Grilled BBQ Chicken
Juicy grilled BBQ chicken with a sticky sweet-smoky glaze—bone-in pieces or breasts for the classic USA cookout and Super Bowl backyard spread. Sauce late so sugar doesn’t burn; cook poultry to a food-safe 165°F.
đź›’Ingredients
- 4 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks, and/or breasts) or 2 1/2 pounds boneless breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce, divided
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Oil for grill grates
🔧Kitchen Tools Needed
- Gas or charcoal grill
- Tongs
- Basting brush
- Instant-read thermometer
đź“ťInstructions
- 1
Pat chicken dry. Toss with oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Rest 15–20 minutes while you heat a two-zone grill (medium-high direct and medium indirect).
- 2
Oil grates. Sear chicken over direct heat 3–4 minutes per side until grill-marked. Move to indirect heat, cover, and cook until the thickest part reaches 160°F (about 20–35 minutes depending on cut).
- 3
Stir BBQ sauce with vinegar. Brush chicken generously; cook covered 5–10 minutes more, flipping and basting once, until sauce sets and internal temperature hits 165°F.
- 4
Rest 5–10 minutes. Serve with remaining warmed BBQ sauce.
- 5
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours up to 4 days; reheat to 165°F.
🥗Nutrition Information
⚡Calories per serving: 380
🏷️Recipe Tags
âť“Frequently Asked Questions
Sauce burning?
Always sauce in the last 5–10 minutes over indirect heat—sugar caramelizes fast.
Boneless breasts?
Pound to even thickness; grill ~6–8 minutes per side to 165°F, saucing at the end.
Oven backup?
Bake at 400°F on a rack until 160°F, then broil with sauce to 165°F.
Skin-on tips?
Start skin-side down for crisp; keep heat moderate so fat doesn’t flare.
Food safety?
All chicken to 165°F; keep raw juices off finished sauce brushes—use separate brushes or boil leftover mop sauce.
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