Description
This Juicy Grilled Chicken with Homemade Peach BBQ Sauce features tender, flavorful chicken thighs grilled to perfection with a smoky dry rub and slathered in a sweet and tangy peach BBQ sauce made from ripe peaches and a blend of spices. It’s a perfect summer dish that balances savory, sweet, and smoky flavors with a luscious homemade sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken:
- 6–8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (3–4 lb)
- 2 tbsp olive or avocado oil
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt (or ¾ tsp table salt)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Optional: ½ tsp chili powder or cayenne
For the Peach BBQ Sauce:
- 1.5 lb ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, chopped
- 1 cup ketchup
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne (or to taste)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep the Chicken: Pat chicken thighs dry using paper towels to remove excess moisture. Massage them thoroughly with olive or avocado oil and then rub all over with the dry spice mixture, making sure to get underneath the skin for deep flavor. Let the chicken rest at room temperature for 20–30 minutes to absorb the rub and come closer to room temp for even cooking.
- Make the Peach BBQ Sauce: In a blender or food processor, combine peeled and chopped peaches, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, smoked paprika, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Blend until mostly smooth but still slightly textured for the best sauce consistency.
- Simmer the Sauce: Pour the blended sauce into a saucepan and simmer over low heat for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken slightly and become a bit thinner than store-bought BBQ sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Let cool to allow it to thicken further.
- Prepare the Grill: Preheat your grill to medium heat, approximately 350–375 °F. Set up both indirect and direct heat zones and oil the grill grates to prevent sticking.
- Grill the Chicken Indirectly: Place the chicken skin-side down over the indirect heat zone with the grill lid closed. Cook for 20–25 minutes. Flip the chicken and continue cooking for another 10–15 minutes, monitoring internal temperature with a meat thermometer until it reaches 165 °F for safe consumption.
- Crisp the Skin and Glaze: Move the chicken to direct heat, skin-side down, for 2–3 minutes to crisp the skin. Flip the chicken, brush generously with the peach BBQ sauce, and grill for an additional 1–2 minutes to set the glaze without burning the sugar in the sauce.
- Rest and Serve: Transfer the grilled chicken to a serving plate, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 5–10 minutes. This allows juices to redistribute, resulting in juicy, tender chicken. Serve warm with additional peach BBQ sauce if desired.
Notes
- For best flavor, use ripe, in-season peaches or frozen peaches if fresh are unavailable.
- Make sure to peel the peaches before blending for a smoother sauce.
- Monitor the grill temperature carefully to avoid flare-ups when crisping the skin with direct heat.
- Adjust the cayenne pepper in the dry rub and sauce to control spice level.
- Leftover sauce can be refrigerated for up to one week and used as a marinade or dipping sauce.
