Whether you’re big on entertaining or looking for the perfect home date night meal, this mouth-watering recipe for honey bourbon barbecue chicken is just the ticket. We loved throwing this one on the grill, though next time, we may try it in our favorite vintage cast iron skillet.
Serve with grilled veggies and fruit (we love pineapple and nectarines on the grill!) and photo-worthy focaccia art loaves.
Award-winning author of the Barbecue Bible cookbooks and TV host, Steven Raichlen, created this drool-worthy recipe using Bib & Tucker 6-year-old bourbon and peach preserves, but we tweaked it a bit to include honey and omit butter.
You can, of course, keep the peach preserves and butter—we just don’t love peaches and prefer dairy-free chicken dishes.
“Everyone loves barbecued chicken. The dish contrasts crisp-skinned, smoky chicken thighs with a sweet boozy bourbon peach glaze. To keep simple, just season the bird with your favorite barbecue rub (or salt and pepper) and use your favorite barbecue sauce as part of the bourbon peach glaze.”
Recipe for Honey Bourbon Barbecue Chicken
Be sure to bookmark this one! You’ll want to make it on repeat.
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Ingredients
- 8 whole chicken thighs (about 2 pounds of meat)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp barbecue seasoning rub (we love this Weber Classic BBQ Rub)
- ¼ cup honey (or you can substitute with peach preserves)
- ¼ cup Bib & Tucker 6-year-old bourbon
- ¼ cup barbecue sauce (this smokey BBQ sauce is a game-changer and so cheap!)
- 1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tbsp margarine, butter or extra virgin olive oil (this is your personal preference)
Directions
- Set up your grill for indirect grilling and heat to medium-high (400 degrees). Just before cooking, add the wood chunks or chips, following your grill manufacturer’s instructions.
- Season the chicken thighs on all sides with barbecue rub or salt and pepper. Arrange on the grill grate, skin side up, away from the heat.
- Indirect grill the chicken until sizzling, browned and cooked through (the internal temperature will be 165 degrees), 30 to 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze: Combine the peach preserves, Bib & Tucker 6-Year-Old Bourbon, barbecue sauce, lemon zest and lemon juice in a saucepan and whisk to mix. Bring to a boil, whisking steadily, and simmer for 2 minutes. Whisk in the butter or oil.
- Start basting the chicken with the glaze after 20 minutes and baste two more times as the chicken cooks.
- Transfer the chicken to a platter or plates and spoon any remaining glaze on top.
Gear you’ll need
- A grill
- 2 chunks of hickory wood or 1.5 cups of other hardwood chips (we found a large bag of hardwood smoking chunks for $7 with free shipping)
If you love this story and photos, join the Luxe Living by TheLuxurySpot.com Facebook group.
Honey Bourbon Barbecue Chicken
Ingredients
- 8 whole chicken thighs (about 2 pounds of meat)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp barbecue seasoning rub
- ¼ cup honey (or you can substitute with peach preserves)
- ¼ cup Bib & Tucker 6-year-old bourbon
- ¼ cup barbecue sauce
- 1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tbsp margarine, butter or extra virgin olive oil (this is your personal preference)
Instructions
- Set up your grill for indirect grilling and heat to medium-high (400 degrees). Just before cooking, add the wood chunks or chips, following your grill manufacturer’s instructions.
- Season the chicken thighs on all sides with barbecue rub or salt and pepper. Arrange on the grill grate, skin side up, away from the heat.
- Indirect grill the chicken until sizzling, browned and cooked through (the internal temperature will be 165 degrees), 30 to 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze: Combine the peach preserves, Bib & Tucker 6-Year-Old Bourbon, barbecue sauce, lemon zest and lemon juice in a saucepan and whisk to mix. Bring to a boil, whisking steadily, and simmer for 2 minutes. Whisk in the butter or oil.
- Start basting the chicken with the glaze after 20 minutes and baste two more times as the chicken cooks.
- Transfer the chicken to a platter or plates and spoon any remaining glaze on top.
