Grilled Barbecue Chicken Legs and Thighs

You’ll simply love this grilled barbecue chicken legs and thighs recipe made with my easy three ingredient homemade barbecue sauce. The amazing taste and tenderness of this family favorite chicken recipe will give your taste buds a flavor burst with every bite.

Let me show you how easy this recipe is to make for dinner tonight.

This recipe for grilled barbecue chicken legs and thighs is the perfect cookout dish for any summer backyard party you're hosting. Make sure you check out my favorite Homemade Mac and Cheese Recipe that is our family's favorite side dish for chicken.

I prefer to use thighs and legs for this recipe, but you may use any cut of chicken that you enjoy best for grilling. Make sure you save some of the homemade barbecue sauce for dipping, because I’m confident you won’t be able to get enough of my flavorful barbecue sauce that only has THREE ingredients.

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Ingredients

This is an overview of the ingredients and instructions. Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact quantities, detailed instructions and special notes.

• 3-4 pounds chicken - for this recipe I used chicken legs and thighs. Chicken breasts work as well.
• Olive oil 
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Homemade barbecue sauce or your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce. Sauce

Directions

Step 1: Preheat the Grill

• Preheat grill to medium high heat.
• Lay chicken legs and thighs in a single layer on large baking sheet.
• Drizzle with olive oil.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Step 2: Cook the Chicken

• Place chicken on grill skin side down for 10-15 minutes or until skin is browned.
• Then turn chicken and brush on the barbecue sauce.
• Do not add the barbecue sauce until after the chicken has browned on one side. That helps you get a nice brown crust to the skin.

Step 3: Flip the Chicken

• Turn chicken over and repeat on other side.
• Continue cooking an additional 15-20 minutes .
• Turn over and baste with more sauce this time

How long to barbecue chicken

• This recipe uses chicken legs and thighs which should take roughly 35 minutes to cook. Boneless chicken will be ready in less time.
• I always use a Digital Meat Thermometer to make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees as per FDA regulations.
• When cooking your chicken on the grill, make sure the juices run clear and are not pink. You're going to want to remove the grilled barbecue chicken from the grill and let it rest on a plate, covered with aluminum foil, for a few minutes before serving.

How to Store Leftover Chicken

• Store any leftover chicken in air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• You can also freeze the leftover chicken in air-tight container for up to 3 months.

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Can I make Barbecue Chicken in the Oven?

Yes! If you don't have an outdoor grill or maybe it's raining when you want to prepare this recipe, don't worry! You can still enjoy the taste of grilled barbecue chicken by cooking it in the oven.

Simply place the chicken on a large baking sheet that's been lined with aluminum foil. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven and bake for at least 30 to 40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Then brush the chicken with a little of the homemade barbecue sauce and turn the oven up to broil. Cook for an additional five minutes or until the skin is crispy and the sauce is bubbling.

Barbecue Food Safety Tips

• Make sure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F. Don't guess...use a Digital Meat Thermometer.
• To prevent the risk of cross-contamination, never use the same utensil that you placed the uncooked chicken on the grill with to remove the cooked chicken. Always have a clean set of utensils handy to remove cooked chicken.
• Because the utensil came into contact with raw food, it could harbor bacteria and transfer them to the cooked food. Be sure to use two utensils, one for raw food, and one for cooked food.
• The same for the brush you use to add the barbecue sauce. Never reuse the brush that came in contact with the raw chicken.
• Never re-use barbecue sauce that came in contact with raw chicken. Set aside barbecue sauce that you can use as a dipping sauce later for the cooked grilled chicken.

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Ready for more great barbecue recipes?

• Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Bites - wrapped in bacon!
• Bacon Wrapped BBQ Crock Pot Chicken
• Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

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