Description
This Next Level BBQ Chicken recipe delivers succulent, smoky, and flavorful chicken drumsticks and wings marinated in a spicy and aromatic paste, grilled over charcoal with a homemade sticky barbecue sauce. The marinade combines red chillies, garlic, ginger, thyme, and spices, offering a perfect balance of heat and sweetness, enhanced by fresh lime and a smoky finish from the coals’ smoke mix. An ideal summer grill recipe that promises tender, juicy chicken with a delicious char, ready to impress at any BBQ gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Marinade and Chicken
- 2 red chillies, tops removed and reserved for the smoke mix
- 8 spring onions, roughly chopped
- Thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp paprika
- 3 tbsp dark brown soft sugar
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 limes, 2 juiced, plus 2 halved to serve
- 1½ kg mix of chicken drumsticks and wings, lightly scored
Barbecue Sauce and Smoking
- 200 ml ketchup
- Handful of thyme sprigs
- Handful of bay leaves
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- Reserved chilli tops
Instructions
- Prepare the Marinade: Place the red chillies (except the reserved tops), spring onions, ginger, garlic, chopped thyme, bay leaf, ground cumin, paprika, dark brown sugar, soy sauce, and juice of 2 limes into a blender or mini processor. Add a pinch of salt and blitz to create a rough paste.
- Marinate the Chicken: Transfer two-thirds of the marinade paste into a large bowl with the lightly scored chicken drumsticks and wings. Massage the marinade well into the meat, cover, and let it sit for at least 1 hour at room temperature or up to 48 hours in the refrigerator for deeper flavor.
- Make the Barbecue Sauce: Put the remaining paste into a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5 minutes until the paste thickens and darkens, then stir in the ketchup. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes until the sauce becomes sticky. Pour the sauce into a container and set aside.
- Prep the Barbecue for Cooking: Light the barbecue and pile the coals at one end, leaving only a few hot coals on the opposite side to create a two-zone fire. Scatter the reserved chilli tops, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves onto the piled-up coals to create a smoke mix. Keep the vents open to allow smoke to circulate.
- Cook the Chicken Indirectly: Place the marinated chicken on the side with fewer coals to cook using indirect heat. Cover the barbecue and cook the chicken for 20 minutes without disturbance.
- Turn and Continue Cooking: Remove the barbecue lid and turn the chicken pieces over. Cover again and cook for an additional 20 minutes to ensure thorough cooking.
- Finish Over Direct Heat: Move the chicken directly over the hot, piled-up coals, brush generously with the prepared barbecue sauce (reserve some for serving), and cook for 10 more minutes. Turn often and add more coals if necessary until the chicken is nicely charred and cooked through. Use a digital thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches at least 65°C (150°F).
- Char the Lime Halves: Place the remaining lime halves cut-side down over the hot coals on the grill for 3–4 minutes until they develop a pleasant char.
- Serve: Plate the grilled chicken with the charred lime halves for squeezing over and the reserved barbecue sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Scoring the chicken helps the marinade penetrate deeper, enhancing flavor.
- Allowing the chicken to marinate for longer intensifies the taste and tenderness.
- Using a two-zone fire on the barbecue helps cook the chicken evenly without burning.
- The smoke mix adds an aromatic, smoky depth to the chicken.
- Always check chicken’s internal temperature to ensure it is fully cooked and safe to eat.
- Grilled lime halves add a smoky citrus hit that lifts the flavor of the dish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Barbecue
Keywords: BBQ chicken, grilled chicken, barbecue sauce, smoky chicken, chicken drumsticks, chicken wings, summer grilling, spicy marinade
