🔥 Best-Ever Grilled BBQ Chicken | Juicy, Flavorful & Easy Recipe!

barbecue sauce

🥗Healthier: homemade tomato sauce

💰Cheaper: ketchup + spices

Homemade sauce can reduce sugar and preservatives.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: vegetable oil

Avocado oil offers a healthier fat profile.

honey

🥗Healthier: agave syrup

💰Cheaper: brown sugar

Agave syrup is a lower-glycemic alternative.

fresh herbs

🥗Healthier: dried herbs

💰Cheaper: no herbs

Dried herbs are more accessible and have a longer shelf life.

Air chill the chicken for great texture on the skin.

Use skin on, bone in chicken thighs and legs, and salt them liberally with kosher salt.

Let the salted chicken sit in the fridge for 24 hours, uncovered, to dry out the skin.

Coat the chicken with vegetable oil and dust with black pepper on both sides.

In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper.

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups ketchup, 1 cup dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup yellow mustard, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/3 cup oyster sauce, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup molasses, 1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup steak sauce, and 1 teaspoon hot sauce. Stir until fully combined.

Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering.

Add 1 chopped medium onion and 4 minced cloves of garlic to the skillet and sauté for about 4 minutes until soft.

Add the chili powder mixture to the skillet and stir until the onions are coated, cooking for about 1 minute.

Slowly pour in the sauce mixture and bring to a simmer, letting it simmer gently for about 15 minutes.

Strain the sauce through a sieve into a bowl and let it cool completely before transferring it into a jar for serving.

Preheat the grill with a two-zone setup: one side hot and one side without heat.

Place the chicken skin side up on the cooler side of the grill and cook for about 40 minutes, monitoring the internal temperature until it reaches 150-155°F.

Once the chicken reaches 150-155°F, slather on the homemade barbecue sauce.

Transfer the chicken to the hot side of the grill, skin side down, and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes to caramelize the sauce.

Check the chicken after about 8 minutes for sticking and flip if necessary, cooking for an additional 5 minutes until done.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: