Author Notes
I developed this recipe after I tried chicken with an unusual BBQ sauce in a Florida restaurant. The chef told me he added pomegranate molasses to his homemade BBQ sauce. I added the marinating process, and have been making chicken and pork ribs like this ever since. It's delicious...sticky, tart, sweet, tangy and spicy all at the same time. I've had success making this in the oven and on the BBQ. —Leith Devine
Continue After Advertisement
Ingredients
-
3-4 pounds
chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on optional
-
12 ounces
pomegranate juice
-
1/2 cup
chili sauce
-
1 cup
ketchup
-
1/4 cup
brown sugar
-
1/2 cup
pomegranate molasses
-
1/4 cup
cider or rice vinegar
-
1 tablespoon
worcestershire sauce
-
2 tablespoons
dry mustard
-
1 tablespoon
onion powder
-
1 tablespoon
garlic powder
-
1 teaspoon
paprika
-
1/2 teaspoon
cayenne pepper
-
1 teaspoon
fresh ground black pepper
-
1 tablespoon
salt
Directions
-
Trim chicken thighs of excess skin and fat. Put pomegranate juice into a plastic zip top bag and add chicken. Marinate for 4-6 hours.
-
Make the BBQ sauce: Mix dry spices together in a small bowl and combine thoroughly. In a large pot, mix together chili sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, pomegranate molasses, vinegar, worcestershire sauce and the dry spice mixture. Heat on low until sauce simmers.
-
Remove chicken from the marinade and pat dry. If cooking in the oven, set temperature to 350 degrees. Bake chicken on a foil lined baking pan for 30 minutes skin side up.
Remove from oven and apply BBQ sauce. Cook for another 30-40 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
-
If using a BBQ, put chicken on indirect heat for 30 minutes, then apply BBQ sauce and BBQ as usual until internal temperature reaches 165.
-
A thermometer is essential to test for the internal 165 degree temperature, because the chicken will look pink inside due to the pomegranate juice marinade.
See what other Food52ers are saying.