Oil the hot grate, not the cold one.

Right. Oil the grate after it’s heated up, not before.

Why? Cold oil on a cold grate just sits there and burns off before your food hits the surface. You want the oil to heat up with the metal so it polymerizes—basically forms a thin, non-stick seasoning layer, like a cast iron pan. If you oil the cold grate, half of it drips into the flames anyway, and the rest burns into sticky carbon before you even put food on.

Use a high-smoke-point oil. Canola, grapeseed, avocado—something neutral. Olive oil is fine if you’re not going super hot, but its smoke point is lower. And use a folded paper towel or a clean rag held with long tongs. Dip it in oil, then rub the hot grate. You want a thin, even coat—not puddles. If it smokes a little, that’s normal.

One more thing: oil the food itself sometimes works better than oiling the grate, especially for delicate stuff like fish. But for general grilling? Hot grate, thin oil layer, done.

Your chicken will stop sticking, and that’s the whole point.