Barbecue Chicken Grilled (Printer-friendly)
Smoky, tangy grilled chicken marinated in barbecue sauce. Juicy, charred, and perfect for summer cookouts.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
02 - 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks
→ Marinade & Barbecue Sauce
03 - 1 cup barbecue sauce (store-bought or homemade)
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
06 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
07 - 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
08 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
09 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
10 - ½ teaspoon salt
11 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
→ Garnish
12 - Fresh parsley, chopped
# How To Make It:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the barbecue sauce, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until smooth and well blended.
02 - Measure out ¼ cup of the marinade mixture and set aside in a small bowl for basting during grilling.
03 - Add the chicken thighs and drumsticks to the bowl with the remaining marinade, turning each piece to coat thoroughly. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight for more pronounced flavor.
04 - Heat the grill to medium-high (approximately 375–400°F). Lightly oil the grates to prevent the chicken from sticking.
05 - Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Place skin-side down on the grill and cook for 6 to 8 minutes per side, brushing with the reserved basting sauce and turning occasionally, until the skin is charred and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F.
06 - Transfer the chicken to a platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The marinade doubles as your basting sauce, so every layer of flavor builds on the last without any extra effort.
- Bone in skin on pieces stay incredibly juicy even if you get a little distracted by conversation at the grill.
- It works just as well in the oven, which means you can have that barbecue feeling even when the weather refuses to cooperate.
02 -
- Reserving that quarter cup of marinade before raw chicken touches it is the only safe way to baste during cooking, so do this step first and forget about it until grill time.
- A meat thermometer is the single most reliable way to avoid undercooked chicken or dry overcooked pieces, and it pays for itself after one perfectly judged batch.
03 -
- Pat the chicken pieces dry before adding them to the marinade because excess moisture prevents the sauce from adhering properly and waters down the flavor.
- Let the chicken come to room temperature for about 15 minutes before grilling so it cooks more evenly and you avoid a cold center under overdone skin.