Do you need a foolproof BBQ chicken dish? One that isn’t burnt or dry or greasy?

This is it. Trust me. It’s good. Really good. Lick your fingers and reach for more type of good. Whether for family or company, this one is a keeper. You don’t even need to make a home-made sauce! The trick here is cooking technique and to jazz up a store bought bbq sauce with a quality, sweet and spicy jam or jelly. Here I used Stones Throw Peach Chipotle Jelly from Stones Throw Gourmet.

I mixed equal parts of Peach Chipotle jelly with a store bought BBQ sauce and I have an instant Peach Chipotle BBQ glaze that is simply irresistible.

The trick is your grilling technique for chicken thighs.

Whether your grilling with gas or charcoal, you need to clear a space where there is no direct heat under the chicken itself.  If there is direct flame or heat under the chicken, the juices and fat will drip down creating a flame-up and a horrendous greasy residue that coats the meat…and blech, it’s gross.

Simply prep the grill for an indirect cooking space, and give yourself, and the chicken, a bit more time to cook, low and slow.  The result will be amazing.  This dish from start to finish took about 45 minutes.

I rinsed the chicken thighs, then patted dry and placed in a bowl (or large plastic bag).  You can keep the skin on, like I do…or take it off.  It doesn’t matter, just depends on how you feel about chicken skin.  Then drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper. Let the meat sit while the grill heats up or the coals get hot.

With our gas grill, I pre-heat the entire surface, brush clean, and turn off the 2 center burners, keeping side burners going on medium high. (With our charcoal grill/smoker, I would have the hot coals pushed off to one side only.)  Once the grill is hot, I lightly wipe a paper towel dipped in canola oil across the cooking area that has no direct heat underneath it. Then put on the thighs giving each one space, making sure to not crowd them.  Close the lid and check them now & then, move them around when needed to move the ones in the center closer to the heat, and close the lid again. Once the chicken starts to firm up  you can start brushing on the sauce. It will not be cooked through yet.

Brush the chicken with a light coat of sauce and close the lid. Brush again in 5 -10 minutes, continuing to move the chicken pieces from the perimeter to the interior or around as they need to be to get even distribution of heat. Brush with the sauce 3 times,  if you can. With each coat of sauce, it will build and create a wonderful thick glaze. Then maybe grill some veggies, here we have scallions. Yum.

When the chicken is 165 degrees or juices run clear, then plate up and serve with lots of napkins!

Enjoy! ….and thanks to Leann, creator of  Stones Throw Gourmet for the Peach Chipotle!