- 9
- 10 mins
- 35 mins
Ingredients
- 18 whole Chicken Legs
- 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
- 1/4 whole Onion, Diced
- 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
- 1 cup Ketchup
- 1/4 cup Packed Brown Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (additional) Brown Sugar
- 4 Tablespoons Distilled Vinegar (less To Taste)
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/3 cup Molasses
- 4 Tablespoons Chipotle Adobo Sauce (the Adobo Sauce Chipotle Peppers Are Packed In)
- Dash Of Salt
Preparation
Step 1
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My Favorite Blender (Winners!)
I made barbecue chicken a few days ago, and instead of grabbing one of the four million delicious bottled options in my pantry (can someone explain to me why I have four million bottles of barbecue sauce in my pantry?) I decided just to whip up my own. Delicious storebought barbecue sauces are available everywhere, and I tend to think it’s one of those convenience foods that’s often just as good as something you can make at home. Still, the first time I made my own barbecue sauce (it was a necessity; I’d brought home five pounds of brisket and sausage from our local barbecue joint and discovered that we were plum out of sauce at the house, which is probably why I felt the need to stockpile my pantry with four million bottles. Mystery solved!) it was surprisingly good. Most of the time, I still grab a bottle from the pantry. But when time permits, it really is fun to whip up a batch from scratch. The great thing about making your own sauce is, you can churn out exactly the sauce you want.
And it makes you feel empowered. A nice little added benefit.
Here’s how I make it.
While the chicken is roasting, dice up a little onion (not much, just a little) and a couple of cloves of garlic. Add them to a saucepan with a little oil.
Stir them around and cook them over medium-low heat for five minutes or so…
And here’s why I used it: it’s smoky. There are some things like this that I’d just spike with a little Liquid Smoke (my brisket recipe has it) but I like the tangy red spice of the adobo sauce. It adds a smokiness and a spiciness at once, but the spiciness isn’t overwhelming. It’s like adding chipotles without adding chipotles.
To the saucepan with the onions and garlic, add ketchup and brown sugar…
And a note: I added enough vinegar to really taste that bite, but you can certainly pull back on this quantity.
Stir it all together, then reduce the heat to low and simmer while the chicken roasts.
It’ll get nice and bubbly and wonderful. When the chicken’s ready, turn off the heat.
Place the coated chicken back onto the pan, then return the chicken to the oven for five minutes, just to anchor this base of sauce onto the chicken.
Be sure to play with the barbecue sauce to make it your own: spice it up or down, depending on how you like it. Add diced jalapenos to the sauce, or whiskey, or maple syrup, or different spices. It’s all yours, baby.
(additional) Brown Sugar
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place chicken legs on a broiler pan or any pan with a rack, then roast for 20 minutes.
While the chicken is roasting, heat canola oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook for five minutes, stirring, being careful not to burn them.
Reduce heat to low. Add all remaining ingredients and stir. Allow to simmer while the chicken roasts. Taste after simmering and add whatever ingredient it needs (more spice, more sugar, etc.)
Remove chicken legs from oven. Reduce oven to 350 degrees. With tongs, dip each chicken leg into the sauce, submerging completely. Place back onto the pan. After all chicken is coated, return pan to oven for five minutes, or until hot and sizzling.
Yum! I made bbq sauce one time for the same reason and added a bit of coffee to it! Not the grounds, the liquid.
I usually add the vinegar near the end of cooking up my BBQ sauce. I feel like there’s more of a “tang” left in the finished sauce
That is so unusual!! I have never thought of adding coffee
My friend makes homemade barbecue sauce with coffee, and I agree with all here that it’s REALLY good! It gives it a richness and a depth. You can’t really taste the coffee, but it does make you wonder, “What IS that?”
Although we eat chicken breasts, my family prefers dark meat too. It’s economical & I’ve found out that most chefs(on the food network) prefer dark meat over white also. This is basically how I make bbq sauce too, but I’ve never added the chipotle adobo sauce. I’m going to give this a try soon!
The flavor, the moistness, the quick cook-time, Beats the breast every time!
Heather
And I was starting to feel like the only one who swears by boneless skinless chicken thighs! I keep them on hand in the freezer always. And every time I use them in a dish like chicken parmesan for someone who loves white meat, they always ask “How do you keep your chicken so moist?!”. It makes me smile inside
I agree. I’ve never found a store bought BBQ Sauce I like. Oops. I take it back. Thai Kitchen had one that I bought at Trader Joe’s (years ago that was beyond amazing). Of course, they stopped making it. Rats. But I do make my own — it’s so good I should bottle it. Something similar to Rees, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses. Also honey, hoisin sauce and soy sauce. That’s what I love about home cooking. You can tailor the food to YOUR taste! I’ve heard some good things about something called “Slap yo Mama” (think that’s what it’s called). Anyone try it? (*Thai Kitchen, Slap yo Mama or Trader Joe’s haven’t a clue who I am.)
Marie M.C.- I have tried ‘Slap Yo Mama’. My Mom and Dad lived in Baton Rouge for a few years and became addicted with it. I have 2 cans in my spice cupboard that they gave me. It’s just a Cajun seasoning, but really good.
Heather (Heather's Dish)
it’s been way too long since i had bbq chicken…this looks delicious! i love homemade bbq sauce too, and you’re right about adding that smoky adobo. yum!
Thanks for the recipe, I think I’ll make this Saturday. Yum!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is pretty easy to make BBQ sauce from scratch. I should do it more often. BTW, I love your website and check it everyday. I especially enjoy the recipes and the confessions.
It’s a good thing we’re both already taken, because I’d probably propose to you if you ever served that to me. So instead, I’ll make some myself. Thanks for the recipe!
I’ve had to make BBQ sauce for because I ran out once, too. I couldn’t very well serve barbecued ribs without any sauce! I like your addition of adobo sauce.
You can make adobo sauce — there are several recipes online. Alternatively, you could add cumin and/or chili powder to taste.
If you DO make your own adobo sauce, make sure it’s a Mexican adobo and not the adobo they make in the Phillippines! They’re VERY different. The kind from the Phillippines is full of soy sauce, and there isn’t soy sauce in the Mexican kind!
Holy YUM! That sauce looks great and I especially love the addition of chipotle.
Please make sure that you do not use the one you dipped the chicken in, else the only thing that you will get out of this meal is being sick!
Please guys be extra careful with chicken and sauce/marinades, if you dip it in then you need to boil the sauce before doing anything else.
I boil the chicken before grilling, always cooks perfectly!
this reminds me of college! our cook in my sorority house used to make us these big meals of bbq chicken and mac & cheese, especially when we were hosting frat boys during greek week or something. deeelicious!
I never thought of making my own barbecue sauce, but I will definitely try this! Your secret ingredient sounds like a delicious addition!
Mmmmmmmmmmm…. that looks good… if only I knew how and loved to cook!!! I’m not sure about the peppers because I can’t stand spicy food.. but I think I need to add this to my will be attempted recipe one day file!
Hey, just a quick tip on the Chipotles in Adobo…when I open a can, I whip ‘em up in my food processor (or mini-chop since the can is so small), then I freeze tablespoon-sized dollops so I can add just the amount I need to any recipe. I also don’t have half-used cans of chipotles hanging around my fridge!
I use balsamic to make my BBQ sauce. The depth of flavor is wonderful.
This looks exactly like the bbq sauce I make!
Would this recipe still be good if I put the chicken on the grill? I’m in far North Texas and it’s about to get too hot to turn the oven on, so I make it a point to only make things I can throw on the grill outside or throw in my fry daddy outside. Thanks in advance for the help!!!
Absolutely. The key is to cook the chicken before adding the sauce, then just a brief heat to warm it all up good – a lot of people start adding the sauce from the start, which ends up burned & nasty. Also, if on the grill you might want to just brush the sauce on a couple of times as you cook & turn it instead of dunking & adding more, so the sauce stays on the chicken pieces.
I basically use this same recipe for our bbq sauce, but we’ve found that it’s really hard to beat good old Kraft Original.
I love using chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. I take the whole can and dump it in a blender, swish the can will a little water and grind the sauce and peppers together. Then I put it in a refrigerator container and use a tablespoon or two when I am cooking.
Hey ya’ll, your invited to my place for my Happy Easter Giveaway. Just drop on in…the door of the Ponderosa is always open!!! :o)
Perfect! Beautiful! This is why I love you, as I was searching for what to make for dinner, you posted a recipe (for which I have all the ingredients) and it has saved me a trip to the grocery store on my day off. =)
I like the addition of the chipotle’s – never thought of it.
I kept reading, hoping to see some one ask or answer my big question, but have not seen it yet. Can you make up a big batch and put it in a squeeze bottle to refrigerate and use later? I’d hate to have to make it every time I wanted a small amount on an individual serving of this or that.
I will have to try chipoltes in my sauce. I use pretty much the same ingredients but I use tomatoe sauce instead of ketchup and let it reduce and add brown sugar or molasses at the end.
Oh and I add beer.
Thank you SOOOOOO much for posting this recipe Ree! I have been trying to make a bbq sauce like this, I love the sweet/vinegar balance! I can’t wait to try this recipe.
My husband loves barbecue sauce but developed a life threatening mustard allergy after multiple surgeries, which isn’t so uncommon. Who knew? Barbecue sauce always contains mustard in some form. I can’t believe I never thought to make our own.
I LOVE your website and check it every day! You always make me laugh, and I appreciate how you don’t take everything so seriously, just roll with it! I was raised on a farm in central IL, nothing but pigs and cornfields as far as the eye could see…I love to hear your stories about the farm! It brings back many great memories. Having ended up in SoCal, I can also appreciate the cultural differences you talk about in going back to Oklahoma….
I’ve never made my own BBQ sauce…. but you make it look easy! Def need to start experimenting.
This is exactly how I like mine! Well, almost. I add grilling spice to mine too. I live the extra kick it gives with the adobo!
Oh, it’s on! Gonna use thighs though. I was at a total loss over what to make for dinner, so THANKS Ree, for being my meal muse =)
I feel very compelled to comment on every aspect of how this particular post makes me think and feel. I probably should use that energy to actually make some sauce. Or a grocery list.
I prefer dark meat too. It has so much more flavor than breast meat. Adding the sauce from canned chipotle peppers is genius! I don’t like overly smoky barbecue sauce. You can totally control the amount of smokiness while adding spice to your sauce. Your chicken looks so tasty!
What a great idea to use the chipoltle sauce instead of ketchup or plain tomato sauce. I have to have homemade bbq sauce on our bbq’d chicken. I like it sweet and tangy, too. We use lemon juice instead of vinegar. I love that flavor the lemon lends to the sauce as well. We cook our chicken on foil on the grill so when it’s done we can slather on the sauce until it’s congealed and glazes the chicken, then transferr it to the grill racks over direct heat just to add some charred caramelization but without burning or overcooking the meat. Mmm, mm!
ah, another reason i love the pioneer woman–i am not the only person in the universe who says “snarf”. i am validated!! (and i make my own barbecue sauce. have done so, since before the ree was born!)
Heather
I can’t wait to make this for my family of hungry boys! I make my own BBQ sauce, but the recipe I use is quite a process…it takes two days, so there’s no “whipping it up”. The flavors in this recipe are exactly what I love in a BBQ sauce and I always have these items in the pantry (I put chipotle and adobo sauce in my chili which has become quite the staple here). Thanks again, Ree!
Heather
Yummm. This might make my husband eat chicken. If not, more for me!!
Ree, your recipes make my life complete
Ree, go to the cupboard full of bbq sauces…grab a bottle or two…however many it takes to satisfy your crowd…doctor up those sauces with a few items in your recipe. You will not be disappointed. Add honey, Brown sugar…whatever, few red pepper flakes whatever makes your skirt fly up. cook it up and adjust to your taste and VOILA…you have made awesome bbq sauce and there are two less bottles in you cupboard. I have found that making my own from scratch eliminates the sodium intake as my DH has to cut back…and he loves the home made, too!!!!!
That’s exactly how I make mine…minus the chipotle, but that sounds good too. I rarely buy store bought BBQ sauce.
Yum! It makes me sad that all of the “I have to make this NOW!” recipes have the chipotles with adobo in it
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