Hickory BBQ Chicken
Hickory BBQ chicken that stays juicy comes down to a sweet and salty brine of honey, salt, and hot apple cider vinegar, chilled with ice before the chicken goes in. After a dry rub and a bake over a bed of hickory chips, the pieces take on a smoky edge without a grill. The recipe also insists on homemade sauce, since bottled versions carry too much sugar.
Instructions
Put the salt, honey, and hot vinegar in a gallon-size zip-top bag and shake until the salt has dissolved. Add the ice and shake until it is almost completely melted and the brine has cooled, then add the chicken and refrigerate for 1½ to 2 hours, turning the bag once.
Spread a good amount of hickory chips over the bottom of a large roasting pan and set a roasting rack inside it. Set the pan aside.
Drain the chicken and discard the brine. Pat the pieces dry with paper towels, season both sides generously with the rub, and press it gently into the meat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Wearing gloves helps more rub stick.
Toss the chicken in the barbecue sauce, keeping some sauce back for later, and set the pieces on the rack. Push one probe thermometer into a breast and another into a thigh. Bake in the center of a 375°F oven until both the thigh and the breast read 165°F.
While the chicken bakes, bring the reserved sauce to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and boil it for 5 minutes. Set it aside.
Take the chicken out, cover it loosely with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes. Serve warm with the boiled sauce on the side.
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