Honey Barbecue Chicken

A word of warning: Once people have been over to your house and tried this honey barbecue chicken recipe, they’re just going to kind of show up at your door, on the off chance you’ve made barbecue and honey chicken again. This is one of those foods that will help spread the legend of your barbecue prowess.

And don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone that it’s actually quite simple. The secret here is a basic rub and a delightful barbecue sauce, one that you’ll make from scratch in all of 10 or 15 minutes, including the measuring, mixing and simmering. Sound like a plan? Then let’s get cooking.

Honey Barbecue Chicken Ingredients

• Chicken leg quarters: This recipe calls for six chicken leg quarters, but of course you can scale it up and cook as much meat as you want. It’s a great recipe for serving at a backyard barbecue.

Rub:

• Brown sugar: As always when using brown sugar, make sure to pack it down before you measure it.
• Kosher salt: We don’t always mention salt in our recipes, but when you need an entire tablespoon of kosher salt, we let you know.
• Garlic powder: Make sure to measure the garlic powder carefully, as it can easily overpower some of the other ingredients.
• Ground cinnamon: And the same goes for the cinnamon—cinnamon is very potent indeed, so measure with care.

Sauce:

• Butter: Perhaps you didn’t expect to see butter in a barbecue sauce? It might just be the secret sauce, so to speak.
• Ketchup: Ketchup is a more common barbecue sauce ingredient, and one that adds a lot of flavor.
• Honey: If you don’t like a sweet barbecue sauce, you can dial back on the honey, but do add at least 1/4 cup.
• Balsamic vinegar: The balsamic vinegar adds a wonderful tanginess and savory edge to the barbecue sauce.
• Yellow mustard: Use your favorite yellow mustard, one that’s mild or spicy or in between.
• Soy sauce: We recommend a reduced-sodium soy sauce, because you should always reduce sodium when possible.
• Cayenne pepper (optional): A dash of cayenne pepper is all you need to add some heat and throttle up the other flavors, but keep in mind that it’s totally optional.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the rub and coat the chicken

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Pat the chicken dry. Combine the brown sugar, kosher salt, garlic powder and cinnamon to make the rub, then apply the rub evenly over the chicken pieces. Refrigerate the meat in a covered shallow dish for two hours.

Step 2: Make the sauce

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In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, ketchup, honey, balsamic vinegar, yellow mustard and soy sauce, adding the cayenne if desired. Bring the pan to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, to allow the flavors to blend, 8 to 10 minutes.

Step 3: Grill the chicken

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On an oiled grill rack, grill the chicken, covered, over indirect medium heat, turning it frequently, until a thermometer reads 165°F, 35 to 45 minutes.

Step 4: Brush on the sauce and finish cooking

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Reduce the heat to medium-low, then brush the chicken with the sauce, reserving 1/2 cup. Continue cooking the chicken, covered, until the chicken pieces register 170° to 175°, four to six minutes. Serve the chicken with the reserved sauce.

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Honey Barbecue Chicken Variations

• Dial up the spice: If you’re a fan of the hot stuff, add more cayenne pepper to the sauce, and a bit of pepper to the rub as well. You can also leave out the spicy pepper, as noted before.
• Try it with pork: While the cooking time and temperature will be different, the same rub and sauce will go great on pork chops.
• Swap out the soy: You can replace the soy sauce with Worcestershire sauce for a barbecue sauce that’s even more tangy and complex in flavor.

How to Store Honey Barbecue Chicken

This chicken will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat it in the microwave or in an oven at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes.

Honey Barbecue Chicken Tips

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What should I serve with this honey and barbecue chicken?

We recommend you stick with the classics! Think cornbread, hearty greens like kale or chard, and rice and beans.

Can I prepare this chicken in the oven?

Yes, if need be. To cook the meal indoors, preheat the oven to 450°, then place the prepared chicken in a greased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake it until a thermometer reads 165°, about 25 minutes, then brush the meat with the sauce, reserving 1/2 cup. Bake the chicken again until the pieces register 170°, about five more minutes. Serve it with the reserved sauce.

Can I use a store-bought barbecue sauce?

Of course you can, but we certainly encourage you to try making one from scratch. It’s easier than you might think, and it’s tastier too, particularly because you can adjust the spice and sweetness levels to your preference.