weeknight dinner idea, or just craving some juicy and tender chicken, this recipe is a winner.
Grill (gas, charcoal, electric or kamado type grill, all work)
Tongs
Basting brush or mop
Instant-read meat thermometer
Ingredients
Chicken
1whole chicken (broiler-fryer),about three and a half pounds
Chicken dry rub
¼cupbrown sugar,firmly packed
¼cupsweet paprika
3tablespoonsblack pepper
3tablespoonskosher salt
2teaspoonsgarlic powder
2teaspoonsonion powder
1teaspooncayenne pepper
2cupspurchased barbecue sauce,your favorite brand
Lemon butter mixture
1tablespoonlemon juice
½cupmelted butter
Instructions
Prepare the chicken:
If you have a whole chicken, check for any giblets inside the bird, and remove and discard them.
To cut the poultry in half, start by placing it on a cutting board, breast-side down. Locate the backbone, which runs down the center of the back. Cut along one side of the backbone using poultry shears, starting from the tail end and moving toward the neck.
Once you've cut through the backbone, repeat the process on the other side, cutting along the other side of the backbone. Finally, remove the backbone and discard it or save it to make stock.
Open it up like a book, press down hard on the breast, and use the shears, sharp knife, or meat cleaver to cut through the breastbone to separate it into two halves.
Dry rub:
Mix all the rub ingredients in a small bowl to make the grilled chicken rub.
Pat dry with paper towels and place the chicken halves on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle the dry rub generously on both sides. Cover and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or as long as 24 hours. The longer, the better!
Lemon butter mixture:
Mix the melted butter and lemon juice in a small bowl and set aside.
Grilling:
Set up your grill for direct grilling and preheat it to medium, 325-350° F. This is the same whether you use a gas grill, electric grill, charcoal grill, or kamado-type grill such as a Green Egg.
When your grill is ready, clean the grill grates with a grill brush and oil the grates to prevent the meat from sticking.
Arrange the meat on the grates, skin-side down, and cook for about ten minutes. Coat the halves with the lemon butter mixture with a basting brush or mop. Then, use tongs to flip it over and coat the other side.
Cook the meat for eight to ten minutes on the second side. If a fire flares up, temporarily move it to a cooler section of the grill.
Flip it over again and generously coat it with barbecue sauce. Cook for two to three minutes; flip it over and cover the other side with the sauce. Cook for another couple of minutes to caramelize the BBQ sauce.
To ensure the meat is fully cooked, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, away from the bone. The internal temperature should be at least 160° F before removing the meat from the grill.
After removing the meat from the grill, cover it loosely with foil and let it rest for ten minutes before serving. This will allow the juices to redistribute and make it more tender and flavorful. It will also allow time for carry-over cooking to raise the internal temperature to 165° F.
Cut the halves into quarters and serve with extra barbecue sauce.
Notes
Use an instant-read meat thermometer to ensure the meat is fully cooked.Watch the heat: Watch the grill's heat and adjust it as needed. For example, if the meat is cooking too quickly or the skin is getting too dark, move it to a cooler part of the grill or lower the heat.Let the poultry come to room temperature: Before grilling, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour. This will help it cook more evenly and prevent the meat from seizing up on the grill.Prepare the grill properly: Make sure your grill grates are clean and lightly oiled to prevent sticking. Preheat your grill first before trying to clean your grates. Then, scrub the grates with a wire cleaning brush. The easiest way to oil the grates is to use a paper towel and tongs. Fold the paper towel into a three-inch square and pick it up with tongs. Dip the paper towel in a small bowl of oil and rub the grates. If you have really dirty grill grates, try these tips from Charbroil: when you have food that won't come off with a grill brush, soak the grates overnight with two cups of vinegar and one cup of baking soda. The vinegar and baking soda will work together to break apart burnt-on food.If you have room on your grill, add some corn or veggies or double up on the meat to have plenty of leftovers.