This Grilled Cherry Chicken is super easy to make, and the thick sauce just sticks to the chicken, making it easy to brush on. Add a touch of Bourbon for an extra sweet and complex flavor.
Heat oil in pan and sauté onions and garlic until the onions become translucent. This should take three or four minutes.
Add honey, brown sugar and ketchup and bring it to a boil
Add bourbon slowly
Add cherries, reduce heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes
Blend the Sauce
Remove from the heat and allow to fully cool. Sauce will thicken as it cools.
Add the sauce in a blender and mix well. Don't mix when the sauce is hot. Definitely let it cool.
Add the sauce to jars and store in refrigerator for one week. Alternatively, this sauce freezes extremely well in a freezer safe Ziploc bag.
Grill the Cherry Chicken
Heat grill to 375 degrees on direct heat
Mix salt, pepper and a little olive oil on chicken and place on the grill. Grill for 5-7 minutes each side.
On the second side, start to brush the sauce a little at a time. Allow the sauce to heat a little bit while it is on the grill so it sticks to the chicken and doesn't run off. This allows you to add more and more to get that thick coating.
Check internal temperature and remove when it reaches 165 degrees
Add extra sauce after it comes off the grill as desired
Notes
Meal Prep/Make Ahead: Make the sauce a day or two early so you just have to grill the chicken for your cookout. This will make this one go so fast with the added bonus of a delicious homemade bbq sauce. Variations: Add in a splash or two or Worcestershire sauce. Another traditional add in for bbq sauce would be yellow mustard - add in a tsp at first and taste test it. Adding in liquid smoke will make this one smoky, obviously. If you like a little bit of heat, add in a pinch of red chili flakes. Any of these variations will allow you to mix up your sauce so it's new all over again. Temperature Check: Always cook chicken to 165 degrees. Make sure to make sure the temperature stick does not touch the bone as it will give an inaccurate reading. Tent Chicken: Always try to allow time to bring the chicken inside and cover with a tent of foil to allow all off the juices to settle and remain inside the chicken and not run out which will leave your chicken dry.