Grilled Chicken Halves (2024)

Grilled chicken halves with juicy, tender meat and crispy skin. A two-ingredient, super easy BBQ recipe perfect for the grilling season.

And grilled chicken halves are what we put on the grill almost every time. This half chicken recipe, a few sausages for variation (and because we live in Germany and here it’s all about the Bratwurst), and there you have it: the perfect summer dinner!

If you like grilled poultry, try our Turkish Turkey Kebabs, the Easy Grilled Chicken Tenders, or the Chicken Skewers with Blackberry Sauce.

Should the weather not be suitable for making BBQ half chicken, try these Roasted Chicken Halves in the oven (one of our most popular recipes).

Why should you grill chicken halves?

• Shorter cooking time: It takes less time to grill a half chicken than a whole one.
• Even cooking: Grilling chicken halves ensures that all the meat remains juicy and moist. The breasts always cook faster than the thighs; that is why the breast might be overcooked by the time the thighs are cooked through.
• A method suitable for large chickens, that would otherwise take very long to cook.

Expert tips

• Use the spine, the raw leftover parts, and the roasted bones to make stock.
• You can also freeze all these parts for future use. However, only freeze the raw parts if the bird is fresh; NEVER re-freeze defrosted raw food. If the chicken was defrosted, but you still want to freeze the spine and all the uncooked leftovers, roast them in the oven before freezing them again; they must be cooked through.

• Season the poultry in advance and let it marinate in the fridge for up to 24 hours; this ensures that the spices penetrate the meat, imparting it even more flavor.

• The temperature of the grill is essential; it should only be medium and not too high. If the temperature is too high, the meat will cook too quickly on the outside. By the time the rest is cooked through, the outside of the bird will become dry or too dark.

Recipe ingredients

• Two chicken halves or one whole chicken, cut in two.

• Seasoning: I used two different seasonings, one for each halve.
  • Homemade seasoning: Our favorite chicken seasoning, a recent discovery, but so good; I’ve made a large jar and have been using it a lot lately. It contains sea salt (or Kosher salt), ground cumin, sweet smoked paprika, turmeric, and cayenne pepper
  • Store-bought seasoning/ dry rub: It’s quick and convenient. Use your favorite brand.

• The recipe will still work perfectly if all you have are salt and black pepper.

Step-by-step instructions

Halve the chicken

Tools: A large cutting board, a small sharp knife, a large chef's knife, and poultry shears.

• Remove the backbone: Place the chicken breast-side down and with the neck end closest to you. Cut on both sides of the backbone all the way down with the kitchen shears (1,2).

• Remove cartilage: Turn the cutting board; the legs should be closest to you. Open up the bird. Remove the white cartilage that joins the bones by cutting on either side of it (3). When you can get a hold of it, lift it with your hand and cut around it until it is released (4).

• Flatten: Flip the bird skin-side up and press it down with your hands to flatten it. Now you could also make Butterflied Roast Chicken (5).
• Cut in half with a large chef's knife. Start at the neck and cut all the way down (6).

Season the meat

• If using Seasoning 1, mix all the ingredients in a small bowl.
• Pat the parts dry with paper towels.
• Lightly rub the halves with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
• Sprinkle them with the spice rub and massage the spices into the meat and skin and under the wings as well.

Marinate meat

This step is optional but recommendable.

• Place the meat in a large non-metallic container, cover it with plastic wrap and marinate it in the fridge for 1-2 hours and up to 24 hours (7).
• Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before grilling to allow the meat to come to room temperature.

Grill the chicken halves

• Prepare the charcoal grill for direct cooking over medium heat (180-220 degrees Celsius/ 350- 430 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Place the meat, skin side down, over direct medium heat (8). Close with the lid and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until the skin releases easily from the grill grates and is golden. Tip: Watch for flare-ups
• Flip the partly grilled chicken halves. Do it carefully and use tongs and a large spoon or spatula.
• Continue to cook the meat with the lid on for about 25-35 minutes or until cooked through (9).
• Check that everything is cooked through.
• Rest for 10 minutes before carving.

How long to grill chicken halves?

• It depends on the size of the bird. I had one medium weighing about 1.8-2 kg/4-4 ½ lbs.
• If the parts are smaller, check after 15-20 minutes already. If the pieces are larger, allow them more cooking time.

How to check if the meat is cooked through?

• Check the internal temperature with a digital thermometer; it should be 74 C/ 165 F (Amazon affiliate link).
• Otherwise, cut into the meat near the bone, the meat should be completely white, and no pink or red is allowed.

Recipe FAQ

What to serve with it?

Grilled half chicken goes perfectly well with probably any kind of BBQ side dish you can think of.

• How about trying our Sour Cream Potato Salad with Bacon, the Deviled Egg Pasta Salad, this flavorful Watermelon Feta Salad, or the Simple BBQ Rice?

• Make a green salad with olive oil and vinegar dressing or with raspberry vinaigrette or a salad with yogurt dressing. This Shopska Salad is also a great choice.

• You can serve it with your favorite BBQ sauce, chili sauce, or even ketchup (kids love it, but I am not a fan).

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