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A white plate filled with grilled chicken drumsticks and wings, garnished with herbs and served with charred lemon halves. A cup of green sauce and a patterned napkin are nearby on a rustic wooden table.
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Foolproof French Grilled Chicken

This Foolproof French Grilled Chicken recipe takes the guesswork out of outdoor cooking. It's consistently juicy, packed with flavor, and cooked to perfection every single time.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chicken, Grilling
Servings: 6
Author: Nicole

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Vinaigrette

  • ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 medium shallot finely chopped
  • 1 medium garlic clove finely grated on a microplane
  • ⅓ cup Extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

For the Chicken

  • 6 pounds chicken parts bone-in and skin-on
  • 1-2 lemons halved

Instructions

For the Vinaigrette

  • Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients until combined; set aside.

Grill Chicken

  • Prepare grill for indirect-heat cooking, medium-high heat for gas or medium-hot coals.
  • Season chicken with 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt. Oil grill rack. Grill breasts, thighs, and drumsticks over the shut-off burner or the area with no coals, covered, turning and moving around occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through (165℉ on an instant-read thermometer), about 18-20 minutes for the breasts and 15-20 for the thighs and drumsticks.
  • For the wings, grill directly over the lit burner (or medium-hot coals), turning, until cooked through, 10-15 minutes.
  • Grill lemon halves, cut-side down, uncovered, over the lit burner (or coals), until grill marks appear.

Finish Chicken

  • Transfer chicken, as cooked, to a large bowl. Coat with half of the vinaigrette. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Serve the chicken with the lemon halves and remaining vinaigrette on the side. Enjoy!

Notes

Chicken can be made up to 2 hours in advance and kept covered in a 200°F oven. Maintain chicken temperature at 165°F.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 779kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 58g | Fat: 59g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 28g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 231mg | Sodium: 411mg | Potassium: 632mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 548IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 3mg
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