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smoky mustard bbq chicken

Southern Mustard BBQ Chicken

This authentic South Carolina mustard BBQ chicken delivers the perfect balance of tangy, sweet, and smoky flavors that made the Palmetto State famous for barbecue. The golden mustard sauce caramelizes beautifully on the grill, creating a sticky glaze that's absolutely irresistible.
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: BBQ, Chicken
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 485kcal

Equipment

Medium Saucepan
Whisk
BBQ

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken thighs
  • 4 chicken legs
  • 1 1/2 cups yellow mustard
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup cider vinegar
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
  • In a saucepan, whisk together mustard, brown sugar, and vinegar. Bring mixture to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to low and add butter, water, fish sauce, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool.
  • Place chicken on grill skin-side down and cook for 4-5 minutes until skin is crispy.
  • Flip chicken, baste with mustard sauce, and cook for 3 minutes.
  • Repeat the flipping and basting process 2 more times for even cooking and maximum flavor.
  • Remove chicken from grill and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
  • Serve with extra mustard sauce on the side.

Notes

Use indirect heat zones on your grill to prevent the sauce from burning while ensuring even cooking
Marinate the chicken in the mustard sauce for up to 4 hours before grilling for deeper flavor penetration
Reserve some sauce before it touches raw chicken to use for serving and final basting
The fish sauce adds umami depth but can be substituted with Worcestershire sauce if preferred
Chicken is done when internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thickest part
Recipe can be doubled easily for larger gatherings
Leftover sauce keeps in the refrigerator for up to one week

Nutrition

Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 1250mg | Potassium: 420mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g