Grilled BBQ Chicken

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Grab the napkins: This easy Grilled BBQ Chicken is finished with a dunk in sweet-spicy barbecue sauce. Learn how to turn any grill into a smoker, then prepare to savor a smoky, saucy chicken dinner that will have the entire block wishing they were invited to your yard for dinner.

Barbecue chicken on a white platter.


 

Slip on the shades and prepare to celebrate the best season of the year: Summer. Learn how to grill chicken with one of my favorite seasonal recipes, and you’re about to taste why!

This bbq chicken recipe is delicious AND helpful. I’m spilling not only about how to turn any grill into a smoker, but also how to transform a whole bone-in chicken into a tender barbecue blue ribbon-worthy entree. A smoky, sweet, and aromatic herb rub sets the scene, then a final brush with bbq sauce ups the flavor. Close your eyes, take a bite, and you might just feel like you’re sitting inside your favorite barbecue restaurant.

For the ultimate summer feast, just add Easy Apple Coleslaw, Easy Potato Salad, and a pitcher of Iced Tea Berry Sangria. Are you sensing a theme? It’s summertime, and the living (and eating) is easy.

Recipe ingredients

Grilled bbq chicken ingredients, labeled.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient and equipment notes

  • Chicken: Start with a 2 1/2- to 3-pound skin-on chicken cut into quarters. Either ask your butcher or the staff behind the meat counter to assist with the task, or to quarter a chicken, check out my Recipe FAQ below.
  • Barbecue sauce: Save time with your favorite store-bought condiment, or try my Sweet Baby Ray’s copycat Barbecue Sauce recipe. It takes just 20 minutes to DIY a 4-cup batch!
  • Grill: No smoker? No sweat. You can turn a gas or charcoal grill into a makeshift smoker in seconds.
    • On a gas grill, make a foil packet filled with soaked wood chips and place it inside the grill.
    • On a charcoal grill, throw the soaked chips into the coals.

Step by step instructions

  1. To make the herb rub, in a small bowl combine garlic powder, oregano, paprika, rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste (I like 1 ½ teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper). Rub generously all over the chicken pieces, and let sit at room temperature in a large bowl or on a tray for up to 1 hour.
raw chicken quarters on a platter.
  1. Preheat a charcoal or gas grill over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the wood chips on the coals, or add in a perforated foil packet to a gas grill. Coat grill with 2 tablespoons oil. Grill the chicken skin side down directly over medium-high heat, turning once, until well browned, 3-5 minutes on each side. Transfer the pieces to the indirect heat side of the grill, close the grill cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Brush both sides of the chicken pieces liberally with barbecue sauce and cook for 5 minutes longer.
Brushing chicken on a grill with barbecue sauce.
  1. Continue cooking until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F on a thermometer and bits of caramelized sauce have begun to cling to the outside of the chicken. As pieces finish cooking (the breasts will be done first), transfer them to a platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil until ready to serve.
Barbecue chicken on a white platter.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This recipe makes 4 servings of Barbecue Chicken: 2 servings are chicken breasts, and 2 servings are leg quarters. Depending on the size of your chicken, the servings should be about 1 cup cooked chicken per person.
  • Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Make ahead: Rub the chicken with the spices the night before (the chicken will be more flavorful this way, too).
  • More spices: Tweak your grilling spice blend with onion powder, chili powder, cumin, or kosher salt.
  • More recipes to grill: Fire up the flame for Bacon Cheeseburgers, Pork Burgers, New York Strip Steaks, Grilled Lemon Chicken, and Grilled Pork Chops.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cut a whole chicken into chicken quarters?

Place the chicken breast-side up on a meat cutting board. Using your non-dominant hand, gently tug one leg away from the chicken’s torso, then using a sharp chef’s knife in the other hand, slice between the thigh and the body to reach the hip socket. Cut through the joint to separate the leg, then do the same to the other leg. Flip the chicken vertically so you can cut it down through the ribcage, then slice through the shoulder joints to cut the breast away from the backbone. (Reserve the backbone to make chicken broth.) Using the knife, slice along one side of the bone in the center of the breast, then do the same to the other side. Use the thick portion of the knife to split the wishbone and cut through the rib cage, then separate the breast halves. You should now have two breasts and two legs; AKA chicken quarters! The legs are made up of chicken thighs and drumsticks.

Can I make Barbecue Chicken with white sauce?

Of course. Any kind of store-bought or homemade barbecue sauce you prefer, and in any quantity you desire (I suggest a liberal amount, but do you!) is ideal to doctor up this Barbecue Chicken recipe. Customize your own ribbon-worthy creation.

How can I use leftover Barbecue Chicken?

If you’re lucky enough to have extra, shred the chicken to stuff inside sandwiches or wraps or pile atop a big bowl of salad. Or in the a.m., swap the shredded chicken for Canadian for a next-level eggs Benedict, or simply reheat the pulled meat and enjoy it with an egg on it.

Why do you suggest soaking the wood chips?

The experts at Weber say you’re fine to skip the soak for short cook times. However, for any smoked recipe that involves cooking for an hour or more, soak the chips in water for at least 30 minutes, then drain off the water, before introducing them to the grill. This will allow the wood chips to burn longer and smolder rather than burn.

Favorite sides for bbq chicken

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Barbecue chicken on a white platter.

Grilled BBQ Chicken

Grab the napkins: This easy Grilled BBQ Chicken is finished with a dunk in sweet-spicy barbecue sauce. Learn how to turn any grill into a smoker, then prepare to savor a smoky, saucy chicken dinner that will have the entire block wishing they were invited to your yard for dinner.
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Calories 377
5 from 3 votes

Ingredients 

For the rub:

For the chicken:

  • 1 (2 1/2-3 pound) whole chicken quartered (see note 1)
  • barbecue sauce (see note 2)
  • Wood chips soaked for 30 minutes and drained

Instructions 

  • To make the herb rub, in a small bowl combine garlic powder, oregano, paprika, rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste (I like 1 ½ teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper). Rub generously all over the chicken pieces, and let sit at room temperature for up to 1 hour.
  • Preheat a charcoal or gas grill over medium-high heat (see note 3). Sprinkle the wood chips on the coals, or add in a perforated foil packet to a gas grill.
  • Coat grill with 2 tablespoons oil. Grill the chicken directly over medium-high heat, turning once, until well browned, 3-5 minutes on each side.
  • Transfer the pieces to the unheated portion of the grill, close the grill cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Brush both sides of the chicken pieces liberally with barbecue sauce and cook for 5 minutes longer.
  • Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165°F on a thermometer and bits of caramelized sauce have begun to cling to the outside of the chicken. As pieces finish cooking (the breasts will be done first), transfer them to a platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil until ready to serve.

Notes

  1. Chicken: Start with a 2 1/2- to 3-pound chicken cut into quarters. Either ask your butcher or the staff behind the meat counter to assist with the task, or to quarter a chicken, check out my Recipe FAQ below.
  2. Barbecue sauce: Save time with your favorite store-bought condiment, or try my Sweet Baby Ray’s copycat Barbecue Sauce recipe. It takes just 20 minutes to DIY a 4-cup batch!
  3. Yield: This recipe makes 4 servings of Barbecue Chicken: 2 servings are chicken breasts, and 2 servings are leg quarters. Depending on the size of your chicken, the servings should be about 1 cup cooked chicken per person.
  4. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 breast or leg quarterCalories: 377kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 31gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 118mgPotassium: 392mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1113IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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