Cherry Coke BBQ Chicken
This Cherry coke BBQ chicken is saucy, sweet, spicy and delicious! The marinade and BBQ sauce make this the perfect summer grilling recipe.
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 3 lb Whole chicken
- 6 cans Cherry coke
- 6 tbsp Kosher salt
- 2 Jalapenos, sliced
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 2 tbsp Sweet BBQ seasoning.
Cherry Coke BBQ Sauce Ingredients.
- 1 cup Ketchup
- 3/4 cup Brown sugar
- 1/2 can Cherry coke
- 1/4 cup Molasses
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 3 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp Yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp Hot sauce
- 1 tbsp All purpose seasoning
Instructions
- In a large bucket or bowl, add 6 cans of cherry coke, sliced jalapenos, salt and mix until the salt is dissolved.
- Cut out the backbone from the chicken with sheers or a sharp knife. Press down hard on the breast bone to break it so the chicken can lay flat. Cut the down the middle to create 2 chicken halves.
- Place the chicken halves into the brine and make sure to fully submerge. If the chicken keeps floating, place a plate on top to keep it down. Brine the chicken an hour for every pound or at a minimum, 1 hour in total.
- When ready, remove the chicken from the brin and pat it dry.
- Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and season with a sweet bbq rub.
- Place the chicken skin side up on the indirect side and cook until the breast registers an internal temperature of 150 degrees. Total cook time should be around 45 minutes depending on the side of the bird.
- Move the grilled chicken to the direct heat side over the grill, skin side down and sear for 2-3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until the breast reaches 160 degrees.
- Before removing from the grill, brush the chicken on both sides with the Cherry Coke BBQ Sauce. Grill for 1-2 minutes to allow the sauce to caramelize and get nice and tacky.
- Remove it from the grill and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Cherry Coke BBQ Sauce
- In a small sauce pan, add all the bbq sauce ingredients, mix and bring to a simmer over low heat.
- Cook until the sauce starts to thicken, about 10-15 minutes. Be sure to whisk it every few minutes to ensure nothing burns to the bottom.
Notes
- For best results use Kosher salt in the brine.
- Any cut of chicken will work for this recipe. You can brine a whole uncut chicken, spatchcock it, only use boneless breast or thighs. Whatever your preference, use that.
- Adjust heat levels with hot sauce. Traditional BBQ sauce is on the sweeter side, adding hot sauce breaks up the sweetness and adds a little punch at the end.
- Adjust smokey levels with smoked paprika. Instead of adding liquid smoke, add natural flavoring through spices.
Nutrition
Calories: 848kcal | Carbohydrates: 153g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 7919mg | Potassium: 846mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 140g | Vitamin A: 718IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 200mg | Iron: 6mg
