Sweet and Smoky Chicken
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Summer’s finally here and it’s time for some serious grilling! This juicy and tender Sweet and Smoky Chicken is the perfect recipe to throw on the barbecue. It has a delicious marinade made with balsamic vinegar and spices and sweetened with both brown sugar and pure maple syrup. It’s easy to make and so delicious.
Ah, sweet summertime. Memorial weekend is upon us and with that, folks take to their backyards and barbecue grills. It is the official kick-off weekend of summer. I have lots of grilling recipes here on my site, but I am always excited to share a brand-new one, and this grilled chicken recipe is no exception. In fact – I am pumped! Because chicken is one of my favorite things to come off of the grill.
Sweet and Smoky Chicken
There’s nothing quite like the combination of sweet and smoky flavors as a chicken marinade. I’ve used balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and maple syrup along along with smoked paprika, garlic, and ginger for the most flavorful marinade you’ll find this summer season. Marinated for a few hours or overnight the chicken turns out soft, juicy, and super flavorful. Pair with Paisley Farm Five Bean Salad for the ultimate summertime meal.
This post is sponsored by Paisley Farm Foods, but my love of their products and my opinions are all my own!
Sweet Smoked Chicken
When the weather’s nice and warm, you don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen prepping so you need to bookmark this recipe. The chicken is quick and easy to prepare and opening a jar of Paisley Farm Five Bean salad to serve with the chicken is a no-brainer.
Paisley Farm has been my go-to for prepared bean salads. This Five Bean Salad is a sweet blend of green, kidney, garbanzo, pinto, and wax beans accented with freshly diced onions and red peppers. So simple yet so flavorful, this healthy and hearty bean salad goes with pretty much anything. I love this bean salad, not just for the taste, but because I know it’s loaded with plant-based protein and fiber. And, of course, best of all, there’s no prep required.
If you love this sweet and smoky chicken, you will love these chicken recipes too: Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Tenders, Sweet and Sticky Grilled Chicken, or this Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe.
Sweet and Smoky Chicken
If you are looking for a few healthy, easy-to-prepare meal options for barbecue season this recipe is a must. A healthy, made-from-scratch marinade does the work to add flavor to the chicken and all you need to do is keep a few jars of Paisley Farms Five Bean Salad on hand and you’ve got a great meal everyone is going to love.
Ingredients for Sweet and Smoky Chicken
For complete ingredients and instructions scroll to the bottom of this post for the full printable recipe.
- Chicken: I used boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe.
- Balsamic vinegar: Balsamic vinegar helps tenderize the chicken and it adds flavor.
- Sweeteners: I used a combination of pure maple syrup and brown sugar to add some sweetness to the marinade.
- Worcestershire sauce: Worcestershire sauce balances the sweetness in the marinade by adding a deep savory flavor.
- Garlic: I added a few cloves of freshly minced garlic.
- Spices: I added ground ginger powder and smoked paprika for even more great flavors. Season with a touch of black pepper and salt to taste.
Be sure to keep reading to find tips and tricks, substitutions, and answers to questions you may have about this sweet & smoky chicken recipe.
How to make this smoky chicken recipe
In just a few simple steps you can get this chicken dish on the table.
Combine the marinade ingredients in a small bowl, whisking until combined.
Place chicken breasts in a gallon-sized ziplock bag. Pour marinade over the top.
Massage the bag a bit making sure to rub chicken all over with the marinade. Place the bag in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Heat the grill to medium and place chicken breasts in a single layer on the grate. Close the lid. Cook for 6-8 minutes on one side, flip, and cook for 6-8 minutes on the other side. Cooking time will vary based on the thickness of your chicken. My chicken breasts were one pound each.
Pour the sweet and smoky chicken marinade into a small saucepan and heat it on the stove until bubbling.
Brush the heated marinade over the chicken flipping after a minute or two and cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve hot.
Leftover smoky chicken will keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. It’s great on a salad for lunch! Leftovers can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave or the oven.
Love it? Pin it!
If you love this smoky & sweet chicken recipe, make sure you don’t lose it! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go!
Substitutions
Remember that when it comes to making substitutions in recipes, you don’t need to be afraid to get creative and use ingredients that suit your personal taste and dietary preferences. Make it your own!
- Prepare this chicken recipe on a Traeger grill for that true pellet grill smoked flavor. But a charcoal grill or gas grill works perfectly. Note the amount of time to cook will vary by cooking method.
- Use white pepper in place of the black pepper to add more smoke taste.
- Use chicken thighs or bone-in whole chicken instead of the breasts. Watch the cooking time as it will be different than if you are using boneless skinless chicken breasts like I have here.
Paisley Farm Five Bean Salad
My friends at Paisley Farm Foods and I are on the same page when it comes to bringing you delicious homecooked meals, without the fuss. Foods with wholesome ingredients that you can feel good about feeding your family.
This Grilled Chicken recipe is a quick and easy meal especially when served with a nutritious side of Paisley Farm Five Bean Salad! Simply open a jar, pour it into a bowl, and serve. It is the perfect side dish on busy weeknights or lazy weekends.
FAQs about sweet smoked chicken
- What is the best way to store raw chicken? Raw chicken should be stored in an airtight container or tightly wrapped at the bottom of the fridge. You don’t want any of the chicken juices to leak out onto the other food.
- Do you have to wash the chicken before cooking it? No, there is no need to wash chicken before you cook with it.
- How do you know if the chicken is cooked properly? The best way to confirm if chicken is cooked thoroughly is to use a meat thermometer. Cooked chicken should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Note it is unsafe to eat chicken that isn’t completely cooked.
Tips & Tricks
- Make a double or triple batch of the marinade so you’ve got it ready to go.
- For a deeper smoky flavor add a few drops of liquid smoke to the marinade.
- Coat or spray your grill with olive oil for easier cleanup.
- The best way to get a deep flavor is to allow the chicken ample time to marinate so don’t compromise here. Aim for at least 3 hours.
- Keep a few jars of Paisley Five Bean Salad on hand for a quick, easy, and healthy side any time.
More Recipes to Love
It’s barbecue season and I’ve got loads of recipes for you to choose from. If you are looking for a burger option this Turkey Reuben Burger, these BBQ Pork Ribs, or this Sweet & Spicy Bacon Wrapped Chicken are all good options. If you want some sides to pair with your grilled meal, this Homemade Potato Salad always goes over well as does this Copycat KFC Cole Slaw. Don’t forget to try my Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe, too!
REASONS TO LOVE PAISLEY FARM FIVE BEAN SALAD
Paisley Farm Five Bean Salad is low-calorie, healthy, dairy-free, gluten-free, and has plant-based protein, too, containing one of the top plant-based protein sources, chickpeas (garbanzo beans.) The salad contains a blend of green, kidney, garbanzo, pinto, and wax beans accented with freshly diced onions and red peppers.
They have a sweet pickled taste straight from the jar, but that didn’t mean they weren’t fantastic as an additive to this Five Bean Ham & Rice Salad or my Creamy Mexican Hot Taco Dip!
See ALL of my Paisley Farm Recipes
You can pick up delicious Paisley Farm Five Bean Salad at Costco, Sam’s Club, Kroger Stores, Sprouts, Fresh Market, and these other fine retailers. Check out all of their other fabulous products by visiting their website. Follow Paisley Farm on their social media for great recipes all year long: FaceBook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.
This Sweet and Smoky Chicken is perfect for summertime grilling, paired with my favorite Paisley Five Bean Salad you’ve got the perfect meal.
Sweet & Smoky Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds bonless skinless chicken breast meat
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cloves fresh minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 2 teaspoons smoky paprika
Instructions
- Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl, whisking until combined.
- Place chicken breasts in a gallon-sized ziplock bag. Pour marinade over the top. Massage the bag a bit making sure to coat the chicken. Place the bag in the freezer for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Heat grill to medium and place chicken breasts on the grate. Close the lid. Cook for 6-8 minutes on one side, flip, and cook for 6-8 minutes on the other side. Cooking time will vary based on the thickness of your chicken.
- Pour the marinade into a small saucepan and heat it on the stove until bubbling.
- Brush the heated marinade over the chicken flipping after a minute or two and cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
My chicken turned out to be so tender and delicious!! We loved the combination of the balsamic vinegar and maple syrup – it gave it such a nice savory-sweet flavor!
Wow, I’m so glad I found this recipe! Looks yummy and easy to make. Thanks for sharing!
This smoky chicken had just the right amount of sweet! Delicious!!!
Okay, this marinade is delish. So easy to make this chicken recipe!
The flavors are incredible and the marinade really takes it to the next level. The combination of the sweet and smoky flavors was absolutely mouth-watering. I highly recommend trying this recipe!
Thank you!!
This chicken was so good!! Full of flavor and turned out juicy!!
This chicken is packed with full of flavors. Thanks a lot for the recipe.
I love how easy this recipe is. The marinade was so flavorful & loved the addition of the balsamic vinegar.
The chicken was too good, Amazing Recipe.
Hi Michaela
I don’t have a grill- canI do it on a G. Forman grill or oven? It looks really yummy
A George Forman would work great!