The Grilling Tip You Need For Perfectly Charred Chicken That Doesn't Burn

Grilled chicken is one of those dishes that seems simple enough until you actually try to make it. One of the most difficult parts of getting grilled chicken right is getting a nice, crispy char on the outside without ending up with a dry, overcooked inside. We spoke to Greg Gatlin, who founded Gatlin's BBQ and recently opened Gatlin's Fins & Feathers, two Houston-based restaurants known for BBQ and Southern cooking, respectively. Chef Gatlin is the perfect expert to speak to because not only does he know his BBQ, but he is also a James Beard Award finalist for Best Chef.

According to Chef Gatlin, the secret to a good char without a burnt taste is creating two temperature zones on the grill. "The hot zone is where you sear your chicken and the cooler zone [is] where you cook and finish or you can flip that process and do it the other way around," says Gatlin. Dual zone cooking involves using a combination of direct heat, aka the hot zone, and indirect heat, or the cooler zone, to get a perfect sear on your chicken.

Two-zone grilling is highly effective and extremely simple. You don't need special tools or any extra materials. The hot zone is the area right above the flame, hence why it's known as direct heat. This is where your chicken will get the most exposure to the flame, getting that nice, crispy char. The cool zone isn't over any flame but uses the spillover heat from the hot zone to make sure your chicken gets fully cooked through. Use the cool zone to slow-roast your chicken to a safe temperature, which is 165 degrees Fahrenheit, before or after using the hot zone to sear it off.

To get extra use out of your low-heat zone, try tossing some grill-friendly vegetables like mushrooms, eggplant, bell peppers, and corn. The low heat zone is great for things that might need more roasting time on the grill. For more veggie inspiration, check out our piece on the scene-stealing grilled vegetables.