Our simple, succulent, smoky-sticky keto barbecue sauce comes together easily. It also makes a beautiful glaze for this delicious crisp-skinned keto barbecued chicken. If you’re thinking of using chicken cuts other than thighs, keep in mind that bone-in, skin-on dark meat is harder to overcook, tastes better, is juicier, and remains more tender than white-meat cuts. We use thighs here but drumsticks work too. Just be sure to recalculate the macros if you make any changes.
To cook chicken in the oven, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C), place the pieces on an aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, lightly brush the chicken with a little olive oil (adjusting macros accordingly), and bake in the center of the oven for 25 minutes. (If you find that the chicken is splattering a lot in your oven, you can loosely tent it with foil.) Increase oven temperature to 425°F (220°C), carefully flip over each piece of chicken, baste the chicken on all sides with the barbecue sauce, then return the chicken, skin-side up, to the oven and bake for 8 minutes more. Repeat the basting and 8-minute baking process twice more, until the chicken is crisped and lacquered to your liking and the internal temperature on an instant read thermometer reaches 165°F (75°C). If desired, you can broil the chicken for 3 to 5 minutes at the end for one final crisping. Let chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Barbecued Chicken with Keto Barbecue Sauce
Ingredients List
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 4 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 Tbsp finely diced shallot
- 2 Tbsp smoked paprika
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- 2/3 cup sugar-free ketchup (like Primal Kitchen Organic Unsweetened Ketchup)
- 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1½ Tbsp brown granulated erythritol-based sweetener (like Swerve)
- 1½ Tbsp hot sauce (like Sriracha)
Some emerging research suggests that erythritol might increase the risk of blood clots, but more studies are needed to confirm this potential link. Whether you decide to use erythritol or not, remember that all sweeteners should be consumed in moderation, and your keto diet should primarily focus on nutritious whole foods. Learn more: Erythritol Explored: Weighing the Pros and Cons.
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry and season all over with the salt and pepper. Place in a low baking dish or rack set over a sheet pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and cook until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the paprika and cumin and cook for an additional 1 minute. Stir in the ketchup, apple cider vinegar, sweetener, hot sauce, and 1/4 cup water and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick, bubbly and fragrant, for 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then set aside.
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Preheat a gas grill to medium-high heat, 400°F (200°C). Add the chicken to the grill skin-side-down, reduce the heat to medium-low (about 300°F/200°C, close the lid, and cook for 20 minutes, turning the pieces once or twice during cooking. Brush some of the barbecue sauce over one side of the chicken, let cook for another 5 minutes, flip, and brush the sauce on the other side. Keep brushing on sauce and flipping the chicken every 5 minutes until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C) or if the juice runs clear when you insert the tip of a knife into the middle of the thickest piece. Make sure to test more than one piece for consistency.
- Once cooked through, remove the chicken to a platter. Loosely tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve.
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Credits
RecipeEric Lundy
PhotographyErin Ng
1 review
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So easy and delicious! The thighs got crispy on the outside but were still moist. I’ll definitely be repeating this throughout the summer.
Enjoy!