Like burgers and dogs or a rack of ribs, grilled chicken is a rite of summer. Whether skewered, flattened, brined, spiced, or upended on a beer can, there are lots (and lots) of ways to do it right. Here are the ones worth squawking about:

1. Buy a Good Bird

It's pretty straightforward: Quality chickens are more delicious. Look for those that are antibiotic-free; extra points for going organic and local. The BA Test Kitchen relies on Bell & Evans and Murray's. Make the Chicken Under a Brick (pictured above, click for recipe) and taste for yourself.

2. Get Your Grill Going

The recipes in this story call for two kinds of heat: direct, for smaller pieces like thighs and wings, and indirect, for whole birds, as in the Beer-Can Chicken above. Don't worry—it's not complicated. We show you the right way to set up your grill in our Two-Zone Fire How-To.

3. You Don't Need a Recipe to Grill Chicken