Summertime grilling is all about low stress and high deliciousness. This Grilled Bourbon Chicken with peaches is a light, slightly sweet, summery dish that's just right to feed hungry crowds at your next barbecue.
Grilling season is here!
Summertime eating for our family means lighter meals packed with fresh seasonal fruits and veggies that are easy and fast to put together.
This Grilled Bourbon Chicken recipe is just the thing to serve up to friends and family for summer picnics, and really, any outdoor entertaining occasion.
The chicken in this grilled bourbon chicken
If you follow this blog regularly, you know how much I adore Draper Valley Farms products. Based in the Pacific Northwest, this local producer honestly makes some of the tastiest chicken I've ever cooked with. Their RANGER® chickens are raised Free Range without antibiotics, are 100% vegetarian fed, and contain no hormones or steroids. It makes a difference! The chicken is always tender and soaks up the flavors of any sauce, marinade, or rub beautifully.
For this Grilled Bourbon Chicken recipe, I used Draper Valley Farms RANGER® Drumsticks and Party Wings. When serving a crowd, I like to try to serve at least two different cuts of meat, so guests can choose which cut part of the chicken they prefer. Personally, I prefer wings; my husband prefers drumsticks. You can also easily double this recipe to feed a larger crowd - just be sure to adjust your grill time.
The peach bourbon marinade
Peaches are the cream of the crop for many of you across the country during the summer, and I have a thing for peaches and bourbon together. It's just a lovely combo of summery sweetness from the peaches and caramel goodness from the bourbon.
You can mix the marinade up in a big bowl to marinade the chicken. Or, you can do what I did here and lay the chicken pieces out flat in a large glass baking dish, then pour the marinade evenly over the chicken.
FLAVOR NOTE: You can add spices like nutmeg and paprika to make this sauce less sweet and more of a balanced smoky/sweet sauce. I like the sweetness of this sauce for wings and drumsticks, but would probably add spices if I were grilling larger cuts of meat, such as chicken breasts or thighs.
Chicken grilling tips
To make this delicious grilled bourbon chicken, place the wings and drumsticks on a greased or nonstick foil in the top rack of your grill. Active grill time should be about 30 minutes; flip and baste with reserve marinade halfway through.
Watch the chicken carefully after about 25 minutes; the total time will depend on your particular grill.
Also: the wings will likely be done before the drumsticks, and so watch those carefully and remove when a meat thermometer reads the internal temperature of the wings at about 165 degrees. The drumsticks should be done at about 175 degrees.
These Grilled Bourbon Chicken wings and drumsticks are:
- perfect finger foods for outdoor picnics and parties
- tender and moist
- sweet with summer flavors
- an excellent main dish that can go with a wide variety of side dishes
Grilled bourbon chicken sides
For this grilled bourbon chicken dish, I would suggest pairing it with sides that are similar in lightness and seasonal freshness. Dishes like:
- fresh strawberries, peaches, grapes
- butter lettuce salad with carrot curls
- simple grilled butter carrots
- grilled corn on the cob with a lime cilantro butter
What wine goes with grilled bourbon chicken?
A stainless steel Chardonnay would pair well with this grilled bourbon chicken dish. The Stoller Dundee Hills Chardonnay ($25) has hints of summer peach and nectarine, which help bring out the peach bourbon flavors of the chicken. It's a nice, crisp white wine with low residual sugar that drinks beautifully on a hot summer day.
Grilled bourbon chicken recipe
Grilled Bourbon Chicken with Peaches
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken wings
- 1 pound chicken drummettes
- ⅓ cup bourbon
- 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup honey
- 3 large yellow peaches peeled, pitted, and diced
- 1 Tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic about 2 medium garlic cloves, or 1 large + 1 small garlic clove
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- salt + pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a blender, puree together the bourbon, apple cider vinegar, honey, and diced peaches until well blended.
- Pour pureed bourbon peach mixture into an extra large plastic bag and add the minced ginger and garlic. Mix together, then pour about ¼ cup of the marinade into a separate bowl and set aside.
- Add chicken to the bag, seal, and gently shake and move the bag to coat all of the chicken pieces. You can then either refrigerate the entire bag to marinate the chicken, or you can pour everything out into a big bowl or a glass baking pan. I prefer to do the later because it's easier to ensure the chicken gets evenly coated and turned. Refrigerate the marinating chicken for at least 30 minutes, and up to 2 hours.
- Remove chicken from refrigerator and heat up your grill to 450 degrees.
- Spray foil with cooking spray, place foil onto the top rack of your grill, and place chicken evenly. You may need to grill in batches, depending on the size of your grill.
- Grill for about 15 minutes, turn over, and baste with reserve marinadee. Grill for another 15-20 minutes, or until chicken is completely cooked and at 175 degrees.
- Let rest for 5-10 minutes then serve.
Notes
-Remember to watch the grill time after about 20-25 minutes. Some grills will cook wings and drumsticks at 30 minutes, while others may take up to 45 minutes total.
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
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This post is sponsored by Draper Valley Farms. As always, all opinions, recipes, and photos are my own.
Husnain says
It is really amazing
Joseph Parker says
Thanks for sharing this post with us. I am little bit interested to get more information about bbq recipices. I like to share my opinion on bbq recpices .Barbecue is as much a part culture today, as it was in those long ago days of the old West, with the best BBQ recipes still being guarded like gold.
Ronnie Stokes says
It's a really beautiful and delicious food recipe. I like your recipe. Thank you for share such a delicious food recipe.
Rosa Mitchell says
Wow, so many fantastic recipes. They all look so wonderful. I am so very grateful to have found you and your blog, keep the recipes coming! Always, I will try to make the delicious food. Thanks for sharing your experience I always like to read health tips and food recipe. Seriously thank you for all this awesomeness!