It is hard to believe that the Fourth of July is next week. My mother always used to say that once Fourth of July gets here the summer is over.

I never quite understood that. It is like looking at the glass half-empty. I see it as several more months of warm weather and great barbecuing.

Barbecued chicken says summertime to me. I just love a tasty piece of well done grilled chicken. Everyone has their own method, but there are some simple steps that everyone should follow.

Chicken is actually one of the trickier foods to barbecue well. People get sick every year from undercooked chicken at picnics and cookouts, and we've all had chicken cooked to sawdust as well. It is possible to get perfect chicken off the grill with a few tools and your choice of cooking methods.

First, choose a cooking method that best suits your life and level of grilling comfort.

You can boil the chicken first. This is my least favorite way to grill chicken, but it was the standard for many years, and some people swear by it. The advantage is that the chicken is completely cooked before it touches the grill and, therefore, the risk of salmonella illness is zero. The drawback is that the chicken has no flavor beyond that top layer of barbecue sauce. If you choose to go this route, simply skin and boil the chicken pieces for about 20 minutes and drain well.

Preheat the grill to low while the chicken boils. Put the chicken on the grill and brush with barbecue sauce. The object here is simply to finish the chicken and caramelize the sauce, which takes about 10 minutes. Because this is virtually fool-proof, I recommend it for those who are new to grilling or particularly afraid of food-borne illness.

Of you can marinate and roast the chicken first. Again, the chicken is cooked before it hits the grill, so food-borne illness risk is low. The difference is that, in this method, the chicken is marinated or rubbed in the seasonings of your choice and then baked to pre-cook before finishing and saucing on the grill. This gives the chicken more flavor than it could ever possibly get from boiling. Marinate chicken for 48 hours at the most, refrigerated, or up to 60 minutes at room temperature. Bake chicken at 350 degrees until done, and then finish and sauce on the grill as in the boiling method.

Cooking on a foil-covered grill or directly on the grill surface is more difficult than the first two options. This requires wrapping the grill grate well in heavy-duty aluminum foil to help prevent excessive charring and flare-ups from dripping fat.

Dripping fat can be dangerous and cause severely burned spots on the food. If you are cooking directly on the grill, keep a spray or squirt bottle of plain water handy to extinguish any flare-ups that do occur. Lightly oil or spray the foil to prevent sticking. I recommend removing excess skin, if not all of it, before seasoning.

Marinate or rub the chicken as above and pre-heat the grill to medium as directed by the manufacturer. Let chicken cook for 30 minutes, turning every eight minutes, and begin checking with a meat thermometer after 25 minutes. When it reaches 174 degrees, it's done.

Do not put a barbecue sauce or grilling glaze on the chicken until the chicken is close to done, then let cook about 10 minutes more to finish and caramelize the glaze.

It is important to take care in choosing your seasonings and sauces. This is what will make or break the chicken. You can use a variety of marinades. Whether they pair with standard barbecue sauces or not, they are the perfect way to keep chicken juicy and flavorful. Rubs are the current trendy choice for seasoning foods for the grill. Sauces shouldn't be used until the chicken is close to done. Their sugar contents make them burn, and that is how we get chicken that is black outside and raw inside.

I have included a couple of easy grilled chicken recipes. One is for grilled Asian chicken. It is great for last minute company or a quick dinner by rounding it out with a baked potato and tossed salad. When you use boneless chicken breasts it is a good idea to pound them lightly so that they are evenly thick and will cook evenly. The next is for a lemon herb barbecue sauce.

This recipe is an awesome alternative to a red barbecue sauce for chicken. Happy Fourth of July barbecuing. Enjoy.

This column has been a collaborative effort between Auburn natives chef Max Hitchcock and his mother, Susan Silverman. They can be reached at Birdscapes@adelphia.net

Grilled Asian Chicken

1/4 cup soy sauce

4 teaspoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons honey

3 slices fresh ginger root

2 cloves garlic, crushed

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the soy sauce, oil, honey, ginger root and garlic.

Heat in microwave on medium for 1 minute, then stir. Heat again for 30 seconds, watching closely to prevent boiling. Place chicken breasts in a shallow dish. Pour soy sauce mixture over and set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.

Preheat grill for medium-high heat.

Drain marinade from chicken into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Set aside for basting. Lightly oil the grill grate.

Cook chicken on the prepared grill 6-8 minutes per side or until juices run clear. Baste frequently with remaining marinade. Chicken will turn a beautiful golden brown.

Lemon Herb Barbecue Sauce for Chicken

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon minced onion

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon dried marjoram

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Preheat grill for high heat. In a blender or food processor, blend the oil, lemon juice, onion, salt, thyme, marjoram and garlic until thick and smooth. Coat the grill grate with aluminum foil. Poke holes in the foil and spray with cooking spray. Arrange chicken on grate and cook 15 minutes, turning once and brushing constantly with the sauce, until juices run clear. Note: You can also marinate the chicken overnight in the refrigerator, reserving enough sauce to coat the chicken as it cooks on the grill.