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Barbecue Chicken Thighs

Best Barbecue Chicken Thighs

Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Barbecue
Keyword barbecue, barbeque, cheese sauce, chicken, chicken thighs, grilled chicken, rub, summer
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 6-8 Chicken Thighs
  • 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
  • Kosher Salt to taste
  • 1/4 cup Barbecue Spice Rub, store bought or homemade (recipe included)
  • 1/2 cup Barbecue Sauce, store bought or homemade

Barbecue Spice Rub

  • 1/2 cup Brown Sugar packed
  • 1/4 cup Paprika
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
  • 1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
  • 1 Tablespoon Black Pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
  • 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
  • 1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
  • 2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
  • 2 teaspoons Ground Mustard
  • 2 teaspoons Ground Ginger
  • 1 teaspoon Celery Salt

Instructions

Barbecue Spice Rub

  1. Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly.

Chicken Thighs

  1. Heat oven to 425° F. Place a wire cooling rack on a cooking sheet and spray with cooking spray.

  2. Pat the chicken thighs dry. Coat the thighs with canola oil and season with salt.
  3. Next, sprinkle some of the spice rub on one side and gently press the mixture into the thighs. Repeat this on the other side.
  4. Roast the chicken for 45 minutes.
  5. Coat the grates of the grill with nonstick product of your choice (I use grill spray) and heat the grill to medium-high heat.
  6. Place the thighs on the grates and close the lid. Cook for 15 minutes then turn them over and cook for another 15 minutes. Note: beware of flare-ups as these can burn the chicken. Turn down the heat if needed.

  7. Test the thighs with an instant read thermometer. When the thighs have reached 160° F, brush barbecue sauce on one side and turn that side facing down. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes.

  8. Meanwhile, brush the side now facing up with the barbecue sauce. Turn the thighs over and let them cook for another 2-3 minutes.
  9. Repeat this process once more to coat the thighs with a nice layer of barbecue sauce. Note: The sauce may turn very dark, almost black, from the sugars in it cooking. That's perfectly OK!

  10. Remove the thighs when they reach 165° F internal temperature on the instant read thermometer. Place the thighs on a plate and cover with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes before eating.