Raspberry Smoky Grilled Chicken: A Sweet, Smoky Summer Cookout Favorite
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Raspberry Smoky Grilled Chicken: A Sweet, Smoky Summer Cookout Favorite
Author: Andy LaPointe - Co-Founder of Traverse Bay Farms
- Total time: 40 minutes, plus optional 30-minute marinade
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
- Texture and flavor: juicy, charred chicken under a glossy sweet-and-smoky raspberry glaze
- Key ingredients: Traverse Bay Farms Red Raspberry BBQ Sauce, bone-in chicken
- Skill level: Easy
- Best occasion: Fourth of July and peak-season summer cookouts
Quick Summary
Raspberry Smoky Grilled Chicken leans on our award-winning Red Raspberry BBQ Sauce, which already brings bright berry flavor and mesquite smoke. Stir in a little chipotle (optional) for a deeper, warmer heat, brush it on late, and pull juicy, caramelized chicken off the grill. It is the sweet-and-smoky plate that makes a summer cookout feel special.
Prep and Yield
Total time: 40 minutes (plus optional 30-minute marinade)
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Skill level: Easy
Ingredients
- 3 to 3 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks (or a cut-up whole chicken)
- 3/4 cup Traverse Bay Farms Red Raspberry BBQ Sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional, for extra smoky depth)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons finely minced chipotle in adobo (optional)
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry and season all over with the salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and olive oil. For deeper flavor, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Heat the grill for two-zone cooking, about 400 degrees F on the direct side. Oil the grates well.
- Grill the chicken skin-side down over direct heat for 4 to 5 minutes until marked, then move to the cooler side. Cover and cook 15 to 18 minutes, turning once.
- Brush generously with the raspberry BBQ sauce glaze during the last 6 to 8 minutes, turning every couple of minutes so the sugars caramelize without burning.
- Cook until the thickest thigh reaches 175 degrees F and juices run clear. Rest 5 minutes, then brush with additional BBQ sauce and serve.
Chef's Tips
- Texture: hold the sauce until the final minutes so the fruit sugars caramelize into a glossy coat instead of scorching.
- Flavor boost: a splash more cider vinegar keeps the sweet-smoky glaze bright and balanced.
- Heat control: start with 1 teaspoon of chipotle (optional); you can always add more, but you cannot take it back out.
- Storage: keep extra BBQ sauce in the fridge and brush it on pork, salmon, or grilled vegetables within a week.
- Traverse Bay Farms tie-in: the Red Raspberry BBQ Sauce already carries mesquite smoke, so even a small amount of chipotle layers in warmth beautifully.
Nutritional Highlights
- Chicken is a naturally satisfying source of lean protein for a main dish.
- Raspberries are naturally a source of plant compounds that fit a normal, healthy lifestyle.
- Starting from a real-fruit BBQ sauce means the glaze skips artificial colors and high-fructose corn syrup.
- Grilling adds big flavor with very little added fat.
Behind the Recipe
Our Red Raspberry BBQ Sauce has always been a quiet favorite around here, the bottle people reach for when they want something a little different on the grill.
The reason it works is layering. The sauce brings sweetness, tang, and smoke already dialed in from years of national-award-winning batches, so the optional chipotle only has to add one thing: warmth and depth. Brushing it on late lets the natural sugars caramelize into a lacquered finish instead of burning, which is the whole trick to sweet-and-smoky grilling in Northern Michigan orchard country.
How to Serve
- Pile it on a platter with grilled corn and a crisp slaw for a classic cookout spread.
- Slice the thigh meat over a summer grain bowl with arugula, feta, and fresh raspberries.
- Tuck it into soft rolls with extra glaze for sticky raspberry chipotle chicken sandwiches.
- Serve with grilled vegetables drizzled with a little warmed Red Raspberry BBQ Sauce.
How to Store and Make Ahead
This recipe is easy to stage ahead of a busy grilling day. Cooked chicken reheats well for lunches all week.
Fridge: store cooked chicken in an airtight container up to 4 days.
Freezer: freeze cooked, glazed chicken up to 2 months; thaw overnight and warm gently to keep it juicy.
Shop the Traverse Bay Farms Products in This Recipe
The star here is our award-winning Red Raspberry BBQ Sauce, with real raspberries and mesquite smoke built right in. Want to try the same chipotle treatment on other sauces? Our Cherry BBQ Sauce and Apple BBQ Sauce both make excellent sweet-and-rich glazes too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Choose Traverse Bay Farms
- We ship nationwide, straight from our team to your door.
- Our Red Raspberry BBQ Sauce is made with real raspberries and mesquite smoke, no artificial colors.
- We are a family-owned brand rooted in Northern Michigan orchard country.
- Our sauces have earned national food awards for taste and quality.
What Customers Are Saying
"I added a little chipotle to the Raspberry BBQ Sauce for grilled chicken and it was the hit of our July party."
— Greg M., Cincinnati, OH
"The raspberry and smoke together are perfect. Sweet, a little heat, and that glossy glaze off the grill."
— Lisa D., Nashville, TN
Recipe by Traverse Bay Farms.
