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Alabama White Sauce BBQ Chicken
Kingsford Gameday recipe inspired by
Treat your tailgaters to Southern-style grilled chicken with a tangy white BBQ sauce that scores every time.
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Ingredients
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2 whole chickens, butterflied
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1 tbsp. kosher salt
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½ cup oil (such as vegetable or olive oil)
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2 tsp. cracked black pepper
Alabama White Sauce
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2 ½ cups mayonnaise
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1 ½ cups distilled white vinegar
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2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
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2 tbsp. coarsely ground black pepper
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2 tsp. sugar
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2 tsp. kosher salt
1 Food Prep
- Begin by butterflying each chicken. You can also ask your butcher to do this.
- Liberally season both sides of each of the chickens with salt.
- · First, lay the chicken breast-side down on a cutting board, with the backbone facing up.
- · Using sharp, durable kitchen shears, cut along each side (the length) of the backbone. Begin on one side at the bottom cavity and cut along the side of the backbone, straight to the top cavity. Repeat on the other side of the backbone. Remember, the closer your cut is to the backbone, the more meat you’ll have.
- · Now, you should be able to lift the backbone out of the carcass, using your fingers, without any additional cutting.
- · Flip the chicken so it is breast-side up, with the opened back against the cutting board.
- · Finally, using the bottom of your hands, press down on the leg and wing joints to flatten the bird, applying heavy pressure.
2 Grill Prep
Fuel: We recommend Kingsford® Original Charcoal Briquets.
Method: Two-Zone Method
Temp: 300°F (Low Heat)
Carefully hold your hand about 5” to 6” above the grate, and refer to the temperature settings below:
• High Heat (450° to 550°F):
2 to 4 seconds
• Medium Heat (350° to 450°F):
5 to 6 seconds
• Low Heat (250° to 350°F):
8 to 10 seconds
Make sure your clothing doesn’t touch the grate, and always move your hand away from the heat before you feel discomfort.
When you’re at temp, put cooking oil on a folded paper towel. Grab the oiled paper towel with long-handled tongs and oil the grate thoroughly.
3 The Cook
- When you’re at temp, put cooking oil on a folded paper towel. Grab the oiled paper towel with long-handled tongs and oil the grate thoroughly.
- Place the butterflied chickens, skin side up, over indirect heat on the cooler side of the grate with the lid down. Cook until the skin on the chicken is golden brown (about 1 hour).
- Once the skin has browned, baste both sides of the chicken with the oil, and flip the chicken skin side down. Sprinkle the cavity of each chicken evenly with black pepper.
- Cook the chickens (for about an hour) with the lid down, until they reach an internal temperature of 180°F on a digital meat thermometer, when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh.
- When the chickens are almost done, combine the ingredients for the Alabama White Sauce in a large bowl.
- Once cooked through, remove each chicken from the grill and submerge it into the bowl of white sauce.
- Remove the chicken from the white sauce, cut in half between the breasts, and then cut in quarters by cutting between each breast and thigh.
- Serve with the remaining white sauce on the side and enjoy the delicious flavor!
There are three common methods for testing a whole chicken for doneness.
1. As mentioned, you can insert the tip of a digital meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone. When the internal temperature reaches 165°F, your chicken is ready to be removed from the grill using tongs.
2. You can insert a small knife or skewer into the thickest part of your chicken thigh. If the juices come out clear and not pink, your chicken is done and can be removed from the grill using tongs.
3. The last part of the whole chicken to get done will be the joint between the leg and the thigh. If you twist the leg bone and feel the joint release, the entire chicken is done.
Credit: World Champion Pitmaster Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q.
Recipe created by Chris Lilly on behalf of Kingsford® Charcoal.
For safe meat preparation, reference the USDA website.
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