I wanted to post a quick, easy and delicious recipe that you can try any night of the week. Where I live we barbecue year round even if it’s cold and rainy. But I know that may not be the case for you if you live in a snowy climate. However, spring is coming so if you get the chance to fire up the BBQ, this recipe is a hit!
The Secret to BBQ Chicken
What is the purpose of marinating meat?
Marinating is when you mix together oil, herbs and spices, and acidic liquids like citrus or vinegar to let your meat soak in before cooking or grilling it. It helps draw out flavor and juices creating tender, mouthwatering, epic tasting meat.
For years I cooked BBQ chicken without marinating it and it was okay. I would usually cook the chicken on one side and then put the BBQ sauce on towards the end of cooking. Then maybe add a little more when serving. However, it never really tasted super awesome and flavorful like other BBQ chicken I have eaten. It just tasted kind of basic and it never was my favorite thing to grill.
But you know, as soon as I discovered marinating the meat first, I was hooked for good! I mean, I have grilled marinated chicken plenty of times and I love how juicy and flavorful it tastes, but it never really occured to me to marinate before cooking chicken with a barbecue sauce.
This recipe includes a simple yet tasty marinade to use before grilling this BBQ chicken. It includes probably the most common marinating ingredients, garlic and olive oil with a splash of citrus.
The Recipe for Barbecue Chicken On The Grill
Barbecue Chicken on the Grill
Classic and delicious, this BBQ chicken recipe is great for the grill. This recipe is easy to make and perfect for a warm summer evening.
- Grill
- Mixing bowl
- Ziploc Bag
- 4-6 boneless chicken thighs
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
Marinade
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 cloves crushed garlic
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
For the marinade: Mix olive oil, crushed garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place 4-6 chicken thighs in a ziploc bag. Drizzle marinade over meat. Close the bag tightly removing extra air. Massage bag until all sides of the chicken is covered in the marinade. Place in refrigerator for 2 hours.
To Grill: Warm grill to 350° F or medium-low heat. Take chicken out of the bag and grill on one side for about 8-10 minutes. Make sure meat is not directly over fames. Flip the chicken and brush top side with BBQ sauce. Grill for 8-10 more minutes. Flip chicken again and spread remaining BBQ sauce on top side. Grill for about 5 more minutes, checking taht the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165° F.
The marinade makes this recipe burst with flavor. However, if you are short on time, feel free to skip marinating.
Choose your favorite BBQ sauce or make your own with this recipe.
You can freeze the marinated chicken in freezer bags for up to 3 months. Though I recommend using them within a month to maximize flavor. Thaw chicken in the refrigerator overnight before grilling.
Time and Money Saving Tip:
Buy chicken in bulk and double or triple your marinade. Put the amount of thighs that you plan to cook for dinner in each freezer bag and pull out the night before you want to grill!
Final Thoughts
Let me know how this recipe went for you in the comments below. And as always, if you have any questions I will get back to you.
I hope you enjoyed trying a new recipe!
I look forward to seeing you soon In The Kitchen With ME!
Hey Allie, while I was reading your post I felt so hungry. The part which I like more about your recipe is that all ingredients all available in every kitchen. It is so easy and very delicious. As soon as possible I will cook it. thanks a lot for sharing this post with us.
Thank you! I really want to inspire people to cook at home by sharing easy recipes. I hope you enjoy cooking this!
Allie