Kurt Evans, culinary director at Drive Change, marinates his chicken in advance to ensure it won’t dry out on the grill, then he bastes it with sauce at the end for the crackliest, stickiest skin. Evans’s homemade barbecue sauce contains just a touch of blackstrap molasses: a rich, dark flavor brought by African American migrants from the Deep South. They used to make it on their rural homesteads from homegrown sugarcane during the time of the Great Migration.
Recipe information
Yield
8–10 servings
Ingredients
Barbecue Seasoning
¼
2
2
2
1½
Chicken and Assembly
12
4
5
1
1
3
2
¾
2
2
1
1
1
Preparation
Barbecue Seasoning
Step 1
Whisk paprika, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, and cayenne in a small bowl to combine. Makes about ½ cup.
Step 2
Do ahead: Seasoning can be made 1 month ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
Chicken and Assembly
Step 3
Combine chicken and lemon zest and juice in a large bowl; toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and 4 Tbsp. seasoning and toss again to evenly coat. Cover and let chill at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.
Step 4
Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3 minutes. Add brown sugar; cook, stirring constantly, until sugar turns a shade darker, about 2 minutes. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. seasoning; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ketchup; cook, stirring, until slightly darkened in color, about 2 minutes. Stir in vinegar, molasses, mustard, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil over high heat; cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender and purée until smooth. Set sauce aside.
Step 5
Prepare a grill for medium-high indirect heat (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on 1 side; for a gas grill, leave 1–2 burners off). Lightly oil grate. Grill chicken over direct heat, turning every minute, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Move chicken over to indirect heat, cover, positioning vent over chicken if your grill has one, and grill, turning every 5 minutes or so, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thighs registers 140°–145°, 18–25 minutes. Uncover grill and continue to grill, basting with reserved sauce and turning occasionally, until thermometer registers 165°, about 10 minutes longer.
Leave a Review
Reviews (36)
Back to TopOur absolutely favourite chicken recipe - everyone raves when we make it for a dinner. Lots of requests for “sticky chicken”. The multiple ingredients and steps are well worth it! A total crowd pleaser.
LLacey
Deroche BC
4/29/2023
I have made this several tines, and it is outstanding. It takes just a few minutes to make the barbecue seasoning. I let the chicken thighs marinate in it and the lemon juice/zest for a full 12 hours. Making the barbecue sauce takes some time, but it’s well worth it. Better than any bottled sauce. The key is to follow the grilling instructions to a t. I time everything, and the chicken comes out perfectly (although the last time I made it, I had the grill too close to the coals, so it was a little burned; the sauce covered up my indiscretion, though!). The result is tender, juicy chicken with a kick of heat, as well as sweetness, smokiness, and just all around great flavor. Will make it again soon!
Beige Gardens
Las Vegas, NV
4/26/2023
worth the trouble! Madly delicious, great with Spanish rice!
Linda L
Philadelphia
1/16/2023
Very good but way too time consuming to make.
jsbjk
Winnetka, IL
5/31/2022
Anyone that makes chicken on the grill knows that the black char on sauce means you waked away from your grill. I know you can cook your sauce before adding it to grilled meats and make the auce nice and yummy, thick and sticky . By cooking your sauce down a bit, you're releasing steam and the water evaporates from the store bought sauce... ensuring you can get a thick yummy coat of sauce on your meat and avoid the cancer causing carcinogens which result from burning and charring meats to black. This way you dont have to burn ithe sauce onto your meat. Bon Appetit~
Sxxxy~
Dayton, Ohio
3/20/2022
Incredible flavor, this has become my go to bbq seasoning, and sauce. Excellent recipe…thank you
Mkelly
NJ
12/23/2021
Fantastic flavour and unbelievably moist. ! grilled a whole chicken perched upright on the removable insert from a tube cake pan, which was more stable than a beer can. Unlike chicken pieces there was no hands on time while grilling. Didn't make any substitutions to the rub or sauce ingredients. The sauce was thick and smooth without pureeing. The skin looked exactly as pictured with the recipe.
Sadie
Canada
8/23/2021