Honey-smoked Chicken With Sweet Chile Sauce

Total Time: 3 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 whole chicken, cut into 4 pieces (breasts-wings or drumsticks-thighs)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste)
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Recipe

• 1 warm the butter gently in a small pan until melted. remove from the heat and add the honey and lemon juice, stirring well until completely combined. season with salt and pepper.
• 2 loosen the skin all over the chicken pieces and rub most of the honey mixture beneath it. rub the remainder on the outside. place on a large plate and cover with foil. refrigerate 2-4 hours. let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before smoking.
• 3 heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add the olive oil. add the garlic and sauté 1 minute. add the vinegar, sugar, sambal oelek, and ketchup and season with salt and pepper. stir well to dissolve the sugar.
• 4 bring to a simmer and cook 3 minutes. reduce the heat to low and whisk in the cornstarch. cook slowly until slightly thickened and syrupy, 7-8 minutes. transfer to a bowl and set aside until ready to use.
• 5 prepare a smoker or light a grill for off-heat cooking at medium-high heat, about 375° f. (if you’re using a charcoal grill, it’s okay for the temperature to fluctuate between 375° and 350° f as the coals cool.).
• 6 when the smoker/grill is ready, smoke the chicken, turning every 15-20 minutes during the first hour, then every 20 minutes, for about 1-1/4 hours total.
• 7 baste the chicken with the chile sauce a few times during the last 10 minutes of smoking. transfer to a platter and let rest 5 minutes.
• 8 serve hot, passing any remaining sauce at the table.