Apple Cider BBQ Chicken Breast

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Boneless chicken breasts get a fast salt-and-smoked-paprika cure, then hit the grill while a cup and a half of apple cider boils down with ketchup and vinegar into a glossy, tangy barbecue glaze. The glaze goes on only in the last few minutes, so the sugars lacquer the chicken instead of turning black — the whole thing comes together in under an hour with pantry staples.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (6-8 oz each)
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed

• 1.5 cups apple cider (unfiltered, not vinegar)
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, finely grated
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter

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

Instructions

1. Set each chicken breast on a cutting board, cover with plastic wrap, and pound the thick end with a rolling pin or the flat side of a mallet until the breast is an even 3/4 inch thick. This is the single most important step for juicy, evenly cooked chicken.
2. In a small bowl, mix 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp smoked paprika, the garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Rub the chicken all over with the oil, then coat evenly with the spice mixture. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes while you make the glaze.
3. Pour the apple cider into a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil, uncovered, for 10 to 14 minutes, until reduced to about 1/2 cup and slightly syrupy — it should coat the back of a spoon in a thin film.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and whisk in the ketchup, cider vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire, Dijon, grated garlic, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp salt, and the cayenne if using. Simmer, stirring often, for 5 to 7 minutes, until thick enough to leave a clean trail when you drag a spoon through it. Off the heat, stir in the butter until melted. You should have about 3/4 cup of glaze.
5. Transfer 1/4 cup of the glaze to a small bowl for brushing on the chicken and reserve the rest for serving (keeping them separate avoids any raw-chicken cross-contamination).
6. Heat a grill for two-zone cooking: for gas, set one side to medium-high (about 450°F) and the other to low; for charcoal, bank the coals to one side. Scrape the grates clean and oil them well. No grill? Use a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, then finish in a 400°F oven.
7. Grill the chicken over the hot side, uncovered, for 3 minutes per side, until you have defined grill marks. Then move the breasts to the cooler side, close the lid, and cook 5 to 8 minutes more, until an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part reads 155°F.
8. Brush the chicken generously with the reserved 1/4 cup glaze, flip, and brush the second side. Cook 1 to 2 minutes per side on the cooler zone, just long enough for the glaze to set into a shiny lacquer, pulling the chicken at 160°F. Only move it briefly over the hot zone if you want a little char — the sugar in the glaze burns fast.
9. Rest the chicken on a cutting board for 5 minutes (it will coast to a safe 165°F). Slice against the grain, spoon the remaining warm glaze over the top, and finish with scallion greens and a pinch of flaky salt.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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