
The leg quarter may not be the sexiest part of the bird and is often overlooked, but it will feed a crowd and they are cheap. They are also very forgiving to cook, which is why most competition cooks turn in chicken thighs. To finish off this leg quarters recipe you can use regular barbecue sauce, but we recommend giving the Alabama Sauce a try. It’s not the most beautiful chicken, but it tastes fantastic!
Giving Love to the Whole Chicken
Cooks tend to forget that chicken legs can be the unexpected star of any picnic or dinner party. All it takes is a smoker, a recipe like this one for Alabama chicken leg quarters and a smoker grill. In fact, your guests might assume that you spent all day preparing the meal because Alabama chicken looks so doggone good.
Remember — this Alabama chicken recipe can be used on other parts of the chicken, too. Heck, you could even modify it to smoke an entire chicken. Just butterfly the chicken first for an exciting presentation. And if you find chicken at an ultra-low price at the grocery store, why not go crazy and smoke a couple?
The more you play around with this basic recipe, the more your creative juices will start to run wild. Who knows? You may just have to try Alabama turkey one of these Thanksgivings!
Serving Partners for Alabama Grilled Chicken
Unless you’re solely a meat person, you’ll want a few sides to accompany your Alabama chicken leg quarters. Some favorites include:
- Salads: Any type of salad, from mayonnaise-based to tossed greens, brings a contrasting lightness of flavors to the table.
- Baked potatoes: Looking for something a little heartier to serve alongside Alabama grilled chicken? Wrap a few russet potatoes in foil and toss them on the smoker until they’re soft inside.
- Mashed sweet potatoes: You haven’t tried heaven until you bite into some mashed sweet potatoes and then dive into a piece of Alabama grilled chicken. Expect a burst of flavors as the tangy chicken meets the sweetness of a spud.
- Southern cooked greens: Choose from collards, kale or just about any type of old-fashioned green that just begs to be boiled or steamed. Top with a bit of olive oil, sea salt and pepper.
- Cornbread: Something dessert-like on your mind? Whip up homemade cornbread as a buddy for your Alabama grilled chicken leg quarters.
Of course, you can always create your favorite go-to dishes on your Grilla Grill smoker. Experiment with a few choices and see what your crowd loves best.