Alabama BBQ Chicken

This chicken was unbelievably good. The BBq sauce used on this dish was just amazing. I never thought I could like white BBQ sauce but it really tasted wonderful. The chicken was smoky with a nice tangy sauce. Simple and very easy to make for something that tasted so good. The recipe calls for whole cut up chicken but as you can tell I used smaller boneless chicken. You'll need to adjust the cooking times if you chose to use something other than whole cut up chicken plus you'll lose some of the smokiness flavor. You'll want to be sure to make extra chicken so that you can make the recipe I am posting next.


Alabama BBQ Chicken
Cooks Country June/July 2006

White BBQ Sauce
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Chicken
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 (3 1/2 to 4 pound) whole chickens, patted dry and split ( I used chicken tenders since I had thought I had whole chicken and all I had was tenders)
2 cups hickory wood chips

For the sauce:
Mix all ingredients in blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Refrigerate sauce in airtight container for at least one hour or up to 2 days.

For the chicken:
Mix salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in small bowl. Rub spice mixture all over chicken.

Soak wood chips in bowl of water for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, open bottom grill vents completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (about 90 coals) and burn until charcoal is covered with fine gray ash. Place 13 by 9 inch disposable aluminum roasting pan in center of grill. Pour half of coals into pile on each side of grill, leaving pan in center. Scatter wood chips evenly over coals and set cooking grate in place. Cover, with lid vents positioned over center of grill and opened halfway. Let grill heat for 5 minutes.

Dip wad of paper towels in oil and oil grate, holding paper towels with long handled tongs. Place chicken skin side down on center of grill. Cover with half opened lid vents over chicken.

Grill chicken until skin is well browned, 35 to 45 minutes. Flip chicken skin side up and grill, covered until breast meat registrars 165 degrees on instant read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Remember the cooking time will be less with boneless pieces.

Transfer chickens to cutting board, brush with 2 tablespoons sauce, tent with foil, and let rest 10 minutes. Remove foil and brush chicken with 1 tablespoon sauce. Carve and serve, passing remaining sauce at table.

Using a Gas Grill:
Prepare recipe for Alabama BBQ chicken through second step. Soak wool chips in bowl of water for 15 minutes, place chips in small aluminum tray, and place tray directly over primary burner. Light grill, turn on all burners to high, and close lid, keeping grill covered until wood chips begin to smoke, about 15 minutes. Oil cooking grate. Turn all burners to medium low. Place chicken skin side down on grill, cover, and proceed with recipe from step 5.