If you’re craving BBQ chicken with crispy skin, cornstarch is your secret ingredient. And did you know adding your bbq sauce to the end of your barbecuing will result in the sauce sticking to the crispy skin.
This versatile powder helps create that delightful crunch we’ve all come to love. Here’s how to use it effectively for your BBQ chicken.
Why Cornstarch
Cornstarch is a fantastic thickening agent that, when used on chicken skin, absorbs moisture while cooking.
This process leads to a crispier texture that’s hard to resist.
Like with this Chinese-Style Szechuan Chicken – Bang Bang Chicken, where cornstarch is used to achieve crisp texture chicken pieces.
Cornstarch is made up of long chain starch molecules that unravel and swell when heated in the presence of moisture. This swelling, or gelatinization, is what causes thickening.
In the case of chicken, a gluten-free crispy skin.
Unlock Crispy BBQ Chicken With This One Ingredient
What You Will Need
- Chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks, or wings)
- Cornstarch
- Your favorite dry rub (optional – explore more here: Unlocking Flavor: Must-Have Spice Blends for Your Kitchen)
- BBQ sauce (sticky varieties work best – find one here: Homemade Honey Barbecue Sauce)
Steps To Crispy BBQ Chicken
Prepare the Chicken
Most will say, start with clean, dry chicken. Pat the pieces with paper towels to eliminate excess moisture, which can hinder crispiness. Which is true.
But pat drying with paper towels only cleans the surface of moisture.
Using the refrigerator to dry chicken can really help achieve that delicious, crispy BBQ skin.
Here’s how to do it:
- Start by cleaning and patting your chicken dry with paper towels. Remove any excess moisture.
- After cleaning and patting the chicken dry, gently lift the skin and apply salt under it, as well as on the underside of the meat. Use about 3/4 teaspoon salt per pound of meat. The salt will draw out excess moisture.
- Place the chicken pieces on a wire rack over a baking sheet to catch any moisture dripping off and to allow air circulation to dry out the chicken.
- Leave the chicken uncovered in the fridge for at least a 2-4 hours or up to 24 hours. The cool air will pull moisture from the skin, making it dry of any moisture (not like dry-aged meat) and ready for the next step.
Coat with Cornstarch
In a bowl, add enough cornstarch to coat the chicken pieces lightly (at this time it is optional to add a dry rub seasoning). 1/2 cup starch should coat 5 chicken thighs.
Dredge each piece in cornstarch until fully coated. Shake off any excess.
Preheat the Grill
Set your grill to medium-high heat, about 350 degrees. A properly heated grill is essential for achieving that crispy skin.
Grill the Chicken
Place the chicken on the grill, skin-side down or up, your preference.
Grill for about 5-7 minutes each side or until the skin is golden and crispy.
Add BBQ Sauce
Brush your BBQ sauce (find recipe here: Homemade Honey Barbecue Sauce) onto the chicken during the last few minutes of grilling.
This allows the sauce to caramelize without burning while still sticking well to the crispy skin.
Rest and Serve
Once cooked to a safe internal temperature (165 degrees) let the chicken rest for a few minutes. This will enhance flavor and juiciness.
Enjoy Your Crispy BBQ Chicken
Using cornstarch is a game-changer for BBQ chicken lovers. With this method, you’ll have deliciously crispy skin every time that pairs perfectly with your favorite BBQ sauce. Happy grilling!
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