Oven BBQ Chicken

Oven-Barbecued Chicken
Original recipe from Cooks Illustrated 5/2004
Modified by Denny Wayson

Real maple syrup is preferable to imitation syrup, and "mild" or "original" molasses is preferable to darker, more bitter types.

Serves 4

1 cup ketchup, use Measure all cup
2 tablespoons grated onion (about 1/4 large onion), use ultimate mandolin-grater
Measure the following using the Easy Adjustable Measuring Spoon, staring with the dry ingredients:
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (use less if you like less spice)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, easier to use if you buy the mustard in a squeeze bottle
3 tablespoons molasses, Recommended by Cooks Illustrated: GRANDMA'S
2 tablespoons maple syrup, Recommended by Cooks Illustrated Spring Tree Grade A
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 6 to 7 ounces each (with tenderloins), patted dry with paper towels
Table salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil


1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position, about 5 inches from upper heating element; heat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Place the ultimate mandolin and grate onion into a mason jar. Then add ketchup, chili powder, cayenne, onion, Worcestershire, mustard, molasses, maple syrup, vinegar and shake the jar. If you don't have a jar, place ingredients in bowl and whisk together using the Stainless Whisks; set aside. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
3. Heat 12-inch stainless skillet on high heat until you can feel the heat coming off the pan with your hand. Then add oil.
4. Brown chicken skinned-side down (where skin was) until very light golden, 2-3 minutes; using tongs, turn chicken using the Chef’s tongs and brown until very light golden on second side, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
5. Transfer chicken to plate and set aside. Discard fat in skillet; off heat, add sauce mixture to the 12-inch stainless skillet scraping the entire sauce mixture our of the bowl using the Mix ‘N Scraper and, using Bamboo beveled edge spatula, scrape up browned bits on bottom of skillet.
6. Simmer sauce over medium heat, stirring frequently with Mix ‘N Scraper until sauce is thick and glossy, and scraper leaves clear trail in sauce, about 4 minutes. Off heat, return chicken to skillet, and turn to coat thickly with sauce; set chicken pieces skinned-side up and spoon extra sauce over each piece to create thick coating using Mix ‘N Scraper.
7. Place skillet in oven and cook until thickest parts of chicken breasts register 130 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 10 to 14 minutes.
8. Set oven to broil and continue to cook until thickest parts of chicken breasts register 160 degrees, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven using Oven Mitt and keep the oven mitt on the handle to remind yourself that it’s hot.
9. Transfer chicken to Rectangle Platter and let rest 5 minutes. Meanwhile, use the Stainless Whisks to whisk to combine sauce in skillet and transfer to small bowl. Serve chicken, passing extra sauce separately.