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grilled bbq chicken

The Best Grilled BBQ Chicken

5 from 1 vote
Tender, juicy grilled BBQ chicken with a perfectly sticky, caramelized glaze. This foolproof two-zone grilling method ensures the meat cooks through gently without burning the sweet sauce.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs chicken drumsticks Pat completely dry with paper towels
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil For coating the meat
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika Adds deep woodsy flavor
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder Classic aromatic
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder Balances the savory rub
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt To taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper Freshly ground
  • 1 cup thick BBQ sauce Use your favorite brand
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley Chopped for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 grill Gas or charcoal
  • 1 Tongs For flipping meat
  • 1 Basting brush For applying sauce
  • 1 meat thermometer To check doneness

Method
 

  1. Preheat your grill for two-zone cooking with one hot side and one cooler side.
    preheating a tabletop grill for two zone cooking
  2. Combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
  3. Coat the dry drumsticks with olive oil and rub the spice mixture evenly over the skin.
    rubbing spices and olive oil onto raw chicken drumsticks
  4. Place the chicken on the cooler side of the grill and cook covered for twenty-five minutes until opaque.
  5. Move the chicken to the hot side and sear for five minutes until charred spots appear.
    searing chicken drumsticks on the hot grill
  6. Brush generously with BBQ sauce and cook for two minutes per side until sticky and caramelized.
  7. Remove to a platter, let rest for five minutes, and garnish with fresh parsley.

Nutrition

Serving: 150gCalories: 310kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 22gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 3.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 750mgPotassium: 320mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 350IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 1.5mg

Notes

Keep a spray bottle of water near the grill to quickly manage any sudden flare-ups when searing the skin. Do not apply the sauce until the very end to prevent burning.

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