An exceptional chicken dish. I changed the cooking tech a bit, basically just grilling the chicken. First I rubbed a bit of olive oil on the chicken, then the rub... then grilled it over a fairly low fire. Basted the chicken with some of the sauce after the first flip, then a few flips later, always basting, it was done beautifully. Ate it with more sauce. Really great. I'll use leftovers to make the sandwiches tomorrow. A classic.
Alabama-Style Chicken Sandwiches with White Sauce
What distinguishes this dish is a creamy sauce that bastes and dresses the chicken. This recipe first appeared in our June/July 2011 BBQ issue along with our story Classic 'Cues.
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Credit: Todd Coleman
SERVES 8
2 cups mayonnaise
½ cup prepared horseradish
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 tbsp. ground black pepper, plus more to taste
½ tsp. cayenne
2¼ tsp. sweet paprika
1½ tsp. garlic powder
¾ tsp. celery seeds
¼ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. ground coriander
1 4-lb. chicken, spatchcocked (see Barbecue 101) or quartered
8 white hamburger buns Dill pickle chips, for serving
1. In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, horseradish, vinegar, sugar, 3 tsp. salt, 1½ tsp. pepper, and cayenne. Place half sauce in another bowl; set one aside for basting and one for serving. Mix remaining salt and pepper with paprika, garlic powder, celery seeds, cumin, and coriander in a bowl; set rub aside.
2. Prepare your grill using the kettle grill, bullet smoker, or gas grill method, (see links for instructions) using apple wood chunks or chips (see Fuel and Flavor). Season chicken with the rub mixture, and place it, skin side up, on grill grate. Maintaining a temperature of 225°-250° (if using a kettle grill or bullet smoker, replenish fire with unlit coals, as needed, to maintain temperature; see instructions), cook, turning once and basting chicken with sauce every 20 minutes, until a thermometer inserted in the thigh (not touching the bone) reads 175°, about 1½ hours. Remove chicken from grill; let rest, covered loosely with foil, for 10 minutes.
3. Shred the chicken meat with forks and discard bones and skin. Divide chicken among buns and top with remaining sauce and pickle chips.
Ratings & Reviews (13)
This recipe is fantastic! We used smoked paprika instead of sweet, but that was the only substitution. It took a little over two hours to cook on the grill instead of the one and a half. The chicken was moist and the flavor was excellent, love the spice rub. The sauce was also very very good, rich, tangy and a tiny bit spicy.
A nice mayo based sauce, great for a cold pasta salad with or without chicken. It is almost ceasar like. I'd make it again. Skip the use on the chicken; just buy a precooked one from your grocer and shred it at home.
I recently bought an electric smoker and decided to try this recipe for a large backyard BBQ party yesterday. I smoked 10 large bone-in breasts and six legs. I didn't use the recipe's rub since I had extra rub from making pulled pork and used that up. But I did baste with the white sauce and then removed the skin and shredded the chicken. Served the white sauce on the side and it was the surprise hit of the party! Every shred of chicken was gone. I put out white hamburger buns along with pickle chips, jalapenos, and chow chow relish and guests made their own sandwiches. I will definitely be making this again. Delicious!
watch this video for making method on this video http://bit.ly/jsrvfz
I've heard raves about Alabama-style bbq chicken, so I was very excited to try this recipe. I followed it exactly, except for having a larger bird that required a longer cooking time. Flavor-wise, I thought it was okay, but not something I'd bother making again.
I'm updating my review. After the leftover shredded chicken sat in the sauce for a couple days in the refrigerator, I decided to make a sandwich with it. The flavor, combined with the dill pickle slices, made for a very, very good cold chicken salad that I would make again.
Saveur won't let me upgrade my three stars to four or five stars.
Recipe looks great, but I must say, I was born and raised in AL (27 years) and have never, until just now, heard of "Alabama-Style Chicken Sandwiches" ;)
Very tasty sauce, though with one reservation. WAY to salty. I'll add at most 1 teaspoon of salt next time I make it, if any. I used smoked paprika because I didn't have any sweet on hand so my sauce turned out quite red, and smokey, neither did I mind. :-) Overall a good recipe, I will make it again with a few adjustments.
My mistake, just re-read the recipe and I put the paprika in the sauce, as it was not supposed to be in there, but in the rub. Ooooppppssss. :-) I also did add 4 teaspoons of salt, instead of the 3 called for. I'd still add only 1 and take it from there. Also, I made coleslaw and added them on top of the sandwiches, as well as bought a roasted chicken from the grocery store because I worked today, and get home too late to cook for hours. Overall an excellent dish, which I WILL make again!
Yup, good, but I had high expectations. wouldn't make again
Surprisingly good! I'm not a big mayonaise person, but this sandwich had me wanting to make it again (which I did a month later). Highly recommend!
Alabama-Style Chicken Sandwiches with White Sauce
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