Powderpuff Barbecued Chicken Breasts

Total Time: 1 hr 16 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 16 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 tablespoons celery salt
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
• 6 bone-in chicken breast halves, with skin
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• barbecue sauce, your favorite
• 2 cups wood chips, soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drained (preferably apple)

Recipe

• 1 make the rub: combine celery salt, paprika, garlic powder, and pepper in a small bowl; stir to mix (using you fingers works well).
• 2 trim any sinews or excess fat off the chicken breasts and discard.
• 3 rinse breasts under cold running water, then drain and blot dry with paper towels.
• 4 place them in a baking dish; sprinkle with rub all over the chicken breasts on both sides, patting it onto the meat with your fingertips; let the breasts cure in the refrigerator, covered, for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• 5 set up grill for direct grilling using a two-zone fire and preheat one zone to medium and the other to low (two-zone=preheat half or two out of three burners to medium and the rest on low).
• 6 for gas grill—place all the wood chips in the smoker box and run the grill on high until you see smoke, then reduce heat to medium.
• 7 when ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate; place the chicken breasts, skin side down, over the medium zone of the grill; grill until golden brown and cooked through, 6-8 minutes per side or until done.
• 8 lightly baste the chicken breasts with the melted butter as they cook, but don’t start until each breast has cooked for 3 minutes on each side.
• 9 move the chicken over to the low zone of the grill if the dripping fat causes flare-ups.
• 10 transfer the grilled chicken breasts to a platter and drizzle any remaining melted butter over them.
• 11 serve with barbecue sauce on the side.