| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 9 hr |
| Prep: | 15 min |
| Inactive: | 8 hr |
| Cook: | 45 min |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 3 12-ounce cans amber or bock beer
- 1/3 cup kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 4 bay leaves
- 6 pounds assorted skin-on, bone-in chicken pieces
- Juice of 2 large oranges
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- Vegetable oil, for the grill
Instructions
- Brine the chicken: Combine 1 can of beer, the salt, granulated sugar, hot sauce and bay leaves in a very large bowl and whisk until the salt and sugar dissolve. Add the remaining 2 cans of beer, 4 cups water and the chicken. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Make the barbecue sauce: Combine the orange juice, vinegar, onion, garlic, ketchup, brown sugar, honey, Worcestershire sauce and chili powder in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly, then puree in a blender until smooth. (The sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate.)
- Preheat a grill to medium low and brush the grates with vegetable oil. Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Lightly season the chicken with salt, then arrange on the grill, skin-side up. Cover and cook until marked, about 12 minutes per side. Continue cooking, flipping and basting the chicken with the barbecue sauce every 3 to 4 minutes (keep covered in between), until a thermometer inserted into the center of a breast registers 165 degrees F, about 15 more minutes. Transfer to a platter and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 1010 |
| Total Fat | 59 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 44 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 36 g |
| Protein | 65 g |
| Cholesterol | 255 mg |
| Sodium | 1357 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 1010 |
| Total Fat | 59 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 44 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 36 g |
| Protein | 65 g |
| Cholesterol | 255 mg |
| Sodium | 1357 mg |
Reviews
It has been my go to BBQ chicken recipe for years. The chicken always turns out so juicy and flavorful. I follow the recipe with the exception of the beer. I use whatever I have on hand and haven’t noticed a difference in flavor. Highly recommend!
This is a great recipe. I used drumsticks and bone in thighs. My only criticism is that the bbq sauce was too sweet for me. I added Sriracha to balance it out.
Disappointing. I used thighs. Too salty. The chicken was not tender. I brined overnight and grilled on gas. Bbq sauce tended to burn.
Excellent grilled BBQ chicken, we’ve been making this for over a year now. I’ve adjusted the brine to make just 2 bone in chicken breasts & have also made it for 15 people. The brine makes the chicken so moist and flavorful. Using a meat thermometer is very helpful, we cook the chicken to 165 degrees, found the chicken pieces all cook differently so checking the temp insures each piece is cooked through but not dried out. Many times I use our favorite bottled BBQ sauce rather than making sauce. Thanks for the great recipe Food Network!
I made this recipe last night and used a combination of bone in, skin on thighs and brests. It all turned out great and the family LOVED it. I have to say that next time, chicken thighs are going to be the only way to go. More intense flavor, I also made a critical mistake on the BBQ sauce and used OJ instead of juice squeezed from a couple of oranges. It tasted ok but the consistency was too thin.
Chicken was very tender. The orange in the Bbq sauce gave it a unique flavor.
My husband said “top ten”. Super good, unusual and fun to make! Will definitely be on my go-to options for entertaining,
Excellent
Looks very good
I have made this recipe multiple times and it is simply the best BBQ chicken ever. We have served it to guests who just rave about the juiciness and flavor of the chicken. Definitely a keeper and is my go to BBQ chicken recipe.