Name: Smoky Spicy Molasses BBQ Chicken
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 5 Servings
Cuisine: Other
Ingredients: 1 cup ketchup; 0.25 cup blackstrap molasses; 0.25 cup apple cider vinegar; 1.5 tablespoons honey; 2 teaspoons light brown sugar; 3.5 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 0.5 tsp cayenne; 0.25 tsp paprika; 0.75 tsp garlic powder; 3 pounds chicken; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 0.5 tsp onion powder; 0.5 tsp dry mustard

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Smoky Spicy Molasses BBQ Chicken

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Ingredients

Warning0 allergens identified

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°. In a small saucepan, mix ketchup, molasses, vinegar, honey, brown sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, the cayenne, paprika, and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until flavors have melded together and sauce thickens, 15-20 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, place chicken in a baking or roasting dish about 9x13 inches, and coat with oil. In a small bowl, combine remaining 1 tablespoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder with the onion powder and mustard. Sprinkle all over chicken. Arrange chicken skin side down and bake for 15 minutes.

Using a pastry brush or silicone brush, coat the top side of the chicken with a bit of the bbq sauce, using about one-quarter of it, so that pieces are covered well. Cook skin side down for an additional 15 minutes.

Flip chicken so the skin side is up, and coat each piece well with some bbq sauce. Increase the oven to 400°. Every 5-8 minutes, coat chicken with more of the sauce to your desired thickness (I do about 4 coats). Increase oven temperature to 500° or use your top broiler option. Finish cooking chicken until the sauce is thick, the chicken has some char, and the meat reaches 165° in the thickest part. Cooking time should be about 1 hour total.

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Molasses Caramelization Trick 🍯
Brush the BBQ sauce in layers during the last 15-20 minutes of cooking to prevent burning and create a perfectly sticky, caramelized exterior.
Balanced Spice Blend 🌶️
Toast your dry spices like paprika and cayenne in a dry skillet for 30-60 seconds before mixing into the sauce to unlock deeper, more complex flavor profiles.
Marinade Magic 💦
For maximum flavor penetration, marinate the chicken in half the BBQ sauce mixture for 2-4 hours before cooking, reserving the other half for basting.
Moisture Retention Technique 🔒
Cover the chicken with aluminum foil for the first half of cooking to lock in moisture, then uncover to allow the sauce to caramelize and develop a beautiful char.
Vinegar Balance Hack 🍶
If your sauce tastes too sweet, add an extra splash of apple cider vinegar to brighten the flavors and cut through the richness of the molasses and brown sugar.