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BBQ Chicken

BBQ chicken with a sticky, deeply caramelized BBQ sauce lacquer and bold smoked paprika flavor. Bone-in chicken is grilled bone-side down, basted in the final 10 minutes, then rested for juicy slices.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
marinating 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and BBQ
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken pieces
  • 1.5 cup BBQ sauce divided
Seasoning
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
Garnish
  • 1 fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Season and marinate
  1. Rub the chicken with olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Make sure every piece is evenly coated for consistent flavor.
  2. Marinate the chicken in 1/2 cup BBQ sauce for at least 1 hour or overnight. Cover and refrigerate while the sauce lightly clings to the surface.
Grill and glaze
  1. Preheat the grill to medium heat. Place the chicken on the grate bone-side down to start with even rendering and grill marks.
  2. Grill the chicken bone-side down and turn it every 8-10 minutes. Continue until it has cooked through without additional sauce.
  3. Cook for a total of 25-30 minutes without sauce, turning regularly. The exterior should set and brown before glazing.
  4. In the last 10 minutes, brush generously with the remaining BBQ sauce and turn the chicken. Baste each time so the surface becomes sticky and lacquered.
  5. Cook until the BBQ chicken is deeply caramelized, sticky, and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Aim for char at the edges while avoiding burning the sauce.
Rest and serve
  1. Rest the BBQ chicken for 5 minutes before serving. This helps the juices redistribute so the meat stays tender.
  2. Serve with extra warmed BBQ sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley for a fresh finish.

Notes

For the stickiest lacquer, keep the grill on medium and do the BBQ sauce basting only during the final 10 minutes so it caramelizes instead of burning. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3-4 days; reheat gently until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended due to texture changes in the sauce. If you want a lighter option, choose a reduced-sugar BBQ sauce to cut added sugar while keeping the same smoky spice profile.