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ALABAMA WHITE SAUCE CHICKEN is a quick, flavorful grilled chicken that has two types of barbecue – a dry rub and a white barbecue sauce! So much flavor packed in these juicy chicken breasts!
Grilled chicken is a must for us, all summer long and you know we don’t want boring chicken around here! This sauce for grilled chicken seriously makes for the best summer meal!
Ever heard of Alabama White Sauce before? It’s a type of barbecue sauce, but instead of being tomato based, it’s mayo based!
And no, friends. It’s not ranch dressing. Someone inevitably LOOKS at it and thinks that. But when you TASTE it, you’ll see the differences.
This goes great with our crock pot corn on the cob or some ramen salad!
Make the white sauce first:
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Alabama White Sauce has a handful of ingredients, but they mix together quickly and easily.
Put the buttermilk, mayo, yellow mustard and vinegar in your bowl and stir them all together. Feeling fancy? Try this with homemade mayonnaise!
Now add your pepper, salt, sugar, and garlic salt and stir again.
Boom, your sauce is done! Now put it in one of your mason jars or cover the bowl and put it in the fridge while you start working on the chicken. Full sauce recipe at the link above or down in the recipe card!
How to cook the chicken
As always preheat your grill. In this case try to get it up to 400 degrees F.
Now but a barbecue dry rub on your chicken. We highly recommend using our barbecue dry rub. It’s so simple to throw together.
Just rub the seasoning all over the chicken. You want to coat it good.
Place your chicken on the grill and cook for 3 minutes, then flip.
Once you’ve flipped the chicken, you’ll brush it with a bit of the white sauce.
Keep cooking, flipping, and basting every 2-3 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
You can tell the chicken is done when the internal temp is 165 deg F. I find this thermopen super easy to use.
Recipe Hacks
You can mix all your sauce ingredients directly in the jar if you are careful while stirring. No need to mix them in a bowl first.
Use a store bought dry rub if you’re in a rush.
If you don’t have buttermilk, regular milk will work fine, just add an extra splash of vinegar.
We haven’t tried using Miracle Whip in place of mayo, but I think it’d work. Just skip the sugar in the recipe.
Helpful Tip!
Alabama Chicken Tips
- Be sure to pour just enough white sauce to baste the chicken into a separate jar or bowl for basting, so as not to contaminate the entire container of white sauce with raw chicken.
- Chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- This makes the perfect sauce for grilled chicken, but it’s also delicious drizzled over pulled pork or for dipping French fries.
More grilled chicken recipes:
Need some other tasty chicken recipes?
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad
- Chicken and Dumplings
- Chicken Spaghetti
- Oven Fried Chicken Strips
- Buffalo Chicken Burgers with Ranch Slaw
Alabama White Sauce Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
For the white sauce:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
For the chicken:
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup barbecue dry rub
Instructions
- To prepare the white sauce, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl or mason jar. Stir to combine and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.
- To make the chicken, preheat the grill to 400 degrees.
- Coat the chicken in the barbecue dry rub. Place the chicken on the grill and cook for 3 minutes.
- Turn and brush with the white sauce. Cook for 3 more minutes. Turn and brush with the sauce again.
- Continue turning and coating every 3 minutes until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes total.
- Serve the extra sauce on the side.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This recipe was originally published in June 2014. It was updated with new photos in May 2020.
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says
I don’t think I’ve ever had white BBQ sauce, but it sounds like it ha to be good.
Yolanda says
Well, your post about kids growing up has really hit home today. My oldest son has just told me that he will be moving out very soon. He isn’t moving far, but it hurts like crazy. I feel like someone cut my heart out and then ran over it while it was still beating. Life will never be the same. I will make him this chicken, and see if he will come home to eat.
Karly says
@Yolanda,
Hang in there, mama!
Maggie Martin says
YO Yolanda! You will get tired of him coming home to eat and then bringing friends, roommates. even a fiancé! then your grandkids!!! Ask me how I know this…my twins are 53 and I am still feeding them, but I love it !!
Maggie
Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps says
I’ve never heard of Alabama barbecue sauce! I’m from KC so we don’t see much variety in our barbecue sauce other than a few different ingredients in each version, so I’ve got to try this!
Arthur in the Garden! says
Yummy! That looks good!
Matt Robinson says
That sauce! Wow. These look amazing Karly.
Kellie Murray says
My apartments don’t allow us to have bbq grills…yes I know , it’s absurd….how could I cook this in the oven?
Karly says
@Kellie Murray,
I’d cook in a 400 degree oven. Spice the chicken, add to a rimmed baking dish, and cover in the sauce. Cook 25 minutes or until cooked through, maybe basting with sauce halfway through? I haven’t done that myself, but that’s how I’d try it. You could also cook it in a skillet or on an indoor grill. 🙂
mimi says
Parenting is hard. And I have 28 and 30 year old kids! It never ends!!! I’ve never heard of this recipe ever, and I’m so excited to make it. I love the mix of the spiciness and the creaminess. Thanks!!!
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says
Now I am going to be thinking about this chicken all day. That sauce looks incredible!
Chelsea @chelseasmessyapron says
I can never have enough chicken dishes. And this is another winner of course! I can’t wait to try it Karly 🙂 Pinned!
Melanie @ Carmel Moments says
Wow. Just wow! I can’t even begin to describe how much I now want chicken for breakfast. So weird.
Pinned.
Have a beautiful Monday Karly!
Karly says
@Melanie @ Carmel Moments,
Weird, but delicious!
Ashton says
omg, where has this been my entire life?!?! It looks absolutely frigging incredible, and I want it NOW for breakfast!! Totally pinned, and I can’t wait to make!
Also— I think you are very brave and non-helicoptery for sending your kids to another movies. And you are SO not crazy for getting all freaked out! I watch too many creepy crime shows to ever not freak out when I get separated from mine!
Karly says
@Ashton,
Thanks! I’m not usually called brave. 😉
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
I’m totally intrigued by your sauce! I need to give it a try
Karly says
@Rachel @ Baked by Rachel,
Hope you do! It’s so good!
Chloe @ foodlikecake says
This chicken looks amazing!
Karly says
@Chloe @ foodlikecake,
Thank you!
Sherri@The Well Floured Kitchen says
Having older kids certainly has it’s benefits, like they can run into the store to grab milk without everyone traipsing in- yea! But then they want to do things like walk downtown with friends and get frozen yogurt. Without mom. Maybe I’ll just be hiding in the car across the street 😉
I’ve never heard of alabama bbq sauce- looks yummy!
Karly says
@Sherri@The Well Floured Kitchen,
Right? I really wanted to sneak in and check on them, but didn’t want to get caught being a weirdo. 😉
Mir says
A movie that’s not animated? What IS that?
Seriously, I’m looking forward to having a break from all of that. If my son listens to the Frozen soundtrack one more time I will move to Australia.
This chicken looks incredible! Love the white sauce. BBQ this time of year is the best!
Karly says
@Mir,
Australia seems like just the place to go. Hahaha! 🙂