Classic Barbecued Chicken Recipes

SUNNY'S CLASSIC BBQ CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the brine and chicken: In a medium pot on high heat, add the tea, 1/4 cup salt and 1 cup water. Cook, stirring, until the salt dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
• Pour the cooled brine into a large resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken thighs and breasts and refrigerate overnight.
• About 2 hours before grilling, remove the chicken from the bag and pat dry. Let rest on a plate in the refrigerator for 1 1/2 hours, then at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• For the sauce. In a medium pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add the ketchup, beer, brown sugar, paprika, chile flakes, garlic powder and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens and the sugar is completely dissolved, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• Preheat a grill to high heat.
• Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken pieces. Over the direct heat, put the chicken on the grill on what would be the skin side. Grill until the chicken easily releases and there are grill marks, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip and move the chicken to the indirect heat area of the grill and brush with the sauce. Cover and grill until cooked through, brushing with the sauce again once or twice, another 6 to 8 minutes.

THE ULTIMATE BARBECUED CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the brine, in a mixing bowl combine the water, salt, sugar, garlic, and thyme. Transfer the brine to a 2-gallon sized re-sealable plastic bag. Add the chicken, close the bag and refrigerate 2 hours (if you've only got 15 minutes, that's fine) to allow the salt and seasonings to penetrate the chicken.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Wrap the bacon around the bunch of thyme and tie with kitchen twine so you have a nice bundle. Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the thyme and cook slowly 3 to 4 minutes to render the bacon fat and give the sauce a nice smoky taste. Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly without coloring for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, give the sauce a stir, and turn the heat down to low. Cook slowly for 20 minutes to meld the flavors. Once the sauce is done cooking, remove about 1 1/2 cups of the sauce and reserve for serving along side the chicken at the table. The rest of the barbecue sauce will be used for basing the legs.
• Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
• Preheat a grill pan or an outdoor gas or charcoal barbecue to a medium heat. Take a few paper towels and fold them several times to make a thick square. Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towel and carefully and quickly wipe the hot grates of the grill to make a nonstick surface. Take the chicken out of the brine, pat it dry on paper towels. Arrange the chicken pieces on the preheated grill and cook, turn once mid-way, and cook for a total of 10 minutes. Transfer the grill marked chicken to a cookie sheet and then place in the oven. Cook the chicken for 15 minutes, remove it from the oven and then brush liberally, coating every inch of the legs with the barbecue sauce and then return to the oven for 25 to 30 more minutes, basting the chicken for a second time half way through remaining cooking time. Serve with extra sauce.

CLASSIC BARBECUED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat grill to high. If you have a high-output grill, heat just one side. If using charcoal, prepare a hot two-level fire.
• Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels.
• Combine salt, pepper and cayenne. Sprinkle chicken with spice rub on all sides and rub in well.
• Dip a wad of paper towel in oil and rub it over the grill grate. Place chicken pieces on the grill (if using a two-level grill, place chicken on cooler side). Cook about 30 minutes until golden-brown.
• In a medium saucepan, bring sauce ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook 20 minutes.
• Move chicken pieces over to the hotter part of the grill, turning the meatier side up, and placing thicker portions of the meat facing the heat source. Brush chicken with barbecue sauce. Cook 20 minutes, flipping and basting with sauce every 5 minutes. Place over low coals, or turn gas burner down to medium-low and cook 5 more minutes. Breast meat should be 165°F and thigh meat 175°F.

COUNTRY STYLE BARBECUED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Mix the onions, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, dry mustard, salt, and pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking dish.
• Arrange chicken in the baking dish. Pour sauce over the chicken.
• Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken juices run clear.

OVEN CLASSIC BBQ CHICKEN

Steps:

• Cut up chicken, leaving drumsticks and thighs attached. Season chicken with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use (up to 24 hours).
• For sauce: In large nonreactive saucepan, melt butter. Add onion, garlic, and salt. Cook over low heat until onion is tender. Add crushed red pepper, paprika, chili powder, and black pepper; cook and stir for 1 minute.
• Add water, vinegar, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce; bring to a simmer. Stir in molasses. Whisk in tomato paste until smooth. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning, adding additional salt if needed. Remove 1-1/2 cups of the sauce to prepare chicken. Store remaining in the refrigerator; reheat to serve.
• For chicken: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Heat 1/4 inch oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, place chicken, skin side down, in skillet. Cook until well browned, turning once, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer browned chicken to two 2- to 3-quart rectangular glass or nonreactive baking dishes. Place skin side up, adding breast portions to one dish and leg portions to the other. Add 2 tablespoons water to each baking dish.
• Spoon reserved 1-1/2 cups barbecue sauce over chicken.* Cover chicken with parchment paper and then cover tightly with foil. (Refrigerate until ready to bake). Bake leg portions for 70 to 75 minutes and breast portions for 30 to 40 minutes (170 degrees F).
• Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Uncover chicken and spoon on additional sauce. Bake, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until well-glazed and meat is very tender. Serve with remaining barbecue sauce. Store any remaining barbecue sauce, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• *Be sure that the sauce used on the uncooked chicken is kept separate from sauce for serving.

DELICIOUS OVEN BARBECUED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a nonstick skillet coated lightly with oil, brown chicken over medium heat. Transfer to a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray., Recoat skillet with oil. Add onion; cook and stir over medium heat until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes. Pour over chicken. , Bake, uncovered, until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 170°, 35-45 minutes.