American
Barbecued Chicken
Bone-in dark-meat pieces cook over indirect heat until nearly done, crisp briefly over the coals, and receive thin layers of tangy tomato-molasses sauce only at the end. This sequencing gives rendered
6 servings · 20 minutes prep · 60 minutes cook
Ingredients
Chicken
- 3 pounds (1.36 kg) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone-in and skin-on; use a mix of thighs and drumsticks
- 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (9 g)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil
Barbecue sauce
- 1 cup (240 g) ketchup
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons (60 g) molasses
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Directions
Season and make the sauce
- Season chicken with salt and refrigerate uncovered for 8 to 24 hours.
- Simmer all sauce ingredients for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until glossy and slightly thickened. Cool and divide into a basting bowl and a clean serving bowl.
Grill indirectly
- Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for two-zone cooking at 375°F to 400°F (190°C to 205°C). Clean and oil the grate.
- Pat chicken dry; season with pepper and paprika and rub with oil. Arrange skin-side up over indirect heat. Cover and cook 25 minutes.
- Turn skin-side down over indirect heat and cook covered 10 to 15 minutes more, until the thickest pieces reach about 155°F (68°C).
- Move briefly over direct heat, skin-side down, for 1 to 3 minutes to crisp, watching constantly for flare-ups. Return to indirect heat.
- Brush a thin coat of sauce on both sides, cover 3 minutes, turn and brush again, then cook until the glaze is tacky and every piece reaches 165°F (74°C), about 5 to 8 minutes. Rest 5 minutes and serve with clean reserved sauce.
