Grilled BBQ Chicken

Low-and-slow grilled BBQ chicken is perfect for your next outdoor party. Leaving the skin on the chicken while cooking helps yield juicy meat. The dry rub slowly melts into the skin and meat as it cooks, infusing every bite with spice and flavor.

If there are any leftovers, the chicken can be shredded and served with macaroni and cheese or on top of a loaded baked potato. Leftover BBQ chicken is also great chopped and served over a salad.

Learn how to make grilled BBQ chicken, and you'll never run out of ways to use this wonderful protein.

The Secret to the Best BBQ Chicken

We have to be honest here. There are faster ways to cook chicken. If you're pressed for time, grilled chicken is a great option. Or swap thighs and legs for quick-cooking cuts of chicken like chicken tenders or chicken cutlets.

But proper barbecued chicken isn't going to be done quickly. In fact, it could take up to an hour or more (depending on the size of the chicken you're cooking) to reach temperature. That's because barbecue chicken is cooked over a lower temperature to develop flavor, while grilled chicken is cooked over a higher temperature to be done faster.

So the secret to the best BBQ chicken? Time.

How To Make BBQ Chicken

The process of making BBQ chicken is quite easy. The hardest part is the patience you'll need to get the chicken cooked to temperature. But with this recipes, you can guarantee you'll have perfectly cooked BBQ chicken that's juicy, tender, and incredibly flavorful. (Get the full recipe below.)

• Step 1. Season the chicken: First, prepare the dry rub. This comes together quickly, making it perfect to mix together in the morning before grilling—or several days ahead, in fact. Toss the chicken in the dry rub.
• Step 2. Chill chicken: After seasoning the chicken with the rub, place it in a gallon-size zip-top plastic bag, and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours or until ready to cook, turning the bag over occasionally, if possible.
• Step 3. Let chicken warm up slightly: When ready to grill, remove the chicken from the refrigerator, and let stand at room temperature while you preheat the grill to medium.
• Step 4. Start chicken at a higher temp: Place the chicken, skin side down, on the grill, and cook until the chicken starts to turn golden
• Step 5. Lower the heat: After starting the chicken on the grill at medium heat, reduce the heat to medium-low and let cook, turning and basting occasionally.
• Step 6. Rest, then serve: Be sure to let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Ingredients for BBQ Chicken

Our BBQ chicken recipe uses basic pantry ingredients for the rub and your choice of barbecue sauce for the basting. The full list of ingredients is further down the page.

• Light brown sugar: A little sugar adds just enough sweetness to the dry rub.
• Kosher salt: Salt is key for seasoning. We used kosher salt here, but if using table salt, reduce the amount to 3/4 teaspoon.
• Smoked paprika: Adds a little smokiness to the mix.
• Onion powder and garlic powder: Common ingredients in barbecue sauce, these give the rub some extra flavor.
• Black pepper: For a bit of mild heat.
• Cayenne pepper: For a little more heat. If you want your chicken spicier, feel free to add more.
• Bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces: You can use whatever cut of bone-in, skin-on chicken you like, but just keep in mind that larger pieces will take longer to cook if using a mixture. We recommend bone-in chicken so it will stay juicy during the barbecue process.
• Barbecue sauce: We tested with Stubb’s Original, but Texas-Style BBQ Sauce or Sweet-and-Spicy Barbecue Sauce would be great if you want to make your own.
  

Best Cuts for BBQ Chicken

You can use any cut of meat you want for BBQ chicken, but it's a good idea to follow one simple rule: Keep the sizes and types similar.

• Bone-in vs. boneless: We prefer bone-in chicken. It has more flavor and stays juicy. Boneless chicken will cook much faster than bone-in. It's also likely to dry out faster. But as long as you're keeping an eye on the temperatures, you can cook with boneless chicken.
• Skin-on vs. skinless: We also like to cook chicken with the skin on. The skin acts as a flavorful barrier, providing the meat with juiciness and richness while protecting it from overcooking. You don't have to eat the skin if you don't want to, but we prefer to leave it on while cooking.

How Long To Cook BBQ Chicken

With our technique for making BBQ chicken, bone-in cuts like thighs, breast halves, and drumsticks take about an hour from the moment they first hit the grill to reach 165°F, or the temperature at which you can pull them from the heat.

Precisely how long it will take to cook BBQ chicken depends on a few factors: the size of the chicken pieces, the temperature of the grill, and the temperature of the chicken when you started cooking it.

Best Sides for BBQ Chicken

You can't enjoy BBQ chicken without a plate full of creamy, rich side dishes with it. So here are some favorites to get your menu started:

• Deviled Egg Potato Salad
  
• Classic Coleslaw
• Tomato-Mozzarella Salad
• Grilled Corn on the Cob
• Baked Zucchini Fries