Description
This Chicken Barbecue recipe features juicy grilled chicken quarters coated in a flavorful homemade barbecue sauce made from fresh vegetables and spices. The sauce is cooked slowly to develop depth of flavor, while the chicken is grilled using a two-zone technique to achieve perfectly cooked, tender meat with a delicious smoky finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Homemade Barbecue Sauce
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 1 cup roughly chopped green pepper
- 1 cup roughly chopped onion
- 2 cups chili sauce
- ¾ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¾ cup water
- 6 tablespoons white vinegar
- 6 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon Accent
Chicken Quarters
- 4 chicken quarters
- ¼ cup avocado oil
Instructions
- Prepare the Barbecue Sauce: Combine the celery, green pepper, onion, chili sauce, lemon juice, water, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and Accent in a saucepan.
- Cook the Sauce: Simmer over medium-low heat until the vegetables are very soft, about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.
- Reserve Sauce: Set aside two cups of the sauce to cook with the chicken and reserve an additional two cups for serving as a dip later.
- Prepare the Grill: Light your grill and set it up for two-zone cooking if possible, with one side for direct heat and the other for indirect heat. If not feasible, light one side for direct heat and use the other side for indirect cooking. Cook chicken in batches if necessary.
- Oil the Chicken: Lightly coat both sides of each chicken quarter with avocado oil, which helps prevent sticking and allows for even browning.
- Initial Grilling: Place chicken quarters skin side down over direct heat. Grill for 10 minutes, flipping every two minutes to brown evenly.
- Move to Indirect Heat: Transfer the chicken to the indirect heat side of the grill skin side up and close the lid. Allow the grill temperature to stabilize around 375°F.
- First Baste and Cook: When the chicken’s internal temperature reaches 160°F, brush both sides of each chicken quarter and the vegetables with the barbecue sauce. Place skin side down and close the lid.
- Second Baste and Cook: Once the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 170°F, turn all pieces over and generously coat the skin side with more sauce. Close the lid and cook until the temperature reaches 180°F.
- Final Cooking and Serving: At an internal temperature of 185°F, remove the chicken from the grill. Baste with the reserved barbecue sauce and serve the remaining sauce in bowls for dipping.
Notes
- Use avocado oil for grilling due to its high smoke point and health benefits.
- If you don’t have a grill with two-zone setup, simply manage direct and indirect areas by lighting one side and using the other as a cooler zone.
- Check chicken temperature with a meat thermometer to ensure safety and perfect doneness.
- Accent is a flavor enhancer; if unavailable, you may omit it or substitute with a small amount of monosodium glutamate.
- Leftover barbecue sauce can be refrigerated and used within one week.
- To achieve tender vegetables in the sauce, cook low and slow stirring occasionally.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken quarter with sauce
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
