Grilled BBQ Chicken Recipe
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
45 mins
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Additional Time
12 hrs
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Servings
10
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Calories
409 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Grilled BBQ Chicken Recipe
Description
The recipe begins by whisking together a marinade containing neutral oil, sea salt, pepper, brown sugar, ground cumin, paprika, chili powder, ground mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, grated onion, and garlic. Chicken parts are submerged and marinated up to 48 hours for deep flavor penetration. Prior to grilling, the sauce is prepared by combining BBQ sauce with apple cider vinegar, apple juice, and unsalted butter, heated to meld flavors.
Grilling is done on a setup with three heat zones: high, medium, and low temperature, allowing the chicken to sear on hot spots for crisp skin and then finish cooking through indirect heat to retain moisture. Using parchment helps avoid marinade drips. The chicken can be rested or kept warm in the oven before serving. The combination of spices and acidity from the marinade, with the sweet, buttery BBQ sauce, creates complex layers of flavor and a pleasing balance between smoky grill notes and glaze.
Additional tips include safely handling flames by dousing with ice cubes if flare-ups occur, substituting fresh onion and garlic with granules, and applying the marinade and grilling technique to pork chops. The recipe provides storage and reheating guidance, as well as flexibility in chicken cuts.
Ingredients
For the Marinade:
- ¾ cup neutral flavored oil
- 1 tablespoons sea salt 1 teaspoon
- 1 teaspoon black pepper ground
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons cumin ground
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- lemon juice of 1
- 1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ onion yellow, peeled, finely grated
- 4 garlic finely grated, cloves
- 2 chicken breast split
- 6 chicken drumstick skin-on
- 5 chicken thigh skin-on
For the Sauce:
- 2 cups BBQ sauce
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup apple juice
- 1 butter unsalted, stick
Instructions
- Marinade: Add everything except for the chicken to a large bowl and whisk until completely combined.
- Place the chicken into the marinade and thoroughly to ensure the chicken is completely covered.
- Place plastic wrap over top of the bowl or transfer to a plastic zip bag and marinate for at least 12 hours or up to 48 hours.
- Sauce: Right before you are ready to start cooking add the sauce ingredients together to a medium-size saucepot and cook over low heat until the butter has melted in and the sauce is hot. Set aside.
- Preheat the grill in 3 sections with one side being hot (550°+) the middle section over medium heat (350° - 400°) and the last section over low heat (300° - 350°). See Chef notes if this is not an option.
- Once the chicken is done marinating transfer to a platter lined with parchment paper to make it easy to place right on the grill without marinade going everywhere.
- Add the chicken skin side down onto the hot portion of the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes. See video to keep from burning.
- Move the chicken to the middle portion of the grill where the heat is on medium without flipping it over and cook for 5-6 minutes.
- Flip the chicken over on the same area on the grill and immediately baste with the BBQ sauce and cook for 5-6 minutes.
- Turn the chicken over and transfer it over to the low hear area on the grill and immediately baste with BBQ sauce on the bottom side of the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Lastly, flip the chicken over, baste 1 more time and cook uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, covered for 15-20 minutes, or in the oven at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken reaches 155° to 160°.
- Remove the chicken and let rest for 3-5 minutes.
- Serve with more BBQ sauce and an optional garnish of chopped chives, green onions, or parsley.
Notes
- The chicken can marinate 12 to 48 hours for deeper flavor absorption.
- Store leftover grilled BBQ chicken refrigerated up to 4 days or freeze for 3 months, thaw before reheating.
- Reheat by baking covered at 350°F for 15 minutes, then uncovered for 10 minutes.
- If flare-ups occur on the grill, use ice cubes to control flames safely.
- Fresh onion and garlic in the marinade can be replaced by onion and garlic granules.
- This grilling and marinade method works well for pork chops as an alternative.
- For grills without heat zones, use indirect heat by heating only one side and covering the grill.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 409 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 409kcal | 20% |
| Carbohydrates | 18g | 6% |
| Protein | 30g | 60% |
| Fat | 23g | 35% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 5g | 29% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 142mg | 47% |
| Sodium | 1179mg | 49% |
| Potassium | 559mg | 12% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 14g | 28% |
| Vitamin A | 381IU | 8% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 39mg | 4% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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