How to Batch Grill Chicken with Different Marinades

My husband is always happy to help out with dinner by grilling. Unfortunately, his job requires him to work quite late Monday through Friday. I already push dinner back to an unreasonably late hour so that we can eat together as a family, if I waited for him to grill we wouldn't eat until bed time.

A couple years ago my husband decided to surprise me by grilling extra steaks on the weekend and creating “premeditated leftovers” so I could use the extra steak in recipes through out the week. My husband tends to season steaks one way (my dad shared his secret steak marinade recipe with him) and it is totally awesome so I can never bring myself to have him try different marinades when he batch grills steaks. But I asked him to apply his principle of batch grilling to chicken.

Batch Grilling Chicken is a team effort. I make several different marinades like I do when I Batch Broil Chicken and my husband does the grilling with me acting as nag assistant to make sure the different flavors do not get mixed up.

Marinade Recipe Ideas for Batch Grilling Chicken:

Teriyaki Chicken

Honey Mustard Chicken

Grilled Honey Lime Chicken

Repurpose Leftover Salad Dressing as a Marinade

How to Batch Grill Chicken:

I marinate the chicken at least 2 hours prior to grilling.

My husband lights the coals and once they are close to ready he evenly distributes them.

Then my husband puts out one variety at a time. Each flavor gets its own row, which makes it easier to keep the flavors organized, but makes it a little harder to grill because he can't just randomly move pieces to get them over the hot spot or move them from a hot spot. So the cooking time can vary quite a bit. My husband turns them and moves them a bit more frequently within the row than when he is just cooking 1 -2 pounds of chicken.

Cooking Times for Grilled Chicken:

Chicken thighs ~4 -7 minutes per side

Chicken breasts ~ 7 – 10 minutes per side

I have one clean plate for each variety of chicken with foil to cover the plate. Then we can remove chicken as it is done while keeping the different flavors separated.

How I Use Batch Grilled Chicken:

The first night, I let everyone pick their favorite flavor of grilled chicken and serve it with an easy vegetable dish and a garden salad.

Since we grill 4- 6 pounds at a time, I chop some of it up into bite size pieces and freeze it in 2 cup Pyrex containers to use on busy nights.

I match the marinades from the remaining chicken with fast and easy dishes that require little heat to prepare:

I use Grilled Honey-Lime Chicken in Chicken and Mango Salad with Creamy cilantro Lime Dressing or use it to replace the steak in this Southwest Salad with Honey Lime Dressing.

I use Grilled Teriyaki Chicken in  Asian Chicken and Rice Soup, Asian Chicken Salad with Quinoa, or Asian Chicken and Rice Frittata

I use Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken in a garden salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette or  Orange Spinach Salad with Orange Mustard Vinaigrette.

The possibilities are endless and since you don't have to spend so much time cooking each night, you have time to think up creative uses for your grilled chicken!

Oh, since the coals are still lit after grilling the chicken, take advantage of them and Batch Grill Vegetables to use through out the week.