Basic BBQ Chicken Recipe
By
Kate Ramos
Email
Barbecued chicken is a staple of summer cookouts—no matter that it’s actually grilled chicken slathered in sauce rather than proper barbecue (the term barbecue is generally reserved for food cooked slowly over a smoky fire). This is a simple back-pocket recipe that, once you get over the naming discrepancies, you can keep on hand for whenever the urge for juicy, saucy, crispy-edged chicken hits.
INGREDIENTS
For the sauce:
- 1 1/2 cups ketchup
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/2 cup water
For the chicken:
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for coating the grill
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
For the sauce:
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until completely incorporated. Reduce the heat to low and gently simmer until the flavors have mingled and the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. If not using right away, cover and refrigerate the barbecue sauce for up to 2 weeks.
For the chicken:
- Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium (about 350°F to 450°F) and rub the grates with a towel dipped in oil. Meanwhile, if you’re using chicken breasts (either boneless or bone-in), cut them in half crosswise. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and place them on a baking sheet. Coat them on all sides with the measured oil, and season with salt and pepper.
- When the grill is ready, place the chicken on it (skin-side down if using skin-on), close the grill, and cook until grill marks appear on the bottom of the chicken pieces, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken over, close the grill, and cook until grill marks appear on the second side, about 5 minutes more.
- Reserve 1 cup of the barbecue sauce in a separate bowl. Flip the chicken again and brush about a quarter of the remaining sauce on the chicken pieces. Close the grill and cook for 5 minutes. Flip and brush the chicken, and continue to flip and brush every 5 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest piece reads 160°F to 165°F and the meat near the bone is no longer pink, about 10 to 15 minutes more (about 25 to 30 minutes total cooking time). Remove the chicken to a clean serving platter and serve immediately, passing the reserved bowl of barbecue sauce on the side.
agreed. love germangrillers thoughts.
So that chicken was on the grill less than 30 min?
looks blonde.
+1 to germangriller's comment
I always start the chicken bone side down, not skin side down. If you plop the chicken down on the grate and the skin sticks or burns, you've pretty much ruined it, at least for presenation. This way you can get the meat well along toward done before you flip it to finish off the skin to crispiness and the grate will be seasoned by fats so things won't stick. And don't pierce anything on the grill. All the juices have retreated to the center of the meat and if you poke a hole they will come gushing out. Also, remember that the temperature will rise about 10 degrees per minute after they come off the flame, so pull it early and let it finish off on the indirect side of the grill.