Famed grilling experts and Perdue partners, Mark Anderson and Ryan Fey of The Grill Dads, have created exclusive Perdue chicken recipes that bring the flavor and give chicken the ‘main-character’ energy it deserves.
"In our backyards, chicken gets more grill time than just about anything during the summer. It’s incredibly versatile, takes on flavor like a champ, and works whether you're feeding two people or twenty," said Mark and Fey of The Grill Dads. "What we love about Perdue is that they make it easy to get great results on the grill. Grab your favorite cut, fire things up, and you've got the foundation for a winning dish."
Check out their recipes below!
SPATCHCOCK KOREAN BBQ CHICKEN
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 45 to 55 minutes
Total About 1 hour 10 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
1 (3 to 4 pound) Perdue whole frying chicken
Kosher salt, for seasoning
Cooked rice, for serving
Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
2 green onions, white and light-green parts only, finely chopped, for garnish
For the Korean BBQ Sauce:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup gochujang paste
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
6 cloves garlic, minced
6 green onions, white and light-green parts only, finely chopped
Method:
Pat the Perdue whole chicken dry with paper towels. Flip the chicken breast-side down. Using kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone from tail to neck to remove it entirely, keeping cuts as close to the spine as possible—this may require extra pressure near the thigh joint. Flip the chicken breast-side up and use the heel of your hand to firmly press down on the breastbone until it flattens. You may hear a crack; that's normal. Season the chicken generously inside and out with kosher salt.
Make the Korean BBQ sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, gochujang, honey, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and green onions until fully combined. Set aside.
Set up your grill for indirect cooking at 400°F. For a gas grill, leave one or two burners off and heat the others to maintain temperature. For a charcoal grill, bank the coals to one side. Place the Perdue chicken skin-side up over the indirect zone. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, until the skin is beginning to turn golden and the chicken is cooking through.
Begin basting the chicken generously with the Korean BBQ sauce every 5 minutes. Continue cooking for 15 to 25 additional minutes, until the sauce has thickened into a glossy glaze on the skin and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 155°F. Remove from the grill and let rest—carryover heat will bring it to a safe 165°F.
Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve over rice, topped with toasted sesame seeds and finely chopped green onions.
CHIPOTLE CHICKEN SLIDERS
Prep 25 minutes
Chill 30 to 60 minutes
Cook 10 minutes
Total About 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield 12 sliders
Ingredients:
For the Chipotle Aioli
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
3 to 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
For the Sliders
1 pound Perdue ground chicken thighs
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
12 slices provolone cheese
12 Hawaiian sweet dinner rolls, split
1 bunch fresh watercress
Neutral oil - for grilling
Method
Make the chipotle aioli: Combine the mayonnaise, cilantro, lime juice, honey, chipotle peppers, and adobo sauce in a food processor and process until smooth and fully combined. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a large mixing bowl, combine the Perdue ground chicken, taco seasoning, and olive oil until evenly mixed. Form into 12 patties roughly 1/2-inch thick and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes.
Prepare a grill for medium direct heat. Rub the grates with some neutral oil. Grill the sliders until the edges begin to turn opaque and juices pool at the top, about 3 minutes. Flip the sliders and place a slice of provolone on each. Cook until the cheese is fully melted and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a patty reads 165°F.
Place a slider on the bottom half of a roll, top generously with chipotle aioli and a handful of fresh watercress, then close with the top of the roll. Serve immediately.
Notes
Chilling the patties before grilling is important with ground chicken—it keeps them firm and prevents sticking. Don't skip it.
The chipotle aioli can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. It also works great as a dipping sauce or sandwich spread.
HONEY TAPATIO SMOKED WINGS
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 45 to 55 minutes
Total About 1 hour
Serves 4
Ingredients:
3 pounds Perdue chicken wings, split at the joint and tips removed (party wings)
Kosher salt, for seasoning
1 stick (4 ounces) salted butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup Tapatío hot sauce
1/4 cup honey
Fresh cracked black pepper, for seasoning
For the Blue Cheese Dip
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
8 ounces blue cheese crumbles
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, for seasoning
Method
Season the Perdue chicken wings generously with kosher salt and toss to coat. Set your smoker to 225°F.
When the smoker is ready, add the wings in a single layer. Smoke at 225°F for 30 minutes to build smoke flavor and begin rendering the fat.
While the wings smoke, make the Honey Tapatío sauce: Melt the butter with the garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is fragrant, add the Tapatío, honey, a pinch of salt, and a few cracks of black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Keep warm.
Make the blue cheese dip: In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, and buttermilk. Fold in the blue cheese crumbles and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
After the initial 30-minute smoke, crank the smoker up to 450°F. Continue cooking the wings until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 170°F, roughly 15 to 25 additional minutes depending on wing size.
Remove the wings from the smoker and rest them on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with the Honey Tapatío sauce until fully coated.
Return the sauced wings to the grill grates over direct high heat. Cook for 30 seconds per side—just long enough to caramelize the sauce and set a light char without burning. Serve immediately with the blue cheese dip.
Notes
The two-stage cook is the key: low smoke first to get flavor deep into the meat, then high heat to crisp the skin. Don't rush the first stage.
Tapatío has a clean, bright heat that holds up well in the sauce without going bitter at high temps. If you sub another hot sauce, stick to vinegar-based styles.
Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, for seasoning
For the Torn Breadcrumbs
1/2 sesame baguette, crust on, roughly torn into irregular 1/2- to 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely grated
Kosher salt, for seasoning
For Finishing
2 balls (about 8 ounces each) fresh burrata, torn into large pieces
1 large bunch fresh basil
1/4 cup basil oil (see Notes)
Flaky sea salt, for finishing
2 ounces Pecorino Romano, freshly grated
Method
Dry brine the chicken: Arrange the Perdue thin-sliced chicken breasts in a single layer on a sheet pan or plate. Season both sides generously with kosher salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Leave uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or overnight. The salt will draw out surface moisture and reabsorb it, seasoning the meat all the way through and helping it develop a better sear on the grill.
Make the torn breadcrumbs: In a large bowl, toss the torn sesame baguette pieces with the olive oil, grated garlic, and a pinch of kosher salt until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer in a grill-safe cast-iron skillet or disposable aluminum pan. Place over medium direct heat, tossing occasionally, until the pieces are deep golden and crispy on the outside but still have some chew at the center. Remove from heat and set aside.
Make the grilled cherry tomato sauce: Prepare the grill for medium direct heat. Toss the cherry tomatoes and smashed garlic with the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Place in the same cast iron skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, in the grill until the tomatoes are fully blistered, beginning to burst, and the juices are pooling and reducing slightly, about 10 to 12 minutes. The tomatoes should be jammy but still hold some shape. Remove from heat.
Grill the chicken: Remove the Perdue cutlets from the refrigerator and pat lightly with paper towels to remove any excess surface moisture. Grill the cutlets over medium direct heat until well-marked on the first side, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer reads 155°F at the thickest part, about 2 to 3 minutes more. Carryover heat will bring them to 165°F. Transfer to a clean platter and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes.
Assemble: Arrange the rested chicken cutlets on a serving platter or individual plates. Working quickly while everything is warm, drape torn pieces of burrata generously over each cutlet. Spoon the grilled cherry tomatoes and their juices on top. Scatter fresh basil leaves over everything. Drizzle with basil oil, finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt, and shower with freshly grated Pecorino Romano. Pile the torn breadcrumbs over the top just before serving so they stay crisp.
Notes
This is not a replication of a classic chicken parm—it's what chicken parm wants to be when it's outside in the summer. The grilled cutlet stays lean and charred, the tomatoes are bright and jammy rather than slow-cooked, and the torn breadcrumbs bring the crunch a breaded cutlet would without weighing the whole dish down. Burrata in place of mozzarella adds a creaminess that pulls it all together.
For the basil oil: Blanch 1 cup of fresh basil leaves in boiling salted water for 15 seconds, then transfer immediately to an ice bath. Squeeze dry, then blend with 1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt until very smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve for a cleaner oil, or use as-is for a more rustic result. Makes more than you need—keeps refrigerated for up to 5 days and is excellent on eggs, grilled vegetables, or bread.
White balsamic vinegar is key for the tomatoes—it adds acidity and a touch of sweetness without turning the sauce dark. Regular balsamic will work in a pinch but will change the color and deepen the flavor considerably.
The torn breadcrumbs are intentionally irregular and large. You want some pieces that are fully crisped and some that are still slightly chewy inside—that contrast is the point. Do not use a food processor.
