There is nothing better than barbecue chicken, potato salad, baked beans, and cold watermelon on a hot summer day. Add a little sweet tea and some homemade cobbler with ice cream and things would be just about perfect. We associate these foods with summertime fun and family memories of picnics, camping or just having fun as kids playing tag in the yard.

If I were to ask you how to make barbeque chicken you’d probably say you grill it just like your dad did or some “grill king” relative in your family. Barbequed chicken in the South is as personal as family and as American as the Fourth of July. Here is one of my favorite recipes for barbeque chicken. I sprinkle just a little bit of “Chick Rub” rub on the chicken breasts before grilling to give them an extra flavor punch and a tinge of heat. Then I use a sweeter barbeque sauce to balance the heat with sweet. It’s all about the balance! Adjust the sweet and heat to your preference. If you like things fiery hot use more rub. If you want the heat to be a subtle backdrop use the “Chick Rub” sparingly.

Barbeque Chicken
6 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts
Chicken Rub (recipe follows)
Barbeque sauce (use a sweet sauce)

Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of rub per chicken breast. Use more for super spicy chicken. Place chicken on the kitchen counter for 30 minutes before grilling. Preheat grill to high. Sear chicken on both sides then reduce heat to low and cook until chicken is 165ºF. Baste with Barbeque sauce the last 10 minutes of grilling. Remove chicken from grill, tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

“Chick” Rub
1/4 cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons Turbinado sugar
1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons lemon pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1/4 cup paprika
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

Mix all ingredients together. Use 1 teaspoon rub per chicken breast.

Published in The News and Neighbor on June 5, 2019.