Chef John's Barbecue Chicken

Chef John's Barbecue Chicken offers a foolproof method for grilling juicy, flavorful chicken with a perfectly sticky glaze. By searing the skin first and then cooking skin-side up while basting with sauce, this technique ensures the glaze doesn't burn and adheres beautifully to the meat. Ideal for summer cookouts or any time you're craving classic barbecue chicken. 

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken, cut into halves

• ¼ cup rice vinegar

• 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

• ½ cup barbecue sauce (for basting)

Directions:

1. Cut ½-inch deep slashes in the skin-side of each chicken half: two cuts in each breast, two in each thigh, and one in each leg. Remove wing tips.

2. Whisk rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce, and crushed garlic together in a large bowl. Place chicken in the bowl and turn to coat. Arrange chicken halves in the bottom of the bowl with the cut sides down; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

3. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.

4. Remove chicken from the bowl and pat dry with paper towels; discard any remaining marinade. Place chicken halves, skin-side up, on a plate and season with salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.

5. Cook chicken, skin-side down, on the preheated grill until grill marks appear, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn chicken over, close the grill lid, and cook, basting with remaining barbecue sauce every 6 minutes, until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 35 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 165°F (74°C).
   
   

Nutrients (per serving):

• Calories: 464

• Total Fat: 24g

• Saturated Fat: 7g

• Cholesterol: 149mg

• Sodium: 1583mg

• Total Carbohydrate: 11g

• Dietary Fiber: 1g

• Sugars: 7g

• Protein: 48g

• Vitamin C: 1mg

• Calcium: 34mg

• Iron: 3mg

• Potassium: 396mg