How To Cook Chicken Breasts on a Charcoal Grill

Do you love grilled chicken breasts? Find out how to cook chicken breasts on a charcoal grill. Use the chicken in salads, wraps, and burritos.

One of the best things about summer aside from the warm weather and sunshine is getting out the charcoal grill and making something tasty for dinner. But often you find yourself grilling the same items like hamburgers or bratwurst over and over.

That is why I love grilling chicken. You can enjoy it straight from the grill with some side dishes for a meal on its own or you can use the grilled chicken meat in a variety of other recipes. This is why it is such a versatile meat.

*This post may have affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission if you choose to purchase through links I provide (at no extra cost to you). Thank you for supporting the work I put into this site!

Rather than only eating the plain grilled chicken, using it in other recipes is a way to get creative.

You can also slice and freeze the grilled chicken so you have some available later for other recipes.

Fetch Rewards Referral Code: MXUXX

Fetch Rewards Referral CodeAre you ready to save money on your grocery bill and earn gift cards from your efforts? Use my Fetch Rewards Referral Code MXUXX and get 2,000 points. It’s a free app that turns grocery receipts into rewards. Click here to read my Fetch Rewards review on how it works. Just scan any grocery or gasoline receipt, and earn points towards awesome rewards. You’ll earn on all matched brands and products and gain access to exclusive offers that earn you even more points. No more entering codes, completing tasks or jumping through any hoops! Just scan your grocery receipt, and get rewarded. Click here to download the FetchRewards app. Use my Fetch Rewards Referral Code: MXUXX You can find more money saving referral codes here: Referral Code Master List  

Note:  The type of chicken breasts you choose makes a lot of difference. There are many less expensive store brands that lack flavor so choose a good quality chicken breast for grilling. We happen to have an Amish market near us and they have the best tasting chicken I have found. The other brand I like is Gerber Amish chicken breasts. It makes a lot of difference in the end result.

Scroll down to get detailed instructions.

How To Cook Chicken Breasts on a Charcoal Grill

Need a recipe? Try these awesome 6-layer Grilled Chicken Burritos.

Grilling Instructions

Note:  The following instructions are for a Weber 22″ Kettle Charcoal grill – which makes a great gift by the way! As you might notice ours has been used quite often!

how to cook chicken breasts on charcoal grill

Cut Apple Wood chunks in half if necessary. Prepare the Apple Wood smoking chips by placing about 10 -15 chips in a bowl filled with hot water. Do this first and allow them to soak until your grill is hot.

charcoal grill preparation
To prepare the grill place 15-20 briquets on each side of the grill. This is called the “indirect method”. Apply charcoal starter fluid and allow it to absorb into the briquets. Light the grill and allow the coals to become white hot and you have a good hot fire.

charcoal grill preparation

Place half of the apple chunks on each side of the grill on top of the heated coals.

how to cook chicken breasts on charcoal grill

Place cooking grate on the grill. Using a tong, place the prepared chicken (coated with olive oil to prevent sticking) evenly on the grill. Close the grill lid cover and open the vents on the top of the lid.

how to cook chicken breasts on charcoal grill

Grill for about 25-35 minutes until the juices run clear keeping the lid on except to check occasionally. Flip twice or more often while cooking to get nice grill marks on the chicken. Cooking times will vary depending on how hot your grill is and the amount of chicken you are grilling. Use a meat thermometer to check for proper temperatures.

grilled chicken breasts

When done, remove chicken from the grill and allow to stand 5 minutes. Close down your grill properly.

how to cook chicken breasts on charcoal grill

Slice chicken crosswise into thin strips and it is ready to serve or use in other recipes.

How To Cook Chicken Breasts on a Charcoal Grill Instructions

How To Cook Chicken Breasts On A Charcoal Grill

Do you love grilled chicken breasts? Find out how to cook chicken breasts on a charcoal grill. Use the chicken in salads, wraps, and burritos.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken breasts
Servings: 4
Author: Laura Warnke

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 -1 3/4 pounds premium quality chicken breasts 3-6 breasts depending on the size and weight
  • olive oil
  • Apple Wood Smoking Chips or chunks
  • Kingsford Charcoal Briquets

Instructions

  • Prepare the chicken by thawing it if necessary in the refrigerator the night before.
  • Lightly coat each chicken breast with a small amount of olive oil and set aside while preparing the grill.
  • Cut Apple Wood chunks in half if necessary. Prepare the Apple Wood smoking chips by placing about 10 -15 chips in a bowl filled with hot water. Allow them to soak until your grill is hot.
  • To prepare the grill place 15-20 briquets on each side of the grill. This is called the "indirect method".
  • Apply charcoal starter fluid and allow it to absorb into the briquets.
  • Light the grill and allow the coals to become white hot and you have a good hot fire.
  • Place half of the apple chunks on each side of the grill on top of the heated coals.
  • Place cooking grate on the grill.
  • Using a tong, place the prepared chicken evenly on the grill. Close the grill lid cover and open the vents on the top of the lid.
  • Grill for about 25-35 minutes until the juices run clear keeping lid on except to check occasionally.
  • Flip twice or more often while cooking to get nice grill marks on the chicken.
  • Cooking times will vary depending on how hot your grill is and the amount of chicken you are grilling. Use a meat thermometer to check for proper temperatures.
  • When done, remove chicken from the grill and allow to stand 5 minutes. Close down your grill properly.
  • Slice chicken crosswise into thin strips and it is ready to serve or use in other recipes.

Family Friendly Dinner Ideas

All-American Cheeseburger Pie

Homemade Chili Recipe With Kidney Beans

Grilled Beef And Veggie Kabobs

Corn Cheese Spaghetti Casserole

Baked Meatballs and Dumplings

Comforting Hamburger Soup

Easy Mini Slider Cheeseburgers

Family Style Homemade Pizza

Easy Taco Casserole

Cheddar Cheese Meatloaf Recipe

Easy Hamburger Casserole

Easy Homemade Burritos

Ground Beef Shepherds Pie Recipe

Shepherds Pie Recipe

Hearty Shepherds Pie Recipe

Pork Noodle Casserole

Great Date Night Dinner Ideas

Homemade Fish Tacos

Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe

Mediterranean Chicken Recipe

Jamaican Jerk Burgers

Make At Home Southern Fried Chicken

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.