Sticky Late-Glaze BBQ Chicken

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Bone-in thighs and drumsticks get a dry rub and a long, gentle roast (or two-zone grill) until the skin is rendered and the meat pulls easily from the bone. Only in the last 10 minutes does the barbecue sauce go on, in two thin coats, so it caramelizes into a lacquered glaze instead of scorching into bitter black patches. Budget-friendly, weeknight-doable, and better than the takeout version it's modeled on.

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks (about 8 pieces)
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp light brown sugar
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chile powder or cayenne
• 2 tsp neutral oil

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter

• 2 tbsp thinly sliced scallion greens
• Flaky salt, for serving

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken very dry with paper towels — dry skin is the whole game here. In a small bowl, stir together the kosher salt, 2 tsp brown sugar, sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and chipotle powder.
2. Rub the chicken all over with the 2 tsp oil, then sprinkle the rub evenly over every surface, including under any loose flaps of skin. Let the chicken sit uncovered at room temperature for 20 minutes, or refrigerate uncovered on a rack for up to 24 hours for even crispier skin.
3. Make the glaze: in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine ketchup, cider vinegar, dark brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire, mustard, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and pepper. Bring to a bare simmer and cook 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until slightly thickened and glossy. Off heat, stir in the butter. You'll have about 1 1/4 cups. Set aside; do not put any of it on the chicken yet.
4. OVEN METHOD: Heat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the upper third. Set a wire rack inside a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and arrange the chicken skin-side up, not touching. Roast 35–40 minutes, until the skin is browned and rendered and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of a thigh (not touching bone) reads 170–175°F.
5. Pour about 1/3 cup of the glaze into a small bowl for brushing (keep the rest sauce-clean for the table). Brush the chicken with a thin coat, return to the oven for 5 minutes, then brush a second thin coat and roast 5 minutes more, until the glaze is tacky, darkened at the edges, and set. If it isn't shiny and bubbling, run it under the broiler for 60–90 seconds, watching constantly.
6. GRILL METHOD: Set up a two-zone fire — coals banked to one side, or on a gas grill light half the burners to medium and leave the other half off. Target 375–400°F with the lid closed. Place the chicken skin-side up on the cool side, cover, and cook 30–35 minutes, rotating the pieces once, until they reach 165°F.
7. Move the chicken to the hot side, skin-side down, for 2–3 minutes to crisp, watching for flare-ups. Flip skin-side up, brush with a thin coat of glaze, close the lid for 3 minutes, then brush a second coat and close for 3 minutes more, until the glaze is set and lightly charred at the edges and the thighs read 170–175°F.
8. Transfer to a platter and rest 5–10 minutes — the glaze firms up as it cools and stops running off. Scatter with scallion greens and a pinch of flaky salt, and serve with the reserved warm sauce on the side.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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