With Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and other festivities packed into the summer months, now is the time to start getting your grill ready for backyard barbecues. If your cookout repertoire usually includes grilled chicken a popular but notoriously tricky BBQ staple read on for expert tips on how to prevent chicken from drying out on the grill and how to keep it flavorful, juicy and perfectly charred.

Bring the chicken to room temperature before putting it on the grill.

One easy way to improve the texture and cooking quality of grilled chicken is to let the chicken reach room temperature before it goes on the grill, said Rodney Scott, founder and pitmaster of Rodney Scotts Whole Hog BBQ in Charleston, South Carolina. Putting cold, straight-out-of-the-fridge chicken on a hot grill will result in a dried-out exterior and underdone interior, so Scott recommends taking it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start grilling. Room temperature chicken will grill much more evenly and will better retain its moisture.