Chef John's Grilled Barbecue Chicken

Name: Chef John's Grilled Barbecue Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 tbsp Barbecue Sauce; 1 tsp Black Pepper; 0.5 tsp Cayenne Pepper; 2 cloves Garlic; 1 tsp Onion Powder; 1 tsp Paprika; 0.25 cup Rice Vinegar; 1 tbsp Salt; 1 whole Whole Chicken

Dinner 🍽️Lunch 🥪 American High-Protein 💪Low-Carb Gluten-Free Paleo 🦴Carnivore 🥩Halal 🕌

Chef John's Grilled Barbecue Chicken delivers juicy, tender meat with a glossy, caramelized glaze balanced by tangy vinegar and a hint of heat. A simple rub of paprika, garlic, onion, and cayenne builds smoky depth while repeated basting layers on rich barbecue flavor without burning. Ideal for weekend cookouts or casual summer dinners when you want classic, crowd-pleasing barbecue.

Prep20 mins
Cook40 mins
Serves6
DifficultyMedium

1

Make 1/2-inch-deep slashes on the skin side of each chicken half: two on each breast, two on each thigh, and one on each leg. Remove the wing tips.
2

Whisk the vinegar, 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce, and the garlic in a large bowl. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Arrange the chicken halves at the bottom of the bowl with the cut sides facing down; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
3

Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
4

Take the chicken out of the bowl and pat dry with paper towels; discard any leftover marinade. Set the chicken halves, skin-side up, on a plate and season with salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.
5

Grill the chicken, skin-side down, on the preheated grill until grill marks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the chicken, close the grill lid, and cook, basting with the remaining barbecue sauce every 6 minutes, until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 35 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh near the bone should register 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).