Yahoo Lifestyle Patti LaBelle's BBQ Chicken is the Summer Dinner Shortcut You're Looking For
One path to my heart is through my stomach; another is through my ears. Good food and good music will do it for me every time. And let that food come in the form of a chicken thigh, and let that music come in the form of some soulful R&B, now you’re really pulling at my heartstrings.
It’s always a great feeling to have a great meal to go along with a great song and this time the feelings are being produced by a BBQ chicken recipe created by the Godmother of Soul, Patti LaBelle. When I came across the recipe I suspected it would be a smash hit, but tried it out in my kitchen just to be sure.
Get the recipe: Patti LaBelle's Barbecue Chicken
Ingredients for Patti LaBelle’s Barbecue Chicken
To make this recipe from the Lady Marmalade herself, you’ll need vegetable oil, minced garlic, ketchup, light brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, hot red pepper sauce, cayenne pepper and liquid smoke. As for the actual chicken, you’ll need dark meat chicken quarters, olive oil, and salt and pepper.
Related: I Tried Patti LaBelle's Famous Fried Chicken
Courtesy of Dante Parker
How to Make Patti LaBelle’s Barbecue Chicken
Start by preheating the oven to 375° and while the temperature rises, get started on your barbecue sauce. In a saucepan, cook the garlic in some vegetable oil, then add in the ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, hot sauce, lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Bring the sauce to simmer before reducing the temperature to low. Simmer the sauce for about 15 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat. Off the heat, add the liquid smoke and “Stir It Up” like Patti’s vocals from the soundtrack of Beverly Hills Cop.
Related: Elvis' Famous Recipe for Perfectly Sweet & Tangy BBQ Sauce Has Us All Shook Up
Next, bake the chicken. Place your chicken in a single layer in a roasting pan and brush it with olive oil. Add some salt and pepper, then cover the pan with foil and place it in the oven for about 45 minutes. Pour out any liquid that’s in the pan, then brush the barbecue sauce evenly over the chicken. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Bam! You just made yourself a serving of Patti LaBelle’s Best-Ever Barbecue Chicken.
Related: Shaq's Crispy Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Thighs Recipe
Courtesy of Dante Parker
What I Thought About Patti LaBelle’s Barbecue Chicken
Just like her music and other recipes, Patti LaBelle's BBQ chicken certainly did not disappoint. This was my first time ever attempting to make my own barbecue sauce, and I will be using this recipe as a north star moving forward. The chicken was juicy, evenly cooked and made for a very quick dinner. The only thing missing was a slice of Patti’s Sweet Potato Pie or Classic Banana Pudding for dessert.
Courtesy of Dante Parker
Tips for Making Patti LaBelle’s BBQ Chicken
Add molasses. I would recommend you throw in a bit of that to the mix to give your sauce a depth of flavor and a hit of sweetness.
Take it to the grill. Skip the oven entirely and cook the chicken on the grill. This will help the skin get nice and crispy and add to the smokiness already provided by the liquid smoke.
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