Honey Bourbon BBQ Chicken Recipe

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One of the great things about BBQ is that there are infinite ways to enjoy it — wet, dry, vinegar-based, sweet, smoky, spicy. A great BBQ technique works wonderfully on meats from ribs to brisket, but there is something deliciously special about chicken. This recipe for honey bourbon BBQ chicken — courtesy of recipe developer Julie Kinnaird – has it all, from a flavorful and smoky spice rub to a sauce that is tangy, sweet, and extra flavorful due to a generous shot of bourbon. Using bourbon in this sauce adds sophisticated undertones of vanilla and char, while enhancing the fruity and tart-sweet apricot, tomato, and apple cider vinegar elements. Honey and bourbon are a perfect pairing in this recipe, and while it packs a bit of heat, Kinnaird lends a few tips for making the spice factor rise a bit more, if desired.

Although the quality of bourbon you choose for this recipe is up to you, Kinnaird gives a reminder that what you put in is what you get out. The alcohol component of the bourbon cooks off in this recipe, but you are left with the residual flavors, so choose a bourbon that speaks to your favorite flavor profile. This recipe is great for cooler months, as the whole process happens on the stove and in your oven. The result is a finger-licking-good batch of barbecue that is perfect for weeknight comfort food or weekend entertaining.

There are two main parts to this recipe — the dry rub and the sauce. For the rub, you will need chili powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt, dry mustard, dried thyme, garlic and onion powders, and freshly-cracked black pepper. This rub will be added to bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks and thighs (any mix that you want), after rubbing the chicken pieces with a bit of avocado or other vegetable oil. To make the honey bourbon BBQ sauce, you will, of course, need honey and bourbon (Kinnaird likes the flavors of Knob Creek), along with more avocado oil to cook some sweet onion, garlic, and jalapeño pepper in, plus tomato paste, apricot preserves, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard. This combination of ingredients gives the sauce sweetness, savoriness, heat, and a tangy depth of flavor. 

Rub the chicken pieces with the avocado oil and place them in a large ziplock bag.

Combine all the rub ingredients in a small bowl.

Add the rub to the bag with the chicken, seal, and toss to make sure that all is well-coated.

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Remove the chicken pieces from the rub and arrange them on the prepared pan, skin-side-up.

Bake the chicken for 45 minutes until the skin is crispy and the chicken is cooked through.

While the chicken bakes, start the sauce by heating the avocado oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy saucepan.

Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened (about 5 minutes).

Add the tomato paste and cook and stir until it starts to turn a rust color and caramelizes (1 minute).

Add the bourbon to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom well, until the liquid has reduced by half (1 minute).

Turn the heat to low and add the honey, apricot preserves, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, and mustard.

Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes.

Cool the sauce slightly and then transfer it to a high-speed blender.

Blend until smooth.

Remove the chicken from the oven and pour the sauce over, turning each piece to coat.

Bake for another 15 minutes until the sauce has become a nice glaze on the chicken and starts to bubble.

Serve the chicken with your favorite sides.

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In cooler months of the year, it is nice to still dream of summer and make an oven BBQ; however, if the weather cooperates, this recipe can certainly be prepared outdoors on the grill. The biggest change in the recipe will be that you need to wait until the very end of the cooking time to baste the sauce onto the chicken. Between the honey, the apricot preserves, and even the tomato paste, there are plenty of sugars that can start to burn quickly when exposed to the heat of a grill. 

To work around this, start by oiling the grates of your grill to prevent sticking. Next, grill your rub-infused chicken pieces over moderate heat to avoid large flames forming from the fatty skin. Once your chicken is mostly cooked through, baste the sauce onto 1 side and flip. Baste the other side, and then keep turning and basting until you have a nice caramelized glaze on your chicken.

Another option is to bake your rubbed chicken as the recipe calls for, then finish it on the grill with the sauce. This will give you a nice, moist interior and crispy outside, with the benefit of a lovely charred flavor from the grill.

There are a couple of ways to switch up this recipe, starting with the sauce. If you are a fan of super spicy BBQ and want to turn up the heat, throw a habanero into the mix in place of the jalapeño. Alternatively, you can add some seriously spicy chili powder to the rub. Peach preserves would be a delicious swap for apricot, as would a bit of mango chutney. Try using a red wine or white balsamic vinegar in place of the apple cider vinegar, and experiment with different types of honey, from wildflower to mesquite. 

Another way to switch up this recipe is by using different cuts of chicken. Kinnaird likes using legs and thighs because of their higher fat content, but you can certainly mix in some breasts and wings. If you use chicken breasts, it is best to use a skin-on variety to help prevent the lean white meat from becoming too dry during baking. Wings will cook more quickly, so take them out of the baking dish a bit earlier than the larger pieces, if necessary.

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