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Smoky Juicy BBQ Chicken on the Grill

A delicious BBQ chicken recipe with a tangy, smoky marinade and a foolproof three-zone grilling method for juicy, flavorful results.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8 people
Calories 520 kcal

Equipment

  • Grill
  • Bowl
  • Saucepot
  • Whisk

Ingredients
  

Marinade

  • 3/4 cup neutral flavored oil
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1 lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 yellow onion peeled and finely grated
  • 4 garlic cloves finely grated

Chicken

  • 2 split chicken breasts
  • 6 skin-on chicken drums
  • 5 skin-on thighs

BBQ Basting Sauce

  • 2 cups BBQ sauce
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup apple juice
  • 1 stick unsalted butter

Instructions
 

Marinating and Preparing

  • Whisk all marinade ingredients together until combined.
  • Marinate chicken for 12 to 48 hours in the refrigerator.

Preparing Basting Sauce

  • Combine BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, apple juice, and butter in a saucepot, heat until butter melts.

Grilling the Chicken

  • Set up a three-zone grill: high, medium, and low heat.
  • Sear chicken on high heat, then move to medium without flipping.
  • Flip, baste with warm sauce, and cook more.
  • Move to low heat, baste again, cook, and then rest.

Notes

For best results, marinate for at least 12 hours. Keep basting sauce warm during grilling.