Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Chicken Pieces.....a little help please

Grillin Guy
Grillin Guy Posts: 302
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I'm going to do some chicken breasts and thighs on the BGE this evening. I like mine with the skin on and when it's finished, I like the skin to be crispy. Should I cook them indirect with my plate setter or can I cook them direct with the skin side down at 250 for ten minutes or so and then turn them over and let them finish like that? That's how I used to do it with the Weber Kettle and it always came out right. Appreciate the help.

Terry

Comments

  • Rascal
    Rascal Posts: 3,923
    There was a post about that not too long ago. I believe the person cooked them over lo-moderate heat until almost done, then brushed them with melted butter and finished them off at perhaps a higher heat setting to crisp the skin. Sorry.... that's all I can recall.

    Rascal
  • 250 sounds kind of low but.....
    If you had success with them on your Weber that way, I would say try it and see how it goes.

    Post your results, too.

    I do chicken parts on a raised grid when cooking direct.
  • BlueSmoke
    BlueSmoke Posts: 1,678
    If it were me, I'd start from what worked good with the Weber, and not just with tonight's chicken. You already have those learnings internalized; it's just a matter of tweaking them to adapt them to the BGE.

    (In the case at hand, the BGE produces inherently juicier food than does the Weber; using the plate setter will only amplify the situation, i.e. skin will never get crisp.)

    HTH
    Ken
  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    I do chicken parts skin up, indirect, at 375-400* for about an hour.

    On the thighs before I cook I separate the skin from the meat by lifting it, then place it back down. This seems to help the fat render a little quicker and crisps the skin better. You can also try dusting with a little corn starch along with your rub of choice for a drier, crisper skin.

    If you are going to cook direct I would recommend a raised grid.
  • lowercasebill
    lowercasebill Posts: 5,218
    i cook my pieces at a higher temp [325-350] and direct flip them once or twice and use the thermopen and remove them individaully as they reach temp. . never tried breasts at 250 but the longer time worries me as far as making them dry.
    let us know what you did and how it works
    these were raised indirect on the mini at 350 used a pie plate for the indirect no liquid

    smokedcheeseandchicken011.jpg

    smokedcheeseandchicken012.jpg
  • Grillin Guy
    Grillin Guy Posts: 302
    Those look good Bill. I guess I didn't clarify, but I usually cook them skin side down at a lower heat, 250 to 300 to get the skin crispy and keep it from burning. Then I turn up the heat when I flip them to cook them faster and keep them moist. The skin on your chicken looks like it's crispy and done to perfection (the secret to perfect grilled chicken in MY book). I think I'll give your method a shot tonight. I'll keep you posted. Thanks to everyone for your help. This forum is, indeed, the best accessory that you can get to go with your BGE!

    Terry
  • lowercasebill
    lowercasebill Posts: 5,218
    your low then high temp sounds like it would work below is my very first chicken, on a rack on a steam tray no water start at 400+ drop back to 350 just like i used to do in the kitchen thingy with the hot door with the window uhhh i remember the oven

    chicken.jpg
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,674
    it actually took awhile for me to get chicken pieces as good as i could from a kettle, those were one cook where i thought a kettle shined. with the bge i have better luck cooking the same type of piece, either all thighs or all wings at the same time. thighs i just cook on a raised grill at about 275 plus or minus til the skin gets crunchy, flipping them a couple times. i dont cook breasts unless they are attached to a whole chicken
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Old Salt
    Old Salt Posts: 357
    I cooked my chicken quarters direct for 1 hour at 325* turning skin side down at the 1/2 hour mark. They came out just right with crispy skin. I posted my results a couple of days ago.
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    I used to cook pieces all the time at high and low temps. When I first got my egg I cooked the pieces for 15min per side and then pulled. I then tried some light corn starch and that made the skin crispy.

    I finally decided to try spatchcock and have done pieces since. There was a post a while back for beer can chicken, 1 hour at 400° dome. That turned out great too.

    I went back to spatchcock direct on a raised grid at 400° grid. Great results.

    Last night I took a deep pan, layered onion, potatoes & sweet italian sausage. Put the pan at felt level with two spatchcocked chickens with Dizzy Dust on a raised grid. 400° for 1 hour. The whole meal was fantastic and highly recomended.

    GG