Zesty Orange Barbecued Chicken

This barbecued chicken gets its signature flavor from an overnight bath in orange juice concentrate and teriyaki sauce. The concentrate is the key: it’s not diluted, so that intense, syrupy orange flavor clings to the chicken and caramelizes into a sticky, burnished glaze on the grill.

The marinade needs just 10 minutes to let the minced onion, garlic powder, and parsley bloom before the chicken goes in. Then everything seals into a plastic bag overnight, which means every piece gets equal contact with the sauce as you flip the bag occasionally. Eight hours of marinating gives the teriyaki and citrus time to deeply penetrate the meat.

Basting only during the last 15 minutes is a smart call. Sugar in the orange juice and teriyaki burns easily over hot coals, so you want the chicken mostly cooked through before layering on that final sticky glaze. The result is charred edges with a sweet-savory crust and juicy, deeply flavored meat underneath.

Pro Tips

• Use thawed frozen concentrate, not regular OJ. The undiluted concentrate is three times more flavorful and clings to the chicken better than regular juice would.
• Press all air out of the bag before sealing. The marinade needs full contact with every surface of the chicken for even flavor.
• Grill 6 to 8 inches from the coals. This is not a direct-heat sear. You need distance to cook chicken through without charring the sugary marinade black.
• Only baste during the last 15 minutes. Earlier basting wastes marinade and creates flare-ups from the dripping sugar.

Variations

• Add a splash of hot sauce to the marinade for a sweet-heat combination.
• Pineapple version: Swap orange concentrate for pineapple juice concentrate and add a pinch of ground ginger for a tropical twist.
• Oven backup: Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 40 to 45 minutes, basting with the marinade during the last 15 minutes, if grilling isn’t an option.