Barbecue Chicken
Photo: stevendepolo, CC BY 2.0
This barbecue chicken gets its flavor in three layers: a salt and brown sugar brine, a smoky paprika and cayenne rub, and a reduced tomato and honey sauce. The brine keeps both white and dark meat juicy over charcoal heat. Cider vinegar and Worcestershire cut the sweetness of the sauce, and lemon zest adds a sharp note. A mixed batch of thighs, legs, and breasts feeds a crowd.
Instructions
Put the brine ingredients in a 2-gallon zip-top bag, add the chicken, seal it, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
While the chicken brines, combine the sauce ingredients in a pot and boil over medium-high heat until the liquid has reduced by half.
Mix the rub ingredients. Take the chicken out of the brine, massage the rub all over it, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat a charcoal grill. Swab the grates quickly with a towel tied with twine and dipped in oil so the chicken will not stick.
Grill the chicken, turning often, for 10 minutes. Keep turning it and brush on sauce each time you flip it, until the breast reaches 165°F and the dark meat reaches 170°F inside.
Cover the chicken with foil and rest it for 7 minutes. Meanwhile, boil the remaining sauce for 5 minutes and pour it into a squirt bottle. Serve the chicken with the sauce on the side.
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