Best BBQ Chicken Recipe

Best BBQ Chicken

4.7

(63)

50 Reviews

29 Photos

BBQ chicken stays moist and tender when grilled slowly over indirect heat and basted with homemade BBQ sauce towards the end of the cooking time. Coating the chicken legs with a rub before grilling makes them taste great!

Submitted by rachelu

Updated on June 4, 2024

Tested by

Allrecipes Test Kitchen

close up view of Southern BBQ Chicken drumsticks on a white platter with white rice

Prep Time:

15 mins

Cook Time:

45 mins

Additional Time:

1 hr

Total Time:

2 hrs

Servings:

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Barbecue chicken is better than most meals, and when grilling season arrives each year, this recipe is a no brainer. The meat is tender and moist, and the homemade sauce brings this recipe to life. Here’s how to make the best barbecue chicken in town.

Making barbecue chicken is easier than you might expect too. The marinade in the recipe is really a two step process. Combine brown sugar, garlic, salt, and pepper until you form a paste. Add the paste into a resealable plastic bag along with your chicken and coat the paste on your meat thoroughly. The recipe creator recommends leaving the chicken in your fridge for a minimum of an hour, or with proper planning, overnight for the more flavor and tenderness.

Your barbecue sauce comes together quickly in the pan with onion, ketchup, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Then, grill your chicken, basting with barbecue sauce as it cooks to help make it saucy, sweet, and tangy. Basting is critical if you want tender, flavorful chicken.

Editorial Contributions by Keaton Larson

Ingredients

2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
10 chicken drumsticks
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
¾ cup ketchup
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Directions

Mash brown sugar, garlic, salt, and pepper together in a mortar and pestle to form a paste. Spoon paste into a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken, coat with paste, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. For best results, marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 hour to overnight.
When ready to cook, heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in ketchup, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook until flavors blend, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate. Remove chicken from the bag.
Cook chicken on the preheated grill until brown, 3 to 5 minutes, turning once halfway through. Turn off one of the burners and move chicken over indirect heat. Maintain the temperature at 300 to 350 degrees F (150 to 175 degrees C).
Cook chicken for 20 minutes, turning halfway through. Baste with sauce, then continue to cook, basting every 10 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, 20 to 25 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Cook’s Note

Sometimes I use a blender or a food processor in Step 1 instead of a mortar and pestle.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

424	Calories
21g	Fat
18g	Carbs
39g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 5
Calories 424
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 21g	27%
Saturated Fat 5g	26%
Cholesterol 128mg	43%
Sodium 1528mg	66%
Total Carbohydrate 18g	7%
Dietary Fiber 1g	2%
Total Sugars 15g
Protein 39g	78%
Vitamin C 8mg	9%
Calcium 45mg	3%
Iron 3mg	15%
Potassium 559mg	12%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

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