Among WW members, skinless chicken breast and turkey breast mince are always popular proteins—and not just because they’re ZeroPoint™ foods. Versatility is another major selling point: These poultry MVPs can be dressed up or down, seasoned and sauced to channel any kind of cuisine.
Add in the ease of the BBQ, and you have yourself a perfect warm-weather meal. Here, we present some tasty advice for BBQ chicken and turkey, along with our favourite recipes.
Tips for bbq chicken and turkey
Season freely
Chicken and turkey are mild in flavour, which means they’re delicious with almost any kind of seasoning. Search WW.com or the WW app for barbecue-friendly rub and marinade recipes. Or try a simple brine for chicken breasts to help them grill up extra juicy and flavourful.
Make poultry burgers juicier
Burgers made from super lean mince turkey and chicken don’t have to be dry. Amp up the flavour, texture, and juiciness by adding minced portobello mushroom or shredded courgette to the burger mixture before forming patties. Just be sure to remove excess moisture from shredded courgette, if using. Squeeze the courgette in your hands over a bowl, or use the back of a spoon to push out the moisture through a fine-mesh strainer. The goal is a juicy burger, not a soggy one!
Flatten breasts before bbqing
Before putting boneless, skinless chicken breasts on the bbq, you’d be wise to flatten them to a consistent thickness. This ensures even cooking so you don’t end up with flame-dried jerky on one end. To flatten boneless chicken breast, place the meat between two sheets of clingfilm, then gently hit with a meat mallet, rolling pin, or other blunt, heavy object until you achieve the desired level of thickness.
Always measure temperature
In terms of doneness, bbq meat can sometimes be tough to eyeball—nice char marks aren’t necessarily a sign the food is ready to eat. To be safe, use a food thermometer. No matter what kind of poultry you’re preparing—ground meat, cutlets, pieces on the bone—the safe internal temperature for doneness is 75C, as measured at the meat’s thickest part. Once the food is done, remove from the bbq and let rest for a few minutes so juices reabsorb (instead running onto your plate or lap).
Our best bbq chicken and turkey recipes