Kickin' Grilled Chicken Legs - Simplicity is Perfection
Try this Kickin' Grilled Chicken Legs - Simplicity is Perfection recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Kickin' Grilled Chicken Legs - Simplicity is Perfection recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 0.666699999185648 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.852950000353323 g
- Fiber 0.100549997487053 g
- Protein 0.35954999981184 g
- Saturated Fat 0.11818750004845 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (4g)
- Sodium 125.905874999716 mg
- Sugar 0.566150001698595 g
- Trans Fat 0.0251587500072227 g
- Calories 11 calories
Step-by-step
- Start preheating the grill to medium high, about 300F-350F at the grate level.
- Meanwhile, combine all of the spices and the salt in a medium size bowl and mix well.
- Pat dry the chicken legs with paper towel, then evenly apply the rub all over the chicken legs. The rub should stick to the chicken fairly easily without adding any oil. If not, rub the chicken legs with a small amount of oil then apply the rub. Set aside and let sit at room temperature until the grill is ready.
- Brush the grill grate with a little bit of oil to prevent chicken legs from sticking. Place the legs on the grill, skin side down, and close the lid. Grill covered for about 30 minutes, flipping every 8-10 minutes and moving around to account for hot spots and ensure even browning. The legs are ready when the chicken legs are nicely browned and the internal temperature is reading about 180F-190F.
While boneless breasts dry out easily over high heat, bone-in, skin-on whole legs tolerate aggressive flames far better because the dense fat layer and bone structure protect the meat. Utilizing fresh aromatics instead of pre-packaged seasoning blends yields a sharper flavor profile, as granulated onion and garlic degrade rapidly in potency once exposed to air. Selecting spices ground within the last six months guarantees pungent volatile oils that anchor the marinade effectively.
Preheating the cooking grates to a moderate 300F-350F range prevents the delicate sugars in dark soy sauce from scorching before the interior renders properly. Thoroughly drying the skin with paper towels removes surface moisture that would otherwise create steam barriers, ensuring the exterior achieves deep browning rather than gray boiling. Brushing the metal bars with neutral high-smoke-point oil keeps the skin intact during those crucial initial flips.
Targeting an internal temperature of 180F-190F is essential for dark meat, unlike lean white cuts that dry out past 165F, because higher heat melts the abundant collagen and connective tissue into gelatin. Turning the pieces every eight to ten minutes compensates for uneven thermal zones across standard backyard setups. Moving the poultry away from direct flare-ups prevents acrid soot from depositing on the rendered fat.
Leftover cooked pieces hold safely in airtight glass containers for up to four days in the refrigerator without losing structural integrity. Reheating requires a moderate 350F oven for fifteen minutes rather than a microwave, which turns crisp skin rubbery and tough. Freezing raw marinated poultry works well for up to two months, provided the portions are vacuum-sealed to prevent freezer burn from dehydrating the surface layers.
