Honey Bourbon BBQ Chicken Recipe
Prep Time:
30 minutes
Cook Time:
1 hour, 20 minutes
Servings:
4 Servings
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 1 scant cup chopped sweet onion
  • 1 large clove garlic, minced
  • 1 small jalapeño pepper, stem and seeds removed, minced
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • ½ cup bourbon
  • ½ cup honey
  • ¼ cup apricot preserves
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Directions
  1. Rub the chicken pieces with the avocado oil and place them in a large ziplock bag.
  2. Combine all the rub ingredients in a small bowl.
  3. Add the rub to the bag with the chicken, seal, and toss to make sure that all is well-coated.
  4. Preheat the oven to 425 F.
  5. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
  6. Remove the chicken pieces from the rub and arrange them on the prepared pan, skin-side-up.
  7. Bake the chicken for 45 minutes until the skin is crispy and the chicken is cooked through.
  8. While the chicken bakes, start the sauce by heating the avocado oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy saucepan.
  9. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened (about 5 minutes).
  10. Add the tomato paste and cook and stir until it starts to turn a rust color and caramelizes (1 minute).
  11. Add the bourbon to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom well, until the liquid has reduced by half (1 minute).
  12. Turn the heat to low and add the honey, apricot preserves, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, and mustard.
  13. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes.
  14. Cool the sauce slightly and then transfer it to a high-speed blender.
  15. Blend until smooth.
  16. Remove the chicken from the oven and pour the sauce over, turning each piece to coat.
  17. Bake for another 15 minutes until the sauce has become a nice glaze on the chicken and starts to bubble.
  18. Serve the chicken with your favorite sides.