Sticky Asian Grilled Chicken Breasts [+ Video] - Oh Sweet Basil (2024)

FAQs

How long to cook chicken breast on the grill? ›

Place your chicken breasts on your preheated grill, and close the lid. It's important to keep the lid of your grill closed while your chicken is cooking so that no heat escapes. Cook your chicken breast on the grill for 6-8 minutes on one side. After 6-8 minutes flip your chicken breast and cook for 6-8 minutes more.

Cooking tips

Bake a 4-oz. chicken breast at 350°F (177˚C) for 25 to 30 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature is 165˚F (74˚C).

If after thawing, you touch the chicken and it feels sticky or tacky—run the chicken under cool water. If the sticky or tackiness remains or it still feels slimy, the chicken has gone bad. Do not cook with it, throw it away.

Spoiled chicken may be slimy or sticky to the touch or have an off odor. If you notice any of these things, discard the meat (3).

All it takes is 30 minutes in a simple brine solution of 1/4 cup kosher salt dissolved in 4 cups water. This is all the time you need for the chicken breasts to absorb enough moisture so they can better hold up to the heat of the grill without drying out.

Cook it the same way you would skinless, boneless breasts with the skin-side down first so it gets nice and crispy after being flipped. For bone-in breasts, cook them in the hottest, center part of the grill on about 400 to 500 F for about 15 minutes on each side, until the internal temperature is about 155 F.

Poke the Meat

This method applies to chicken specifically. For properly cooked chicken, if you cut into it and the juices run clear, then the chicken is fully cooked. If the juices are red or have a pinkish color, your chicken may need to be cooked a bit longer.

All poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F (73.9 °C) as measured with a food thermometer. A whole chicken must reach this temperature throughout the bird. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.

For chicken breasts, it's best to go with the lower temp of 350 and keep an eye on the internal temperature of the chicken: white meat will dry out faster than dark meat.

What is the clear sticky stuff in chicken? ›

The gelatin-like clear substance you may find in cooked chicken is likely to be collagen. Collagen is a protein that is found in connective tissues, skin, and bones of animals, including chicken.

The white stuff coming out of chicken as it cooks is simply extra protein that dissolves in water and is forced out of the meat by heat. Food scientist Topher McNeil, PhD, explains, “The [chicken] muscles themselves actually contract and squeeze out the liquid that's in between muscle cells.”

However, that also means that when your chicken does something unexpected, like oozing a mysterious white goop, it can be alarming. The good news is this is a normal and safe occurrence. What is this white goo? It's protein and water released from the chicken's muscle fibers.

Ensure your heat is not too low, the sauce needs to bubble to reduce and thicken. Also ensure you do not add the chicken back into the pan until the sauce has thickened.