Grill Temperature Guide: Grilled Chicken Quarters (+Perfect Grilling Temperatures For Any Dish!)
Check out this grill temperature guide to find out the perfect temperatures needed for all of your favorite grilled dishes! Whether you're cooking steak, burgers, or veggies, you'll need to know how hot your grill needs to be to get perfectly cooked food. Bookmark this guide for any time you're getting ready to fire up the grill!
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Instructions
Prepare The Chicken Thighs
Rinse the chicken under cool water then thoroughly pat it dry with paper towels (*see note).
Rub the BBQ seasoning all over the chicken, massaging it into the meat. Let the chicken legs sit in the seasoning for 40 minutes so the juices can get flowing and the meat can absorb all of the flavors.
Just before the 40 minutes are up, preheat your grill to 400°F (205°C). Prepare 2-zone spaces on your grill over direct and indirect heat.
Grill The Chicken Quarters
Put the seasoned chicken leg quarters on the hot grill over direct heat, skin-side-up. Grill for 7-10 minutes, then flip and grill for 4-5 minutes on the opposite side (bone-side-up). Return the chicken so the skin side is facing up, until your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
(optional) Combine the BBQ sauce, liquid smoke, and/or light brown sugar in a small bowl. Flip the chicken legs over skin-side-up once more, then move them over indirect heat.
(optional) Spread about 1 generous tablespoon of the BBQ mixture evenly over each of the legs. Close the lid to the grill and allow the sauce to caramelize for 2-3 minutes.
Remove the chicken leg quarters from your grill and set them aside to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve with a side of BBQ sauce, if desired.
Notes
The USDA does not recommend rinsing your chicken, however, I always rinse meats before cooking to remove any loose bone shards (which I have found in the packaging more than once).
Thoroughly drying off your chicken is an important step in getting perfectly crispy skin!
If there are any loose or hanging bits of fat or skin, trim them off to prevent grill flare-ups.
The salt in the BBQ rub will pull moisture out of the meat. Because of this, it is best to put the chicken on the grill immediately after seasoning (within 3 minutes), or after the seasoning has had a chance to sit on the meat for at least 40 minutes (this gives it time to reabsorb the juices).
The safe internal temperature of cooked chicken is technically 165°F (74°C), but with bone-in, skin-on chicken it is best to aim for 175-180°F (79°-82°C). At this temperature the fibrous tissues begin to melt, leaving behind juicy, tender chicken!
To store: Your leftover grilled chicken leg quarters should be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You may freeze them in an airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
To reheat: Put the chicken legs in a baking dish and cover them with foil. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes, or until heated all the way through.