Reverse-Seared Grilled Chicken
Grilling bone-in chicken pieces is much harder than it seems, says chef Tyler Florence, a cookbook author and popular host on the Food Network. Usually you’ll end up with a charred exterior and either a dry or undercooked interior, always seeming to miss that elusive perfect middle. To make the process foolproof, he created this recipe that’s featured in his new cookbook, American Grill: 125 Recipes for Mastering Live Fire. The reverse-sear method means the chicken is first baked low and slow, cooking it from the inside out, to prevent moisture loss, the chef explains. Baked with a quick dry brine that flavors as it cooks, the chicken gets most of the way there while the grill is warming up. Then it moves to the grill for the “reverse sear,” where it gets that signature smokiness and crisp skin. Serve the chicken plain or with your favorite sauce. The dry brine also works well on pork chops or even a skirt or flank steak, so you can use it throughout the grilling season.
Note: Tyler’s method involves pulling the chicken from the grill when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh, away from the bone, registers 155°F (68°C), because the temperature will continue to rise while resting. But if you like, you can also leave it on the grill a little longer to reach the Test Kitchen-recommended internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
Ingredients:
For the reverse-sear dry brine:
- 2 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves
- 2 Tbs. fresh rosemary leaves
- Grated zest of 1 to 2 lemons
- 4 garlic cloves, grated on a Microplane
- 5 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
- 1/3 cup (3 fl. oz./75 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 whole chicken (3 to 4 lb./1.4 to 1.8 kg), broken down into 10 pieces
Directions:
To make the dry brine, in a medium bowl, stir together the thyme, rosemary, lemon zest, garlic, salt, sugar, pepper and olive oil until well blended. Use immediately.
Preheat an oven to 220°F (110°C); be sure not to have it on the convection setting. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, toss the chicken with the dry brine. Mix well until everything is coated.
Arrange the chicken on the prepared baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh, away from the bone, registers 130°F (54°C), about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven to rest. At this point the chicken is partially cooked. You can place it in a zip-lock storage bag and refrigerate it for later use, or freeze until needed. If desired, you can even add a marinade or sauce and refrigerate to use within 24 hours.
When ready to finish the chicken, preheat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high heat, and set it up with two zones: a hot side and cold (less hot) side, for direct and indirect cooking. You want the temperature to hover around 400°F (205°C).
Place the chicken on the hot side of the grill. Rotate and flip every 5 minutes from the hot side to the cooler side to create an even sear on the chicken without burning it. Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh, away from the bone, registers 155°F (68°C), about 25 minutes from cold or 12 minutes from room temperature.
Transfer the chicken to a platter and let rest before serving. Serves 4 to 6.
Adapted from American Grill: 125 Recipes for Mastering Live Fire by Tyler Florence (Abrams Books, 2024)
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