Apple Butter Chicken Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Apple Butter Chicken Recipe

This recipe will guide you on how to make a sweet and savory apple butter bbq sauce and how to cook the chicken for the ultimate apple butter chicken! We grilled our chicken first to infuse a smoke flavor, then finished off by baking. Baking times will vary based on chicken size:

2½- to 3-pound chicken: Roast 1 to 1¼ hours

3½- to 4-pound chicken: Roast 1¼ to 1½ hours

4½- to 5-pound chicken: Roast 1¾ to 2 hours

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 15

Apple Butter BBQ Sauce15

Total Time1 45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 679kcal

Author: Ebony Robinson

Ingredients

Chicken Rub Seasoning

1 Whole Chicken
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Adobo All Purpose
1 tsp Apple Spice
1/2 tsp Ground Thyme
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Ground Pepper

Apple Butter BBQ Sauce

2 tbsp Butter
1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
1 cup Apple Butter
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1/4 tsp Mustard Powder
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Ketchup
1 tbsp Honey
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp Liquid Hickory Smoke
Salt & Pepper to taste

Baking Ingredients

1/2 cup Chicken Broth

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Chicken Prep

Take a small sauce pan over lower medium heat, and combine all ingredients listed above in the "Apple Butter BBQ Sauce" to create an apple butter bbq sauce. Whisk until combined, turn off heat and set aside.
Take a small bowl, measure and combine chicken rub ingredients into one bowl: garlic powder, onion powder, adobo all purpose seasoning, apple spice, thyme, nutmeg, and ground pepper. Set aside.
If you brined your chicken, remove chicken from brine, pat dry, and apply chicken rub ingredients listed above. If chicken is not brined, wash and clean chicken, pat dry, and apply chicken rub.

Chicken Cooking Instructions

Pre-grill chicken to infuse a smokey flavor. Sear and grill each side of the whole chicken (7-8 minutes per side). Close the grill lid during the grilling process to ensure smoke flavors penetrate chicken. Remove chicken from grill after 15 minutes, and place inside of a baking dish.
Preheat oven to 375 F degrees (190 C). Take a basting brush, sauce and apply bbq apple butter all over grilled chicken. Once chicken is fully covered in the apple butter bbq sauce, pour around 1/2 cup of chicken broth into the corner of baking dish (or enough to slightly cover the base of the dish). This will allow the chicken to steam while baking. Cover dish with foil and bake for 1 hour (more or less depending on the size of chicken pieces). Bake chicken until an internal temperature of 165 F (74 C) is achieved. BONUS TIP: If you want a nice glaze finish, remove foil and broil the top of your chicken for a few minutes on the top rack at 500 F (260 C).
Once chicken reaches the desired temperature, remove from oven, remove foil, and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes. If you have a spatchcock or whole chicken, carve the chicken starting with the legs, then the breast. Follow the natural joints for easier carving. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition