When grilling season arrives, try this Grilled Honey Chipotle BBQ Chicken. It's crispy chicken skin brushed with homemade BBQ sauce and topped with a cilantro lime gremolata.
4large bone-in skin-on chicken leg quarters (about 1 ½ to pounds)
1tablespoonextra-virgin olive oil
1teaspoonchipotle powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Honey Chipotle BBQ Sauce
1/2cupketchup
2tablespoonschipotle adobo liquidfrom the can
2tablespoonslight brown sugar
1tablespoonhoney
1tablespoonapple cider vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cilantro Lime Gremolata
1/4cupfinely chopped cilantro leaves
Grated zest and juice of 1 large limeplus 1 lime halved from the grill
Flaky salt
Instructions
Pat your chicken dry with paper towels. Drizzle your chicken with olive oil and season on all sides with the chipotle powder, salt, and pepper. Set this aside while you preheat your grill to medium-high heat for two-zone cooking, one side with direct heat, and one side with indirect heat.
Make your Honey Chipotle BBQ Sauce: In a small pot, mix together the ketchup, chipotle adobo liquid, brown sugar, honey, and apple cider vinegar. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Warm over medium to low heat to reduce, stirring occasionally. The red color should darken significantly. Set aside until ready to use.
Prepare your Cilantro Lime Gremolata: In a small bowl, combine the cilantro, lime zest, lime juice, and a pinch of flaky salt. Stir to combine and set aside until ready to serve.
Place your chicken skin-side up on the cooler, indirect heat side of the grill, cover, and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, turning occasionally, until almost cooked through.
Then, transfer to the hot side of the grill skin-side down to get your skin nice and crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side, flipping halfway until both sides of your chicken are nice and charred and the internal temperature reaches about 165°F in the thickest part of the meat.
During the last 5 minutes of cooking, have your chicken skin side down, and brush the chicken with the Honey Chipotle BBQ Sauce, turning and brushing once skin-side up to build your sticky, BBQ-glazed sauce.
Transfer the chicken to a serving platter or sheet pan. Serve alongside any extra BBQ and drizzle over the Cilantro Lime Gremolata on the chicken.
Notes
For the stovetop or oven: If you do not have a grill, you can make this in the oven, or on the stovetop by cooking and searing your chicken until crispy, and adding your BBQ sauce towards the end.
Substitutions for leg quarters: You can use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or breasts.
Brush BBQ sauce at the end: Because of the sugars, this will easily burn if you add the sauce too soon. Add it in the last 5 minutes.
Storing: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.