Grilled BBQ Chicken
by Chungah
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Juicy, tender BBQ chicken, perfectly charred and so saucy! A fool-proof recipe here. Perfect as a quick weeknight dinner or summer cookouts!
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Why you’ll love this grilled bbq chicken recipe
- The best part about summer. Nothing screams the best part of summer better than oh-so-sticky, sweet BBQ chicken thrown on a hot grill, served alongside some juicy corn on the cob with the coldest beer you can find.
- Absolute crowd-favorite. This recipe works beautifully for all occasions – whether I’m making this as a quick weeknight meal for the family or for a summer cookout (and holidays!), since it’s a guaranteed crowd-favorite for all.
- Fool-proof recipe. The chicken comes out so juicy and tender while also perfectly charred and saucy, checking off all the boxes for your BBQ chicken needs.
- So customizable. You can easily tailor the recipe to use any part of the chicken to suit everyone’s preferences at the table – thighs, drumsticks, breasts or wings, they all work like a dream.
- Make-ahead friendly. The marinade comes together lightning fast using your favorite BBQ sauce – sweet, tangy, spicy – you can use whichever you prefer, prepping everything the night before, so all that’s left to do is to fire up the grill when you’re ready to serve!
Key ingredients in grilled bbq chicken
Chicken
A mix of bone-in, skin-on chicken is best for juicy, tender flavor. This recipe uses thighs and drumsticks but you can use any part of the chicken here.
Oil
Use any oil with a high smoke point (canola or vegetable oil) to brush the chicken just before grilling – this will prevent sticking to help achieve that perfect caramelization and sear.
BBQ sauce
Grab your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce, doctoring it up with a few pantry staples to give the chicken more flavor.
How to make grilled bbq chicken
- Make the BBQ sauce. Combine your favorite BBQ sauce, honey, Dijon, vinegar, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder, setting aside 1 cup for basting later.
- Marinate. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and marinate in the BBQ sauce mixture for at least 4 hours. The longer it sits, the better! Once marinated, discard the marinade and pat the chicken dry with paper towels as thoroughly as possible.
- Prep the grill. Preheat the grill to medium heat and scrape the grill grates clean to prevent sticking and to guarantee those perfect sear marks on the chicken.
- Sear over direct heat. Grill the chicken over medium heat until charred all over. If the chicken sticks to the grill, it is not ready. Let it cook a little longer for a proper crust to form.
- Cook over indirect heat. Move the chicken to the cooler side of the grill, covering and letting it cook through. The chicken will be cooking here the majority of the time.
- Brush with sauce. Brush a generous layer of the reserved BBQ sauce mixture on the chicken during the last 3-5 minutes of cook time, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Serve. Let the chicken rest at least 5 minutes before serving warm (while the sauce is still sticky and hot), pairing with classic cookout sides like potato salad and corn on the cob!
How to store leftovers
Storing
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Repurposing leftovers
Shred the leftover meat to be used for BBQ Chicken Pizza or BBQ Chicken Salad!
Freezing
Once cooled completely, BBQ chicken can keep in the freezer for 3-4 months, portioning it out in slices or shredded (for tacos, quesadillas, sandwiches, soups, salads or casseroles).
what to serve with bbq chicken
Tools For This Recipe
Cast iron grill pan or large cast iron skillet
Grilled BBQ Chicken: Frequently Asked Questions
We love Stubb’s Original BBQ Sauce – it’s not a very sweet BBQ sauce, so it works very well in this recipe but if you have a sweeter BBQ sauce you prefer, we recommend skipping the honey.
You can use all chicken thighs or all drumsticks, a combination of both, or any part of the chicken you prefer.
Set the grill to medium high heat, about 350-400°F for a balance of char and even cooking throughout.
The grill grates may not be hot enough, or the chicken is not ready to be flipped. Cook the chicken a little longer until it releases easily from the grates.
Once the chicken is charred all over with those perfect grill marks, move it over to the cooler side of the grill (indirect heat) to prevent any kind of burning. You do not want a hot, direct source of heat here. This will allow for even cooking without drying out the chicken.
BBQ sauce contains quite a bit of sugar that tends to burn very easily at high heat. So for that thick, sweet and sticky glaze, you’ll want to brush on that BBQ sauce mixture towards the very end, around the last 3-5 minutes of cooking time.
No grill, no problem. A cast iron grill pan or a large cast iron skillet will work beautifully here, especially during those winter months, when it’s too cold to grill out!
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Grilled BBQ Chicken
Video
Ingredients
- 3 pounds skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 ½ tablespoons canola oil
For the BBQ sauce mixture
- 1 ½ cups BBQ sauce, such as Stubb’s Original BBQ Sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Season chicken thighs and drumsticks with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
- In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and BBQ sauce mixture; marinate for at least 4 hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade.
- Using paper towels, pat chicken dry. Brush with canola oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Preheat grill to medium heat.
- Add chicken to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly charred all over, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Increase heat to medium high heat; move chicken to cooler side of the grill. Cover and cook, turning occasionally, until the chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 15-20 minutes.
- Brush with reserved BBQ sauce mixture, cooking for an additional 3-5 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
For the BBQ sauce mixture
- In a medium bowl, combine BBQ sauce, honey, Dijon, vinegar, paprika, onion powder and garlic powder. Reserve 1 cup and set aside.
Notes
- Preheat the grill. Ensure that the grill is properly cleaned (to prevent sticking) and preheated prior to grilling. This will allow for a better sear for those grill marks and evenly cooked chicken.
- Let the chicken come to room temperature. If the chicken has been marinating in the fridge, let the chicken sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes prior to grilling. This will allow for even, uniform cooking edge to edge, keeping the meat much more juicy and tender.
- Dry it off. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, removing as much surface moisture as possible. This will help achieve that perfect sear (rather than steaming the chicken!).
- Use two zones of heat. Sear the chicken first using direct heat for that favorited charred flavor and grill marks, then move the chicken to indirect heat (the cooler side of the grill) to cook the chicken through without drying it out.
- Sauce at the end. Apply the reserved BBQ sauce mixture at the very end, watching carefully not to burn it as sugar-based sauces can burn very quickly and easily).
- Use an instant-read thermometer for the most accurate results. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.
- Let your meat rest. Let your chicken rest for at least 5 minutes prior to serving, allowing the juices to redistribute – this will allow for maximum flavor and juiciness.
- Reheat in the oven. Leftover chicken can be rubbery when reheated. For best results with leftovers, reheat in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through.
Did you make this recipe?
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Great! Except for canola oil! Poison, use ghee or coconut oil
I like it very much
Seriously the easiest, most delicious marinade ever!! Thanks for coming through with this recipe. It was a hit at our pool party!
It looks incredible)) you are a real master chef)
I have been using these recipe ingredients and method for years and it can’t be beat for flavor and juicy chicken. I have a charcoal Weber and I reverse the method and timing a little. I grill indirect for 40 minutes then reverse sear over the coals for 3-4 minutes. I will baste the indirect chicken at the 20 min mark and again at the table.