Classic BBQ Chicken

On Saturday it rained which meant it was time to find something to do indoors. While the girls played, I made BBQ sauce from scratch.

Classic BBQ Chicken

Prep: 1 HR. Bake: 1 HR, 20 MIN.

Oven: 325 degrees/450 degrees

1 Whole chicken or several leg or breast pieces. Any cut of your choice.

1/2 cup butter

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 tbsp. chopped fresh garlic

2 tbsp. kosher salt

1 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 tbsp. paprika

1 tbsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 cups cold water

1 1/4 cups cider vinegar

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup molasses

1 cup tomato paste

Peanut Oil

Water

In large nonreactive saucepan (like a dutch oven), melt butter. Add onion, garlic and salt. Cook over low heat until onion is tender.

Add crushed red pepper, paprika, chili powder, and black pepper; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add water, vinegar, brown sugar, and Worchestershire sauce; bring to a simmer. Stir in molasses. Whisk in tomato paste until smooth. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until sauce is thickened, stirring occassionally. Taste for seasoning, adding additional salt if needed. Remove 1 1/2 cups of the sauce to prepare chicken. Store remaining in the refrigerator; reheat to serve.

For chicken: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat 1/4 Peanut Oil in a skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, place chicken, skin side down, in skillet. Cook until well browned, turning once, about 5 minutes.(you're not cooking the chicken all the way through, just browning it to seal in the flavors).

Transfer browned chicken to a glass or nonreactive baking dish. Place skin side up, adding breast portions to one dish and leg portions to the other. Add 2 tablespoons water to each baking dish. Spoon reserved 1 1/2 cups BBQ sacue over chicken.

Cover chicken with parchment paper then cover tightly with foil. Bake leg portions for 70 to 75 minutes and breast portions for 30 to 40 minutes.

Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Uncover chicken and spoon on additional sauce. Bake, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until well-glazed and meat is very tender.

Serve with remaining sauce. Store any remaining sauce covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

My family loved this meal. I served the chicken with a side of mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus. This is what was left by my youngest -- a bone with not a trace of meat in site.

Better Homes and Gardens, October 2009, Recipe by Scott Peacock