Serves 8
90 min
Barbecued Chicken
Recipe GLPRc26fb96569145b
Classic grilled chicken halves basted with smoky barbecue sauce, cooked slowly over charcoal for tender, juicy results. Perfect for feeding a crowd at your next outdoor gathering.
Save recipes you love
Create a free Grocery List Plus account to save recipes, rate them, and add every ingredient to your grocery list in one tap.
Ingredients
6 (22-ounce) chicken halves
2 (16-ounce) bottles barbecue sauce
Directions
Set up your charcoal grill with the cooking grate positioned 25 to 27 inches above the charcoal bed. This distance allows the chicken to cook through evenly without burning the outside.
Pile the charcoal in a pyramid shape and light it with charcoal starter fluid. Once the coals on top begin turning white and ash over, use a metal rake or shovel to spread them into an even layer for consistent heat.
Arrange the chicken halves skin-side down on the grate. Every 5 minutes, carefully turn each piece using tongs (being gentle to avoid tearing the skin) and brush with barbecue sauce using a clean basting brush or squeeze bottle.
Continue grilling for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, adding fresh charcoal (without starter fluid) about halfway through if needed to maintain consistent heat. The chicken is ready when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F.
