Grilled BBQ Chicken (Sweet, Sticky, and Super Delicious)
This grilled BBQ chicken is everything I want in a summer cookout classic—juicy from a simple beer brine, full of flavor from a smoky dry rub, and finished with a sticky-sweet layer of BBQ sauce that caramelizes beautifully on the grill. It’s the kind of recipe that’s easy enough for a weeknight but tastes like you’ve been tending the smoker all day.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, see notes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 bottle beer, see notes
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
Dry Rub
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper, see notes
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a large bowl and sprinkle the salt over top. Pour in the beer, mix the chicken around a little, then put the bowl into your fridge for 30 minutes (or up to 8 hours.) See notes.1 ½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 bottle beer
- While the chicken is brining, mix all of the dry rub ingredients in a small bowl. Time-saving tip → Make the full batch of my dry rub for chicken so you'll have some on hand for the next time you make grilled BBQ chicken. Use 3 tablespoons of the rub for this recipe.1 tablespoon brown sugar, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
- Preheat your grill to medium, indirect heat. Clean the grill grates.
- Remove the chicken from the brine and pat it dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the dry rub over both sides of the chicken and use your fingers to pat it onto the chicken so that it sticks.
- Place the chicken on the grill and cook, with the lid closed, for 6-7 minutes (see notes below for cooking times for different cuts of chicken.) Turn the heat up to high (or move the chicken to the direct heat side of your grill.) Baste the chicken with some BBQ sauce then flip it over, baste again and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.½ cup BBQ sauce
- Remove the chicken from the grill, brush it with more BBQ sauce, then let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Brine: Many times, I've seasoned chicken with my dry rub and popped it onto the grill without brining it first, and it still tastes excellent. However, brining the chicken first (even for a quick 15 minutes while you prepare the dry rub and heat up the grill) makes it even juicier.
Beer: There are always a few of Corona's, no-alcohol Sunbrews in my fridge, so that's what I often use for the brine. If you use regular beer for the brine, I think a lager or pilsner tastes best. Avoid using a sour or wheat beer.
Salt: If you skip brining the chicken, increase the salt in the dry rub to ½ teaspoon.
Cooking Times for Different Cuts of Chicken
Thighs and breasts can vary significantly in size, which is why I've listed a wide range of cooking times. Smaller pieces cook faster, so check on them earlier.
- Bone-in chicken thighs: 25-45 minutes.
- Chicken legs/ drumsticks: 25-45 minutes.
- Boneless chicken breast: 10-20 minutes.
Serving: 1 = ¼ of the recipe, Calories: 280kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 33g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 162mg, Sodium: 816mg, Potassium: 526mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 321IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 35mg, Iron: 2mg