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Dinner ยท Chicken

Grilled Barbecue Chicken

Bone-in thighs and drumsticks cooked over gentle heat until tender, then brushed with barbecue sauce at the end so it turns sticky instead of burning.

โฑ 55 min (15 min prep, 40 min cooking) ๐Ÿฝ Serves 6 ยท 2 pieces kid friendlyfreezer friendlyleftovers gluten freedairy free

In our collection Fourth of July and summer cookouts: menu and shopping list โ†’

๐Ÿ“… Add to my plan

None of the nine major allergens are in the usual versions of these ingredients. Check labels anyway; brands differ.

Ingredients

Make 6 servings
  • 2 lb Chicken thighs, bone-in skin-on, skin on, about 6
  • 2 lb Chicken drumsticks, about 6

  • Rub

  • 1 tbsp Brown sugar
  • 2 tsp Paprika
  • 1ยฝ tsp Kosher salt
  • 1 tsp Garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Onion powder
  • ยฝ tsp Ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp Vegetable oil (soybean)
  • 1 cup Barbecue sauce, or our homemade barbecue sauce

Make it yourself

Out of brown sugar? Make it โ†’

In the planner, Make it on the shopping list swaps the store item for these ingredients and puts the work on your prep day.

Nutrition

Nutrition coming: the USDA numbers for these ingredients are being added.

Steps

Youโ€™ll need: grill with a lid, long tongs, basting brush, food thermometer, clean platter.

  1. Set up the grill for two zones: on a gas grill, one side on medium and the other side off or on low; with charcoal, push the hot coals to one side. You want about 350 to 400ยฐF under the lid.
  2. Pat the chicken dry. Mix the rub, toss the chicken with the oil, then with the rub. Wash your hands and anything the raw chicken touched.
  3. Brown the chicken skin side down over the hotter side, 2 to 3 minutes, watching for flare-ups. Move it to the cooler side, close the lid and cook 25 to 35 minutes, turning once or twice.
  4. Pour about half the sauce into a small bowl for brushing; keep the rest clean for the table. Brush the chicken in the last 10 minutes, turning and brushing two or three times. Sugar in the sauce burns fast, so keep it on the cooler side.
  5. Check with a food thermometer in the thickest part, not touching bone: the chicken is safe at 165ยฐF (USDA). Dark meat gets more tender if you take it a little further, to about 175ยฐF.
  6. Take the cooked food off the grill onto a clean platter, not the one that held it raw (USDA). Cook it all the way through in one go: never partly grill meat or poultry to finish later (USDA).

๐ŸŒก Safe temperaturesChicken 165ยฐF. Check the thickest part with a food thermometer (USDA). More on food safety.

Make aheadRub the chicken up to a day ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator.
โ„๏ธ FreezerFreeze cooked chicken up to 4 months for best quality (USDA).
โ†บ LeftoversRefrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90ยฐF); eat within 3 to 4 days (USDA). Pull the meat off the bone for barbecue chicken sandwiches or salads.
๐Ÿง’ With kidsKids can mix the rub and brush sauce onto cooked pieces at the table. A grown-up handles the grill.
Boneless swapUse boneless thighs; grill them over direct medium heat 5 to 6 minutes per side before saucing.
Oven swapBake at 400ยฐF on a rack over a foil-lined pan for 40 to 45 minutes, brushing with sauce for the last 10, until 165ยฐF.

Goes well with

๐Ÿฅฌ Tangy Vinegar Coleslaw๐Ÿซ˜ Homemade Baked Beans with Bacon๐ŸŒฝ Buttered Corn on the Cob

Good to know

Chicken breasts vs. thighs Table salt vs. kosher salt vs. sea salt Cooking Fats Compared Food Safety Basics

An original Teddy Rook Book recipe, written for our Fourth of July and summer cookout collection; safety steps follow USDA. Nutrition is estimated from USDA FoodData Central and changes with brands and portions.