Hickory BBQ Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 each boneless skinless chicken thighs, drumsticks, and boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Hickory BBQ Rub
• 1 cup salt
• 3/4 cup honey
• 2 cups hot apple cider vinegar
• 1 pound ice
• 1 cup homemade barbecue sauce (bottled barbecue sauce has too much sugar)
• Hickory wood chips

Equipment

• 2 probe thermometers

Procedure

1. Combine salt, honey, and vinegar in a gallon size zip-top bag until salt has dissolved. Add ice and shake until ice is almost completely melted and mixture has cooled down. Insert chicken pieces and refrigerate 1 1/2-2 hours, turning once.
2. Place a good amount of hickory chips in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Place a roasting rack in that pan. Set aside.
3. Drain chicken and discard mixture. Pat dry with paper towels and season chicken liberally on both sides with rub. Gently pat into meat and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (more rub will stick if you wear gloves).
4. Toss chicken pieces in barbecue sauce. Place on the prepared roasting pan and insert 1 probe thermometer into one of the breasts and one into the thighs. Bake in the center of a 375 degree F oven until both the thigh and the breast's internal temperature reach 165 degrees F.
5. Bring remaining sauce to a boil in a large saucepan over medium high heat for 5 minutes. Set aside.
6. Remove and cover with aluminum foil. Let rest 10 minutes. Serve warm with remaining sauce.