Hickory BBQ Chicken
Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks, hickory bbq rub and ice cubes come together in this chicken β 65 minutes, 7 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for grill / broiler and pan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (4)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
π Unit converter
How to make it
- Pat the chicken pieces dry, then rub them all over with the salt and 2 tablespoons of the hickory rub, working it under the skin where you can. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
- Warm the apple cider vinegar in a small pan until just steaming, whisk in the honey until dissolved, then drop in the ice cubes to cool it quickly into a tangy mop that will not cook the chicken on contact.
- Set up a grill for two-zone cooking, with coals or burners on one side only, and aim for a medium indirect temperature of about 180 to 190 C. Lightly oil the grates.
- Sear the chicken over the direct-heat side for 2 to 3 minutes per side just to color the skin, then move it to the cooler indirect side, sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of rub, and close the lid.
- Grill with the lid down, basting with the honey-vinegar mop every 10 minutes and turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and a thermometer in the thickest part reads 75 C, about 30 to 40 minutes.
- During the last 8 minutes, brush the pieces generously with the homemade barbecue sauce on all sides, moving them over direct heat briefly so the sauce caramelizes without burning.
- Transfer the chicken to a board, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 5 minutes before serving with any extra warmed barbecue sauce on the side.
You'll use: Grill / broiler Β· Pan Β· Whisk Β· Steamer
Ingredient substitutions
- Honey
- maple syrup Β· agave
Tips & common questions
How long does Hickory BBQ Chicken take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 7 steps and 8 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of honey?
Try maple syrup. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Hickory BBQ Chicken is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Pieology Hickory BBQ Chicken Pizza (31965598124).jpg by Willis Lam, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top β how we source recipes.