Pecan BBQ Chicken is a simple grilled chicken recipe that is knock your socks off delicious. Half chickens are brined and grilled with hardwood smoke. We finish it off with a delicious pecan bbq sauce for an epic chicken dinner.

Grilled Half Chickens are an easy way to cook chicken on the grill. This method is simple and turns out tender, juicy and full of delicious flavors.

You’ll also love our Butterflied Chicken Legs and BBQ Chicken Thighs for a quick meal.

Ingredients for Pecan BBQ Chicken:

For the Brine:

Water
Kosher Salt
Sugar
Ice
Fresh Garlic
Fresh Lemon
Black Pepper

For the Chicken:

Whole Chicken
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
Sweet and Tangy BBQ Sauce
Toasted Pecans

How to Brine Chicken:

Mix hot water with kosher salt and sugar until dissolved. Stir in ice and cold water until ice is melted to cool down the brine.
Add fresh garlic and squeeze the lemon into the brine. Add black pepper and stir well.
Lower the chicken into the brine. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour and up to 8 hours.
Drain chicken and discard the brine.
We also love this spicy chicken brine for whole chickens or pieces.

Make the Pecan BBQ Sauce:

Finely dice toasted pecans.
Stir into sweet and tangy bbq sauce or your favorite bbq sauce.

How to Grill Pecan BBQ Chicken:

Prepare a grill fire to 350° using pecan or hickory for smoke flavor.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels.
Using poultry shears, cut down the breast bone and the back bone, cutting the chicken in half. The backbone can be removed if desired or leave it intact to use the carcasses to make homemade chicken broth.

Spray with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place chicken over indirect fire and cook with the with the grill closed, keeping the temperature between 325° and 350°.

After cooking for about 45 minutes, check internal temperature using a digital thermometer. When chicken reaches about 155°, slather with pecan bbq sauce.

Continue cooking until internal temperature reaches 165° near the thick part of the thigh.

Remove from the grill and allow to rest about 10 minutes before serving.

How to Store and Reheat:

Remove chicken from the bones. Dice chicken and store in an airtight deli containers in the refrigerator up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Reheat in a skillet with additional bbq sauce over medium heat stirring until heated through.

Grilled chicken makes great salads, soups, sandwiches and casseroles. It’s one of our favorite meal prep recipes to make easy weeknight dinners.

MORE GRILLED CHICKEN RECIPES:

Pecan BBQ Chicken is a flavorful and delicious chicken dinner that the whole family will love. The smoky grilled chicken topped with sweet and savory pecan bbq sauce is an unbeatable flavor combination and will definitely get you out of a dinner rut.

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