When to Put BBQ Sauce on Chicken: The Ultimate Guide - Outdoor Cabinets

Chicken and barbecue sauce are a classic flavor combination. The sweet, tangy, and often smoky taste of bbq sauce complements chicken beautifully. However, there is an art to getting the sauce application just right. When is the ideal time to slather on the bbq sauce for maximum flavor? This comprehensive guide will walk you through the ins and outs of saucing chicken for various cooking methods and recipes. Read on to become a bbq chicken pro!

Choosing a BBQ Sauce for Chicken

With so many barbecue sauce options on the market, it can be tricky to select the right one for chicken. Here are some tips:

Sauce Type

Tomato-based: The tangy, slightly smoky taste of tomato-based bbq sauce is a great match for chicken. Ketchup-based and molasses-based sauces also work well.
Vinegar-based: The bright acidity of vinegar cuts nicely through rich chicken meat. Go for a sauce with a blend of vinegar and tomato for balance.
Mustard-based: Spicy mustard bbq sauces pair wonderfully with chicken, adding vibrant flavor.
Fruit-based: Sweet jams and fruit purees like apricot and pineapple give a delicious glaze to chicken.

Sauce Consistency

Thick/syrupy: Sticky, viscous sauces are ideal for cooking methods like grilling, broiling, baking, and roasting where you want the sauce to cling.
Thin/runny: Opt for a thinner, more fluid sauce for tossing with chicken before pan frying, sautéing, or baking so it coats evenly.
Balance of sweet and savory: For versatility, choose a bbq sauce with a balanced sweet and savory taste. The sweetness should accentuate the chicken without overpowering it.

Quality Ingredients

Seek out sauces made with quality ingredients like tomatoes, vinegar, molasses, spices, etc. Avoid artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives when possible. High-end bbq sauces tend to have more natural, delicious flavors.

When to Apply BBQ Sauce Based on Cooking Method

Proper bbq sauce timing varies depending on how you are cooking the chicken. Follow these tips for optimal results:

Grilling

During last 5-10 minutes: When grilling chicken pieces like breast, thighs, legs, or wings over direct heat, wait until nearly finished cooking then brush on sauce. This allows time for the sugars to caramelize without burning.

Exceptions: For bone-in chicken or thick cuts, sauce during last 10-15 minutes. For kabobs or pounded cutlets, sauce during last 2-5 minutes.

Broiling

After flipping, 3-5 minutes before done: Broil chicken on one side, flip, then brush with sauce and broil for 3-5 more minutes to caramelize the sauce. Avoid putting sauce on too early or it may burn.

Baking

During last 15 minutes: Bake chicken uncovered until nearly cooked through then take out, brush with sauce, and return to oven to finish baking until sauce is tacky.

Roasting

During last 10-15 minutes: When roasting a whole chicken or pieces, apply sauce towards the end of cooking so it has time to caramelize but won’t burn.

Tip: You can also glaze the chicken by brushing with sauce several times in the last 15 minutes for thicker, stickier coverage.

Pan Frying or Sautéing

Toss chicken in sauce before cooking: The constant movement of pan frying or sautéing will prevent the sauce from sticking and burning. Toss chicken pieces in sauce to evenly coat before cooking.

Slow Cooking

During last 30-60 minutes: Add sauce during the final stages of slow cooking so the sauce doesn’t break down too much or get overly caramelized.

Tip: You can thicken the sauce by whisking in a slurry of cornstarch and water.

Air Frying

Toss chicken in sauce before cooking: Since air frying is similar to deep frying, quickly cooking the chicken, mix pieces in sauce prior to cooking so it sticks nicely. Brush on a little extra sauce in the last 5 minutes if desired.

Deep Frying

After cooking, when serving: Deep fry chicken plain, then toss in sauce when finished cooking. Applying sauce before frying will cause it to burn or flake off. Serve chicken drizzled or tossed in sauce.

BBQ Sauce Tips for Marinades and Rubs

Barbecue sauce also works well in chicken marinades and rubs:

Marinade: Mix sauce with oil, vinegar/lemon juice, and spices. Let chicken marinate 1-24 hours. The acid helps tenderize and flavor.
Basting: Use reserved marinade or extra sauce to baste chicken while grilling or roasting.
Rub: Make a wet rub by blending sauce with spices, herbs, oil, etc. Rub over chicken before grilling, roasting, baking etc.
Under skin: Loosen skin on boneless breasts, thighs etc. and rub sauce directly onto meat before roasting.

General Guidelines for Saucing Chicken

Keep these tips in mind for the best results when saucing bbq chicken:

Brush sauce on in a thin, even layer – don’t glop it on.
Apply sauce on both sides of chicken if cooking allows.
Reserve extra sauce for serving rather than over-saucing chicken.
Try different sauce flavors and brands to find your favorite.
Let oven-cooked chicken rest 5 minutes before saucing to prevent moisture loss.
Use a high smoke point oil if sautéing chicken in sauce to prevent burning.
Saucing is optional if you want to highlight the natural chicken flavor.
Pair sauced chicken with crunchy coleslaw, cornbread, mac and cheese, bbq baked beans, or potato salad.

BBQ Chicken Wing Saucing Methods

Chicken wings and barbecue sauce are a dynamic duo. But when should you sauce wings for full flavor without sogginess? Here are some saucing techniques:

Method 1: Toss Sauced Wings

Coat cooked wings in sauce just before serving for maximum stickiness. The sauce won’t have time to make the wings soggy. It’s easy but the sauce won’t caramelize.

Method 2: Baked or Fried then Tossed

Par-cook wings by baking or frying without sauce. Then toss in sauce and finish on the grill or in the oven just until sauce caramelizes. This gives you the best of both worlds – crispy wings and caramelized sauce.

Method 3: Bake with Sauce

Bake wings plain at 400°F for about 40 minutes until crispy. Brush on sauce, return to oven for 5 minutes. Repeat 2-3 times until sauced. The wings stay crisp and the sauce caramelizes.

Method 4: Grill then Brush Sauce

Grill wings over direct heat, flipping occasionally until nearly done. Brush on sauce during the last few minutes to caramelize. The high heat helps the sauce cling to the wings.

Method 5: Sauce with each Bite

Cook wings plain and serve with sauce on the side for dipping each bite. This prevents sogginess and lets you control the sauce flavor.

Making Crispy Baked BBQ Chicken Pieces

Achieving crispy barbecued chicken pieces in the oven can be tricky. Here are some tips:

Pat chicken dry – Remove all excess moisture from the skin and coat in seasoning or cornstarch. Dry skin crisps up better.
Use a wire rack – Elevate chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet so air circulates underneath, crisping up the skin.
Start skin-side down – Begin baking chicken skin-side down so the skin cooks against the pan, becoming crispy and rendering fat.
Flip halfway – At halfway, flip chicken skin-side up to finish cooking and crisping. Brush on sauce at this point.
Watch temps – Bake at 425°-450°F to quickly brown and crisp the chicken before it overcooks. Don’t let sauce burn.
Rest before saucing – Let chicken rest 5 minutes out of oven before brushing on final layer of sauce if needed.

The key is to dry out the skin as much as possible before baking and maximize air circulation and pan contact for ultimate crispiness even when sauced!

BBQ Chicken Leg Quarter Tips

Chicken leg quarters – the leg and thigh attached – are a budget-friendly cut perfect for slathering in barbecue sauce. Follow these tips for finger-lickin’ results:

Pat leg quarters completely dry before seasoning or saucing.
Coat in a rub of spices, brown sugar, chili powder, etc. if desired.
For grilling, cook over indirect heat for 25-40 minutes with lid closed until nearly done.
For baking, place on a wire rack and bake at 425°F for 30-40 minutes until nearly cooked through.
For both methods, brush on sauce during last 10 minutes so it caramelizes.
Flip and coat both sides in sauce 2-3 times for thick coverage.
Let rest 5 minutes before serving for juicy meat.

The combination of spicy rub, smoky grill flavor, and sticky sweet barbecue sauce takes basic leg quarters to new heights!

Grilled BBQ Chicken Breast Perfection

Boneless chicken breasts are a backyard grilling staple, but it’s easy to end up with dry, overcooked meat. Use these foolproof tips for juicy, barbecue-glazed grilled chicken breasts:

Pound to even thickness – Use a meat mallet to pound breasts to 1⁄2-3⁄4 inch thickness so they cook evenly.
Marinate 1-4 hours – Soak breasts in a marinade of bbq sauce, oil, spices, etc. to add flavor and keep moist.
Cook over indirect heat – Place breasts over indirect heat and close grill lid. This gently cooks meat without burning.
Insert thermometer – Check temperature, removing around 160°F for juicy meat.
Brush on sauce at end – During last few minutes over direct heat, coat both sides in sauce to caramelize.
Let rest 5 minutes – Allowing breasts to rest prevents losing juices when cutting.

Patience and indirect heat are key for grilling chicken breasts with crispy, saucy exteriors and moist, tender interiors.

BBQ Chicken Kebab Saucing Method

Threading bite-sized chicken chunks on skewers makes for finger-friendly bbq fare. But what’s the best way to get bbq sauce onto kebabs?

Option 1 – Sauce after grilling: Grill kebabs over high direct heat for 2-3 minutes per side until cooked through. Brush on sauce during the last minute or two per side.

Option 2 – Marinate in sauce: Soak skewered raw chicken in bbq sauce-based marinade for 1-4 hours. Grill over high heat, basting with extra sauce.

Option 3 – Sauce before grilling: Toss cubed chicken with sauce before threading onto skewers. Grill over direct heat, turning frequently to prevent burning.

Option 4 – Sauce kebabs individually: Grill plain chicken kebabs until done. Right before serving, dip each skewer into sauce so meat stays tender not soggy.

Whichever method you choose, kebabs pair fantastically with colorful grilled veggies, buttery cornbread, pasta salad, and more summer favorites!

Oven BBQ Chicken Thighs for Crispy Skin

Chicken thighs are a flavorful cut that often get overlooked. For the best crispy skinned oven-baked bbq thighs:

Pat thighs very dry with paper towels. Let sit uncovered in fridge for 1-12 hours.
Coat thighs lightly in baking powder and season with salt, pepper, spices.
Bake at 425°F on a wire rack over a baking sheet for 20 minutes skin-side down.
Flip thighs and brush with sauce. Bake 20 more minutes until caramelized.
If needed, broil 2-3 minutes to crisp the sauced skin.

The dry brine helps draw moisture from the skin, while the baking powder raises the skin’s pH so it crisps up beautifully. Bake low and slow after the initial crisping for tender, juicy meat that pulls right off the bone.

How Long to Grill BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

Chicken drumsticks are one of the most fun foods to eat, but grilling them perfectly can be difficult. Follow this timeline:

Prepare drumsticks with bbq rub or sauce, refrigerate 1+ hours.
Grill over indirect medium heat for 25-35 minutes with lid closed, flipping occasionally.
Move drumsticks over direct heat. Brush on sauce.
Grill 5-10 more minutes until sauce caramelizes, turning frequently.
Check temperature, removing around 175°-180°F.
Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Go low and slow over indirect heat to cook drumsticks through without burning the outside. Then finish over higher direct heat to crisp the skin and glaze with bbq.

Secret to Moist Oven Baked BBQ Chicken

Oven baked barbecue chicken often ends up dry. Here are some moisturizing tricks:

Brine the chicken – Soak in a saltwater brine for 1-4 hours before cooking. This seasons and hydrates the meat.
Pat very dry – Thoroughly drying the skin allows it to crisp up in the oven, sealing in moisture.
Elevate on a rack – Place chicken on a rack over a baking sheet so air flow crisps the skin.
Start at high temp – Blast at 450°F for 20 minutes to set the coating and sear the skin.
Lower heat to finish – Reduce heat to 375°F to gently finish cooking without overdrying.
Rest before slicing – Let chicken rest at least 5-10 minutes before cutting to prevent juiciness loss.

Avoiding Soggy BBQ Chicken Wings

For crispy wings with sticky sauce, avoid these sogginess pitfalls:

Don’t coat wings in sauce before fully cooked. Sugars in sauce draw out moisture.
Don’t toss wings in sauce long before serving. Acids in sauce can make meat mushy.
Don’t use a runny, watery sauce. Thicker bbq glazes adhere better.
Don’t pile sauced wings together. Spread out on a baking rack so air circulates.
Don’t sauce wings then immediately serve. Let them rest a few minutes for optimal texture.
Don’t keep sauced leftovers more than a day or two. Reheat gently to avoid excess moisture.

How to Get Crispy BBQ Chicken Skin When Grilling

For crispy, sauce-glazed skin on grilled bbq chicken, use these top tips:

Pat chicken very dry before grilling to tighten the skin. Air dry in fridge 1-24 hours.
Coat chicken in baking powder before seasoning. It raises the skin’s pH so it crisps up.
Grill over indirect heat for 30-40 minutes until nearly cooked through, then move over higher direct heat.
Brush on sauce and grill another 5-10 minutes, flipping frequently to caramelize sauce without burning.
Insert a probe thermometer in thickest part, removing at 165°F. Skin gets less crispy above 175°F.
For whole birds or bone-in pieces, let rest 15 minutes before cutting for crispiest skin.

The patience pays off with irresistibly sticky, charred, crispy chicken skin encasing ultra-juicy meat!

BBQ Fried Chicken Tips

Fried chicken coated in sticky sweet and tangy barbecue sauce is hard to beat. Here are some tips:

For the crispiest coating, double fry – once to cook chicken, rest 5 minutes, then fry again to re-crisp.
Pat chicken dry before dredging in seasoned flour mixture. Wet meat causes soggy coating.
Use a thin sauce or dilute with water so it adheres nicely without dripping off.
After second fry, toss chicken in sauce. Spread on baking sheet and broil 2-3 minutes to caramelize.
For sauce to really cling to nooks and crannies, soak chicken in thinned sauce first before dredging and frying.
Consider sauce flavors like honey bbq or bourbon molasses that complement the fried chicken.

Juicy, crunchy, fried chicken coated in sweet and sticky barbecue glaze is pure comfort food bliss.

Bacon-Wrapped BBQ Chicken Bites

Looking for a fun and tasty way to serve bbq chicken as an appetizer? Try these bacon-wrapped bbq chicken bites:

Cut boneless skinless chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes.
Soak cubes in barbecue sauce-based marinade at least 1 hour, up to overnight.
Pat chicken dry, then wrap each cube in half a strip of bacon. Secure with a toothpick.
Bake at 400°F on a parchment lined baking sheet for 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
Brush on a bit of reserved marinade or extra sauce during last 5 minutes if desired.
Serve warm right off the pan for crunchy, bacon-y, sticky-sweet party bites!

Provide extra napkins for these saucy, indulgent chicken appetizers. Ranch dressing or blue cheese dip make great accompaniments.

How Long to Grill Bone-In BBQ Chicken Breasts

For juicy, saucy grilled bone-in chicken breasts:

Pat breasts dry. Coat with rub or marinate in sauce 1+ hours.