I love traditional American barbecued chicken and its sticky, sweet sauce. I wanted to give this version a taste of summer, so I prepared a peachy mustard marinade to tenderize and flavor the chicken. Both peach nectar and fresh peaches are added to the marinade for a fruity layer of flavor. You’ll have some peach barbecue sauce leftover; save it to add to a dressing of your choice and turn leftover chicken into a fabulous salad.
This chicken is first marinated and then tightly covered and baked — almost steamed. Right before serving, the chicken is barbecued to turn the skin crisp and golden brown.
You can start this dish in the morning, refrigerate the chicken and then grill just before serving. Remember to bring the chicken back to room temperature before grilling it. By baking the chicken ahead of time, it will take less time to finish cooking on the grill and be extra juicy.
This is a great recipe for a picnic if a grill is available. Serve the chicken with corn on the cob, or a corn and tomato salad, and a cold beer or rosé to drink.