Grilling chicken legs offers a simple, flavorful, and budget-friendly way to enjoy outdoor cooking. While the dark meat is forgiving, achieving both a juicy interior and perfectly crisp skin requires a specific approach. This guide details the preparation, setup, and technique necessary to consistently produce tender, well-cooked chicken legs.
Preparing the Chicken Legs for Grilling
The first step in preparing chicken legs for the grill is to manage the skin, which is the key to a crisp result. While trimming excess fat is optional, patting the skin completely dry with paper towels is a necessary action. Removing surface moisture prevents the skin from steaming when it hits the heat, allowing it to render and crisp up instead.
Once the chicken is dry, seasoning can be applied, with the choice depending on the desired outcome. A simple dry rub, consisting of salt, pepper, and spices, is ideal for maximizing skin crispiness because it does not introduce additional moisture. Alternatively, a marinade can be used to infuse deep flavor into the meat, though it may slightly compromise the skin’s final texture. The seasoning should be applied evenly and worked under the skin where possible to flavor the meat directly.
Setting Up the Grill for Success
Proper heat management is the single most important factor for grilling chicken legs successfully. The goal is to cook the meat slowly to an appropriate internal temperature without burning the skin, which is accomplished using a two-zone fire setup. This technique involves creating a direct heat zone and an indirect heat zone on the grill, whether using charcoal or gas.
For a gas grill, the two-zone setup is achieved by turning on the burners on one side to a medium-high setting, aiming for a grill temperature of 350–400°F, and leaving the burners on the other side off. On a charcoal grill, the coals should be piled to one side of the grill grate, creating a hot zone directly above them and a cooler, indirect zone on the opposite side. The indirect zone is where the majority of the cooking will take place, allowing the dark meat to cook through gently without scorching the skin.
The Step-by-Step Grilling Technique
The actual grilling process begins by placing the seasoned chicken legs over the indirect heat zone, away from the direct flame or coals. This initial placement is designed to slowly raise the internal temperature of the meat, allowing the connective tissues in the dark meat to break down for tenderness. The total cooking time will typically range from 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the legs and the consistency of the grill temperature.
The chicken should be turned every 5 to 7 minutes while cooking over indirect heat to ensure even exposure to the circulating heat. This frequent rotation prevents one side from drying out and promotes uniform cooking. If any fat drips and causes a flare-up, the chicken should be immediately moved further into the indirect zone until the flames subside.
For the final stage, the chicken legs are moved to the direct heat zone for the last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking. This brief exposure to high heat is what crisps the skin and develops a desirable char and color. The legs should be watched closely during this time and turned frequently to prevent the skin from burning before the meat is fully cooked.
Checking for Doneness and Resting
Food safety requires that all poultry reach a minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Dark meat, like chicken legs, benefits from being cooked to a slightly higher temperature, often between 170°F and 175°F, to fully break down the connective tissue for maximum tenderness. Use an instant-read meat thermometer, inserting the probe into the thickest part of the meat, ensuring it does not touch the bone.
Once the chicken legs reach the target temperature, remove them from the grill and allow them to rest before serving. Resting the meat for 5 to 10 minutes on a cutting board or platter allows the muscle fibers to relax and reabsorb the internal juices. This redistribution of moisture ensures the final product is juicy and tender, preventing the juices from running out immediately upon the first bite.