Sweet-and-Tangy Deviled Chicken
- 2 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Why Make This
A sweet-and-tangy marinade and sauce brings barbecue flavor with a little bite.
You can grill for smoky char or bake this recipe indoors when you want an easier weeknight dinner.
A two to 24-hour marinade makes this an easy prep-ahead dinner for busy days.
Deviled Chicken
“Deviled” usually means a dish has some heat or sharpness to it, often from mustard, pepper, vinegar, or another punchy ingredient. This chicken is not spicy, but it does have that classic deviled bite It starts with a pantry-friendly ketchup-mustard-vinegar base, which gives it a familiar BBQ feeling, but it is sharper, brighter, and less sweet than most barbecue sauces, with a little more punch, a little more tang, and just enough brown sugar to help everything caramelize.
I’ve made a few small tweaks to the version I grew up with, including seasoning the chicken with salt and pepper first and adding Worcestershire sauce and dry mustard for a deeper, more savory flavor. The original recipe is grilled but also made in the oven
For the chicken, you can use all thighs, all drumsticks, or a mix of both. You can even use chicken breast (preferably bone-in), though the cook times will vary for white meat. Grill it when you want that smoky char, or bake it. The grilled version gets a little more color and smoky flavor, but the oven version is easy, reliable, and still very good.
Tips for the Best Deviled Chicken
Give it some heat: Use hot dry mustard, such as Colman’s, if you have it. It gives the marinade a sharper, more pronounced mustard flavor than regular dry mustard. For the hot sauce, I like a vinegar-based one (my go-to is Crystal) because it reinforces the tangy flavor of the marinade, but use whatever you have and like.
Make it ahead: Marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours if you want to get ahead. The longer marinade gives the tangy mustard mixture more time to season the chicken. This is a great recipe to prep the night before.
Cook the sauce: Cook the reserved marinade until it is glossy and spoonable. This keeps the sauce from tasting raw or harsh, and boiling it makes it safe to serve after it has touched the raw chicken.
Make swaps if you need to: If you don’t have hot sauce on hand, use a pinch of cayenne and paprika instead. That’s what my mom sometimes did, and it still gives the chicken a little warmth and color. Apple cider vinegar works in place of white wine vinegar. It will make the sauce slightly fruitier and a touch rounder, but it works perfectly well.
Use a thermometer: Chicken is safe to eat at 165°F, but for bone-in thighs and drumsticks, I prefer to cook it to at least 175°F. Dark meat has more connective tissue, collagen, and fat than chicken breast, and that extra time helps everything break down to yield meat that is juicer, more tender, and easier to pull from the bone.
How To Make Deviled Chicken on the Grill
When the weather cooperates, grilling your deviled chicken will give it even more smoky flavor and some delicious charred texture. To make it on the grill, here’s what to do:
Preheat a gas grill to medium-high (400°F to 450°F) on one side, or push hot coals to one side of a charcoal grill.
After removing the chicken from the marinade, place the chicken, skin side up, on oiled grates over the unlit side of the grill. Grill, covered and undisturbed, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of chicken registers 155°F, 25 to 30 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to the lit side of the grill and grill, uncovered and turning occasionally, until lightly charred and a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of chicken registers 175°F, 3 to 6 minutes.
Make the sauce as directed below.
Prep Time: Cook Time: Marinating Time: Total Time: Servings:
10 mins 35 mins 2 hrs 2 hrs 45 mins 6 servings
Ingredients
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons stone-ground Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks or thighs (about 12 drumsticks or 7 or 8 thighs)
1 cup chicken stock
Directions
1) Marinate the chicken:
In a large bowl, whisk together the ketchup, Dijon mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, hot sauce, and pepper until well combined.
Cut several shallow slits, about 1/2-inch deep, into the chicken skin and meat. Add the chicken to the bowl and turn to coat, rubbing the marinade into the chicken. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
2) Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
3) Bake the chicken:
Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip back into the bowl; reserve the excess marinade. Arrange the chicken, skin side up, on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake until the skin is browned and a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the chicken registers 175°F on an instant-read thermometer, 35 to 40 minutes.
4) Meanwhile, make the sauce:
While the chicken cooks, in a small saucepan, bring the chicken stock and the reserved marinade to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 15 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat, cover with a lid, and set aside to keep warm.
5) Serve:
Serve the chicken with the reserved sauce, spooning it over the chicken or serving it on the side.
Refrigerate leftover chicken and sauce separately in airtight containers for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
459 | Calories |
21g | Fat |
8g | Carbs |
56g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
Servings Per Recipe 6 | |
Calories 459 | |
% Daily Value * | |
Total Carbohydrate 8g | 3% |
Dietary Fiber 0g | 1% |
Total Sugars 6g | |
Protein 56g | 112% |
Total Fat 21g | 27% |
Saturated Fat 6g | 28% |
Cholesterol 289mg | 96% |
Vitamin A 48mcg | 5% |
Vitamin C 1mg | 1% |
Vitamin D 0mcg | 1% |
Vitamin E 1mg | 4% |
Folate 15mcg | 4% |
Vitamin K 9mcg | 8% |
Sodium 718mg | 31% |
Calcium 38mg | 3% |
Iron 3mg | 15% |
Magnesium 59mg | 14% |
Potassium 686mg | 15% |
Zinc 5mg | 44% |
Vitamin B12 1mcg | 36% |
Omega 3 0g | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
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