How to Get BBQ Sauce to Stick to Chicken? The #1 Best Tips!

How to Get BBQ Sauce to Stick to Chicken? One of the leanest protein sources, chicken takes the top spot for being versatile. Want to enjoy a delicious bowl of pho? Use chicken for the broth? Feel like eating grilled meat? Chicken it is. Are you feeling under the weather? How about some chicken noodle soup? 

Chicken is the ultimate go-to meat for cultures around the globe. Almost all cuisines feature a main dish around chicken. Anything can be made with the proper chicken cut, from a basic Sunday roast to delicious shawarma.

How to Get BBQ Sauce to Stick To Chicken?

There are several ways you can make BBQ sauce stick to the chicken. The most common tried and tested method is to coat the pieces in all-purpose flour and add sauce. Apply all-purpose flour to the chicken, tap each piece gently, add spice, and then slather everything in BBQ sauce to marinate. After at least two hours, place each piece on the grill, let it cook for about 8 minutes, and then add a final glaze before you let it rest.

The Trick to a Perfect Barbequed Chicken

Yes, there are quite a few steps. These also make me wish I were using my regular marinating method, but we all know how dry chicken isn’t worth it.

Step 1:

 Perfection takes time; the first step is washing the chicken thoroughly. Get all the gunk, sliminess, and waste out of the chicken.  The surface of the chicken must be clean before you can move on.

Step 2:

Brine Away! The secret to a ‘moist on the inside’ chicken is brining. This is usually done overnight, but 2 hours will do the trick for a BBQ. After brining it for about 2 hours, take the chicken out and use a paper towel to pat it dry. The chicken should be completely dry before you can move on to the next step.

Step 3:

Despite your very real need to cook a whole chicken (roast style), don’t do it. Cut the chicken up. If this is intimidating and you cannot follow Gordon Ramseys’ trick to cut along the bone, get it pre-cut. This will also cut your cooking time significantly but cutting it yourself has its perks. I mean, I learned how to do it so that I could decide the size of the BBQ I eat.

Let’s Get Seasoning

This is where the real magic begins—the seasoning station. Yes, create one. Decide all the spices you want on the chicken and get on to the marination process.

Step 4:

Firstly, I make deep cuts with a knife on the chicken, on each piece of chicken, and then add the marinade. I usually go for the basics, garlic, ginger, lemon, pepper, etc. Mix up all the dry spices, add oil, squeeze some lemon, and then rub it thoroughly onto the chicken. Don’t use salt at this stage as the chicken is already brined.

Step 5:

Add some sauce. After rubbing the marination in, add some BBQ sauce to the mix. Before adding other ingredients, adding them to the dry mix ensures a subtle yet delicious hint of flavor. Let this sit for a couple of hours before you start grilling.

Step 6:

It’s time to grill. Don’t put the BBQ sauce down just yet. After cooking the marinated chicken on each side, slather on a generous helping of BBQ sauce. Then let the chicken remain on the grill for another minute or so. Take it off the heat and serve it immediately.

Tips to Make the BBQ sauce stick to chicken

Sometimes the technique must be changed, and sometimes it’s just the sauce. To get that BBQ flavor each time, try the following:

Layers 

Step 1:

If adding the sauce to the marinade does not cut it for you, it may be time to try the world-renowned layering trick. 

Step 2:

This means that once your chicken has reached a stable temperature on the grill, brush the sauce in 3 to 5 minute intervals on the meat. 

Step 3:

The last Layer must be right before you rest the chicken. You can place it in a foil to let the aroma soak in before you carve it up.

Find the right BBQ sauce for your chicken

Step 1:

You see, my BBQ sauce has the Carolina Reaper in it. Why? Because that’s what works for me. If the flavor of regular BBQ does not cut it, try a few different ones.

Step 2:

Look for ingredients you usually enjoy, such as jalapenos, maple, or habanero. Make sure these sauces don’t burn immediately when near heat. 

Step 3:

Trial and error are the way to go when it comes to BBQ. You can also add a homemade Tamarind paste to enhance the tangy flavor.

Step 4:

However, if you want the traditional BBQ flavor, try an intense sauce or thicken it into a glaze before brushing it on the cooked chicken. Applying it to cooked chicken ensures maximum flavor and a beautiful glaze when served.

Make Your Glaze for BBQ Chicken

Step 1:

A glaze is a thicker sauce version and will stick better to washed and dried meat. You can also add some water to the BBQ sauce.

Step 2:

Then you can boil it to a glaze, taste it and apply it to the meat when it cools down. You can also find pre-made glazes. Read the ingredients to see what works for you.

Glaze & Rub

Step 3:

If you want a richer flavor, try a combination of spice, rub, and marinade. Some cuisines use yogurt to soften the chicken, but this doesn’t work well with the combination technique.

Step 4:

Mix the glaze with the rub to apply for at least 2 hours before putting the chicken on the grill.

Is There a Right Way to Use BBQ Sauce for Chicken?

Your technique will also make a huge difference. Besides using the layering technique, massaging the marinade into the chicken makes the flavor more noticeable. Ensure the chicken is completely dry before you go in with the sauce and rub the mixture. Massage each part for a minute, and add some butter to crisp up the skin.

Frequently Asked Questions