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best summer barbecue chicken on the grill with my #1 go to sauce.

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barbecue chicken
barbecue chicken

I cooked this barbecue chicken on my gas grill and it turned out delicious. I love chicken cooked this way. There’s just something about summer grilling that screams this dish. It is absolutely so easy. I did brine overnight in salt water because I wanted to make sure it was juicy and the salt will help add some flavor to the chicken. I made my barbecue sauce that gets applied after the chicken has started brown and the skin begins to crisp.

barbecue chicken

To prepare the chicken for the grill, using poultry scissors, or a very sharp knife, I remove the back bone by first laying it flat, then cut down the middle on the breast side making two portionshttps://youtu.be/pZqqGnwWiaw. Here’s a quick video on how to half a chicken.

If you don’t have scissors, they are a must in my kitchen. Here’s a great pair! https://amzn.to/2NYwdac. These are great!

best barbecue chicken on the grill

barbecue chicken

You can use your favorite barbecue sauce or make the sauce in my recipe. It is from Franklin BBQ book by Aaron Franklin. It’s my favorite sauce, and it is so easy. Done in minutes, you never bring it to a boil, just heat through just to let the flavors combine. You most likely have all of the ingredients in your pantry or refrigerator already. If you don’t have Aaron’s cookbook, it is a must! It actually will teach you how to make the best BBQ. His restaurants are in Austin, Texas. Of course, he makes wonderful BBQ! Here’s the link for his book: https://amzn.to/31GxfQt.

If you can’t get his sauces in your area, it is well worth an order. All of them are wonderful sauces and I keep them in my pantry! Except this time I was out, so I made the original. Here’s the link for his sauces! https://amzn.to/2AsTePx

best summer barbecue chicken on the grill

Before I add the new recipe for this chicken, here’s another summer recipe for you: https://the2spoons.com/tender-grilled-chipotle-glazed-ribeye-steak/

Chipotle Glazed Ribeye Steak
Chipotle Glazed Ribeye Steak

Yum, makes me want to grill steaks! Nothing better!

Ok, here’s this delicious chicken recipe! Enjoy!

Barbecue Chicken

Print Recipe
Course dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

For the Barbecue Sauce

  • 1 3/4 cups ketchup
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp chile powder
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper

For the Dish

  • 1 whole chicken that has been halved.
  • salt water for brining over night
  • a neutral oil like vegetable or canola for brushing
  • salt and pepper
  • prepared bbq sauce

Instructions
 

For the Barbecue Sauce

  • Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and warm gently over medium heat, stirring occasionally. There is no need to bring the mixture to a boil, as the idea is just to warm it enough to melt and integrate the ingredients. Once you have done that, remove from the heat and let cool. Transfer to a jar, bottle, squeeze bottle, or however you want to store it. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

For the Chicken

  • You don't have to brine but I do like to because it makes a juicier chicken and the salt water adds salt to the inside of the chicken. Place the halved chicken (instructions in the post on how to half a chicken) into the brine just enough to cover in a plastic container or bag and place in the refrigerator over night.
  • When ready to grill, prepare your gas grill or charcoal grill. Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry. When dry, coat the chicken with a neutral oil like vegetable or canola and salt and pepper the chicken.
  • If you are using a gas grill, place the chicken skin side up on the side that there is no direct heat. I don't place on direct heat to prevent it from charring too fast. If using a charcoal grill, move the charcoals to one side and place the chicken on the opposite side.
  • When the chicken starts to brown, I start to add barbecue sauce to top and bottom. Continue to cook, brushing with bbq sauce every 15 minutes until the internal temperature reads 165-170 degrees. Hope you enjoy!
Keyword barbecue chicken, barbecue sauce, bbq, bbq chicken, bbq sauce, chicken, Franklin BBQ Sauce recipe, grilling, summer, summer grilling

Love this New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp!

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Barbecue Shrimp

I love this New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp! This is a recipe from John Besh’s Cookbook “My New Orleans” which by the way, is a great cookbook! Here’s a link for the book: https://www.amazon.com/My-New-Orleans-Cookbook-John/dp/0740784137.

Barbecue Shrimp

I buy head on, unpeeled shrimp because I want the heads and shells to make the base for the fish. I find them at my HEB fish market and they are half the price of regular shrimp. They are cooked with Creole spices and other ingredients resulting in an amazing finished base.

This shrimp is a little spicy, not too much, just right and it’s in the creamiest most delicious sauce for dipping French bread!

Barbecue Shrimp

For the sauce you start with peeling your shrimp reserving the shells and heads then sauté them for about 5 minutes in a little oil. Then creole spices are added along with lemon, Worcestershire sauce, cloves and bay leaves and the base sauce is simmered until a lucious smell and delicious tasting sauce is created! You can almost drink it!

Barbecue Shrimp

Love This Barbecue Shrimp!

If you want to make the shrimp more as an entree add my Louisiana white rice. Here’s the link for that recipe: https://the2spoons.com/shrimp-creole-with-louisiana-white-rice/

Shrimp Creole
Shrimp Creole

Or try this gumbo! https://the2spoons.com/delicious-louisiana-seafood-gumbo/. Both of these recipes were from John Besh’s cookbook.

Seafood Gumbo
Seafood Gumbo

Love This Barbecue Shrimp!

Here is the recipe for this post! Let me hear from you when you make this dish! Hope you love it as much as we do!

Barbecue Shrimp

Print Recipe
Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients
  

For the Sauce Base

  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 2 cups shrim heads and shells
  • 1/2 cup Worcestershire
  • 2 tbsp cracked black pepper
  • 2 tbsp Basic Creole Spices (recipe below)
  • 1/2 tsp whole cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • juice of one lemon

Basic Creole Spices (1/2 cup)

  • 2 tbsp celery salt 
     tbsp celery salt
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tbsp coarse sea salt
  • 1 tbsp coarsley ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice

For the Shrimp

  • 2 lbs jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 1 cup sauce
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup butter

Instructions
 

  • • For the sauce base, heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over high heat, add the shrimp heads and shells, and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. • Add the Worcestershire, black pepper, Creole Spices, cloves, bay leaves, and lemon juice along with 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Once the liquid is boiling, reduce heat to moderate and simmer until it has reduced by half. Strain and reserve. • For the shrimp, season the shrimp with a little salt and lots of pepper. Put the shrimp and the sauce base, cream, and butter in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. • Remove the shrimp from the skillet and arrange on a platter or in individual bowls. Reduce the sauce by half, about 5 minutes. Pour the sauce over the shrimp and serve with hot, toasted French bread.