Chicken Barbecue

Chicken Barbecue is the perfect meal for those warm summer nights when you don’t want to heat up your kitchen! Grill juicy chicken smothered in a homemade barbecue sauce, serve it up with salad or veggies, and enjoy a quick and easy meal!

Ok, so a little back story. I know you may not want to hear it, but I’m gonna tell it to you anyway!
If you’re not interested, there’s always that ‘Jump to Recipe‘ button at the top of every post that will bring you down to the recipe.

When I was growing up in the 1970s and ’80s, our neighborhood had a long-standing Chicken Barbecue tradition every Memorial Day at our playground. It was a huge event that signaled the start of summer and created so many wonderful memories for everyone. Besides playing with friends, eating the Hoodsie cup with the small wooden spoon (an individual cup of chocolate and vanilla ice cream) for dessert, that barbecue sauce on the grilled chicken was the BOMB!! It was seriously THE best bbq chicken that I looked forward to every year.

Mrs. Duckworth’s barbecue sauce was something special because it was a well-guarded secret. Or at least I thought it was because I only ever enjoyed it once every 365 days. After my mother passed away in 1992, I found a recipe card Mrs. Duckworth had given her in 1973 containing that not-so-secret sauce. 

To my recollection, Mom never made it. 

So, here we are, 51 years later and I’m sharing it with you. 

During the cookout, the men, dressed in aprons wearing heavy fireproof gloves, stood around large cinderblock pits filled with burning wood. These pits were covered in wire grates that held hundreds of chicken quarters, that they cooked to perfection.

For that reason, I used them for this recipe. I have only used barbecue sauce to grill chicken quarters. I have not used it for chicken breast or another part of chicken or any other protein for that matter. but I just wanted this specific cut for the authenticity and recreation of the Poplar Point, Rhode Island Chicken Barbecue. Having said that, cooking times will of course, vary if you use it on something else. But PLEASE do, and let me know what you think! I would love the feedback.

MSG Seasoning (Monosodium Glutamate)

One of the ingredients in this recipe is Accent, which is a flavor enhancer known as MSG. Are you concerned about consuming MSG (monosodium glutamate)? Here’s an informative video to watch with info about it, and the foods it’s commonly found in.

And here are a few helpful facts that may ease your mind:

Good news! There is an extensive amount of research covering MSG that has been reviewed by independent scientists and regulatory authorities throughout the world; all have found MSG to be safe.

It occurs naturally in many foods and can also be added to foods to enhance flavor.

The body treats glutamate in exactly the same way whether it comes from the food we eat or is added as seasoning in the form of monosodium glutamate (MSG).

If you have health concerns about your diet, you should always discuss it with your physician!

Chicken Barbecue Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make these delicious grilled chicken leg quarters:

Chicken Leg Quarters (these are the best chicken parts for grilling, in my opinion!)

Avocado Oil (I chose this due to the high smoke point and healthy fats- making it great for grilling! You could also use olive oil), not pictured

For the Barbecue Sauce:

Sliced celery

Green Pepper, chopped

Onion, chopped

Chili sauce

Fresh lemon juice

Water

White vinegar

Light brown sugar

Worcestershire sauce

Kosher salt

Accent

A complete list of ingredients, including amounts needed, is in the recipe card below!

What is a Chicken Quarter?

A chicken quarter, also known as the hindquarters, is made up of the drumstick, thigh and a portion of the backbone.
I found mine at my local grocery store in packs of four.
If your grocery store doesn’t have them, ask the butcher, and they may be able to order some for you.

How to Make Chicken Barbecue

Making grilled chicken quarters is easier than you might think, and the finished product is out-of-this-world delicious! Here’s how to do it:

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Combine the celery, green pepper, onion, chili sauce, lemon juice, water, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and Accent in a small saucepan.

Cook over medium-low heat until the vegetables are very soft, about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

You’ll use two cups of the sauce to cook with and reserve two cups for later use.

Grilling the Chicken Quarters

When I found the recipe card, it only had the barbecue sauce on it, nothing about cooking the chicken. So, I was able to find these instructions for How to Grill Chicken Quarters at Grillseeker, which helped me perfect this recipe. Be sure to check out all the drool worthy food Matthew has on his site!

Light your grill and set it up for two-zone cooking, if possible. Otherwise (and what we did), light one side of your grill, using the other for indirect grilling. Depending on the size of your grill, you may need to adjust cooking times, and/or cook the chicken in batches for best results.

Rinse your chicken legs and pat them dry with a paper towel. Lightly coat both sides of each chicken quarter with avocado oil. Place the chicken on the hot grill over direct heat with the skin side down. Cook for 10 minutes, flipping them every two minutes of cooking.

Move the chicken to the indirect side of the grill/cooler side of the grill with the skin side up. Close the lid and allow the grill temperature to come to 375°F.

Use an instant-read thermometer to determine when the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 160°F. Brush both sides of each quarter with the homemade barbecue sauce (veggies, too!). Place skin side down and close the lid while the chicken cooks. Check every 5-10 minutes.

When the internal temperature has reached 170°F, turn all of the chicken pieces over and generously coat the chicken skin with more homemade sauce. Close the lid, and cook until an internal temperature of 180°F. has been reached before coating it with barbecue sauce again.

When the chicken’s internal temperature is 185°F, remove the chicken from the grill. Baste both sides of the skin with some of the barbecue sauce you originally set aside and serve the remainder in bowls for dipping.

BBQ Chicken Recipe Notes

You can use a gas grill, charcoal grill, or even a smoker! 

The recipe for the barbecue sauce makes about 4 cups. 

If you prefer a smooth sauce, allow it to cool and put it into a blender, or use an immersion blender. My family prefers it with chunks of vegetables.

Depending on the size of your grill, you may need to cook the 4 quarters in two separate batches.

Know that the 50-minute grilling time is an estimate. It is more important that the internal temperatures are achieved for each step. Depending on your grill, cooking times may vary. 

The sodium in this recipe is high because of the combination of salt and monosodium glutamate, but know that msg has ⅓ of the amount of sodium that salt does.

You can use the same method to cook chicken breasts or chicken thighs; however, the grill time will be different.

Feel free to use your own favorite BBQ sauce instead of the homemade version.

Only use the reserved Barbecue Sauce for serving. Never serve sauce that has been contaminated with raw chicken as it could be harmful when eaten.

How to Store Leftover Chicken Barbecue Sauce

If you have any of the reserved homemade BBQ sauce left, let it come to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Use within 1-2 weeks.
Any leftover sauce that has been used to baste the raw chicken should be thrown away.

Use up Leftover Chicken

If you have any chicken left, the best way to eat it, in my opinion, is to chop it up and add it to salad to make a BBQ Chicken Salad or use to make a BBQ Chicken Pizza!

Here’s to you, Mrs. Duckworth! Thanks for sharing your delightful recipe with me, and I am honored to pass it on to all of my readers. Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments below and leave a star rating!

More Recipes for the Grill

Just because summer is coming to an end, it doesn’t mean grilling season is over! Kurt and I love to grill all the way through fall, especially during football season! But the grill is for more than just burgers, hot dogs, and brats! Here are some great recipes to try next time you fire up your barbecue grill:

Grilled Margherita Pizza

Easy Chicken Marinade (another easy recipe to use before you grill chicken!)

Grilled Pineapple

Grilled Chicken Quesadillas

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