Grilling tips for chicken

♦ Grease your grill: Chances are you won’t have a sticking problem if your chicken has skin, or if it’s marinated or rubbed with some oil. But play it safe. Before you light the grill, spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray or brush it with oil.

♦ Close the top: If your grill has a cover, always cook your chicken with the cover down. It will make your grill more ovenlike, and your food will cook more evenly. Also, because the cover cuts off some of the oxygen, you’ll have fewer flare-ups.

♦ Be patient: Resist the urge to continuously move the chicken around while it cooks. The chicken will cook more evenly (and more quickly!) if you follow the recipe cooking instructions or turn it over only once, midway through grilling.

♦ Use the right utensil: Use long-handled tongs or a wide metal spatula to move the chicken. Poking it with a fork will cause precious juices to escape.

♦ Be sure to clean up: Scrape your grill rack after each use; otherwise, the chicken will pick up charred bits from your last barbecue. Chicken has a tendency to stick to a dirty grill.