Look no further for the Best Low Carb BBQ Chicken recipe!

When it’s summer it’s grilling season! Honestly, we grill year-round thanks to the generally warm weather we have in the Southwest region of the United States. In the Summer, we cook 2-3 meals outdoors each week and love the family time it creates. There is just something special about grilling. It seems to draw everyone to the kitchen for prep work and outside to watch the magic happen.

My family has been grilling chicken since I was a kid. I even have an uncle who has a family claim to fame over his delicious BBQ chicken served at family reunions for nearly 20 years. But, no one has really wow’ed me with the stuff. It’s always been “just” BBQ chicken to me. Also, it’s difficult to find a decent low carb bar-b-que sauce that tastes great.

Sometime last year I was trying to decide between carne asada beef taco salad or a chicken dish. Then I realized that the marinade I used on skirt steak could be easily modified for a delicious chicken alternative.

The secret is in the marinade!

The marinade recipe below is what makes this BBQ chicken recipe go from average to the best low carb bbq chicken you’ve tried. Without it, you have plain ol’ BBQ chicken like everyone else makes. With it, you have juicy and slightly tangy, melt in your mouth chicken. You’ll be honored to be complimented for making this. I promise. Additionally, you don’t need to put as much BBQ sauce on the chicken as you might otherwise.

The majority of BBQ sauces aren’t low carb because they’re typically high sugar. And there are plenty of decent sugar free commercial options available (one that we like is pictured in the link below). Or you can make your own. You can keep the commercial product in the pantry for a quick option, such as during the “off season” and then make your own when you plan to use a lot in a short period of time, such when it is grilling season. I’m also including a link to minced garlic, for those who (like me) use so much of the stuff that we must buy it ‘in bulk’ so to speak.

Try pairing The Best Low Carb BBQ Chicken with Loaded Cauliflower Salad.

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BBQ Chicken

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 8

Total Time 53

Servings 10 peices

Ingredients

5 pieces boneless chicken breasts
5 pieces chicken drumsticks or thighs
1 cup BBQ Sauce

Marinade

1 cup orange juice
1 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp minced garlic (or 4 large cloves, peeled and diced)
2 tbsp ground chili pepper
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp table salt
1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion (or 1/4 cup minced dried onions soaked in 1/4 water)

Instructions

Add all marinade ingredients to a 1-gallon zip-lock bag or similar sized leak proof container, stir or mix to combine.
Add chicken to the bag/container and seal tightly.
Carefully rotate the bag/container to ensure all pieces of the chicken have been coated with the marinate.
Place the chicken in the refrigerator if it is not being cooked immediately. When ready to cook, lay the bag flat on the counter for 15-30 minutes, flipping it occasionally.
Preheat grill to medium heat while chicken is resting.
Using tongs, remove the chicken from marinade and place on the hot grill. Turn the grill heat to low and discard the marinade.
Pour 1 tbsp of sauce on each chicken breast and 1/2 tbsp of sauce on each drumstick or thigh. Then spread the sauce with a spoon or basting brush.
Close the grill cover and let the chicken cook for 4 minutes.
Open the grill cover and flip each piece of chicken. Re-coat each piece with sauce and spread as you did before.
Close the grill cover and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Open the grill cover and again flip each piece of chicken. Re-coat each piece with sauce and spread as you did twice before.
Open the grill cover and, using a fork and knife, cut into the thickest piece of chicken to check for doneness. There should be no pink, the juices should be abundant and run clear. Cook for an additional 2 minutes if needed - although this is rarely needed.
Remove from grill and serve immediately.

Notes

Recommended side dishes to make this a meal: