Prep Time: 25 minutes, Cook Time: 15 mins, Total Time: 40 mins, Makes: 4 servings.
This Grilled BBQ Chicken recipe is juicy, tender and finger-licking good. The quick homemade spice blend and simple homemade BBQ sauce take this recipe to the next level.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
2 lbs. chicken breasts, boneless skinless, about 4 breasts
2 tablespoons avocado oil, plus more for the grill grates
1.5 tablespoons spice blend, recipe below
½ – ¾ cup BBQ sauce, recipe below
For the spice blend:
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons kosher salt
For the homemade BBQ sauce:
3 cups tomato puree
1.5 cups ketchup
1+¼ cup water
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon reserved spice blend
½ teaspoon ground mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
4 cloves garlic, whole, lightly pressed
kosher salt, to taste
cracked black pepper, to taste
Directions
Make the Spice Blend
Combine smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, and kosher salt. Mix well. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the mixed spice blend for the BBQ sauce and 1.5 tablespoons of the mixed spice blend to season the chicken. Extra spice blend can be stored in a sealable spice container for future use.
Make The BBQ Sauce
In a saucepot, combine tomato puree, ketchup, water, light brown sugar, liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, reserved spice blend, ground mustard, pressed garlic cloves, kosher salt and cracked black pepper. I use a healthy amount of cracked black pepper.
Mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer until the sauce has thickened. Approximately 25-30 minutes. Taste and season accordingly with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Remove from the heat.
This recipe calls for ½ -¾ cup of BBQ sauce. Extra sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-6 days.
Prepare the Grill
Preheat your grill to 400-450 degrees. Clean the grill grates and lubricate them with avocado oil right before you are ready to add the protein.
Brushing the grill grates with avocado oil right before adding the meat will prevent the meat from sticking to the grates. Avocado oil has a high smoke point which will also promote a good sear.
Another way to lubricate your grill grates with less flare up than the brushing method, is to tightly roll a clean kitchen towel. Dip the rolled towel in avocado oil until it is moistened. Use metal tongs to grab the towel and carefully rub the grill grates with the tightly rolled avocado oil-soaked towel. This method of lubricating the grill grates causes less flare up from the grill and is just as effective.
Grill the Chicken
Add the chicken breasts to a glass bowl. Add the avocado oil and 1.5 tablespoons of the spice blend. Toss until well coated.
Pour ½ -¾ cup of BBQ sauce into a container. Use this sauce for basting the chicken. Reserve the rest of the BBQ sauce for another recipe or use as extra sauce for dipping.
Add the seasoned chicken to the prepared grill. Grill for 5-6 minutes before flipping the chicken. Once you flip the chicken baste with the BBQ sauce. Grill for another 5-6 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure doneness.
Once the chicken is cooked through, baste both sides with the BBQ sauce before removing the chicken from the grill.
Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and enjoying! Serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side.
How to Store
Store extra spice blend in a spice jar for future use. Store extra BBQ sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-6 days. Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
To reheat the chicken, simply microwave until warmed through.
Nutrition
serving: 1 serving or 1 grilled chicken breast with spices and BBQ sauce, calories: 397kcal, carbohydrates: 18g, protein: 49g, fat: 13g, saturated fat: 2g, polyunsaturated fat: 2g, monounsaturated fat: 7g, trans fat: 0.03g, cholesterol: 145mg, sodium: 633mg, potassium: 992mg, fiber: 3g, sugar: 12g, vitamin a: 242IU, vitamin c: 3mg, calcium: 112mg, iron: 3mg
