When it comes to chicken, I've always been a breast woman. No dark meat for me. No thank you. My mind was recently opened when my friend Anne made me Ina Garten's Indonesian Chicken for dinner. I loved it. Turns out, I'm really a thigh woman, especially when it comes to chicken on the grill. So I decided to try this recipe from Fine Cooking. This quick BBQ chicken is perfect for the weekend. The rub and sauce can be prepared ahead of time, leaving you more time to hang out with friends.
I hope everyone had a terrific 4th of July weekend. I hung out in Baltimore, had dinner at Woodberry Kitchen, and discovered the wonder that is the Baltimore Farmers Market. Thoughts and photos on those coming soon!
Fast BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
6 Tbs. dark brown sugar
1 Tbs. chile powder
2 tsp. dry mustard
Kosher salt
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, rinsed and patted dry
3/4 cup tomato ketchup
1/4 cup low-salt soy sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. Chipotle Tabasco or other chipotle hot sauce; more to taste
Directions
Heat a gas grill to between medium and medium high. In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbs. of the brown sugar with the chile powder, dry mustard, and 1 Tbs. salt. Spread the chicken thighs on a large baking sheet and rub the spice mix all over them.
In a small saucepan, whisk the remaining 4 Tbs. brown sugar with the ketchup, soy sauce, cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard; bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes to dissolve the sugar and blend the flavors. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Taste and add a pinch of salt, if needed. Stir in the Chipotle Tabasco, adding more to taste.
Spread the chicken thighs out on the grill, cover, and cook on the first side until they turn a deep reddish brown and begin to blacken in places (they'll also shrink and plump up), 4 to 5 minutes (rotate the thighs once 90 degrees on each side for the most even cooking). Flip the thighs and continue to cook on the second side until they're firm, deeply colored, and slightly blackened in places, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a brush, dab a generous amount of sauce over the top of the chicken, cook for 1 minute, flip, slather the other side with sauce, cook for 1 minute, and remove from the heat.
Fingerling Potatoes
- 2 pounds of fingerling potatoes
- 1 tbs of chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tbs of chopped fresh thyme
- Generous drizzle of olive oil
- Generous sprinkle of salt
I served the chicken with fingerling potatoes. All I did was slice them in half, drizzle them with olive oil, rosemary, thyme, and salt, and then roasted them on a baking sheet for about 30 minutes at 425 degrees. They cooked up faster than I thought they would, so watch your oven. I served them with greek yogurt mixed with dill and garlic--not necessary, but a totally yummy addition.
