Mexican BBQ Chicken

No Manches Don Juan Mexican BBQ Chicken

Texas Roots. Mexican Soul. Fired Up With No Manches.

Smoky, juicy, a little spicy and covered in a sticky BBQ glaze this Mexican BBQ Chicken brings serious flavor to the grill.

We combine classic barbecue with Mexican-inspired seasonings like garlic, cumin, chile, smoked paprika and fresh lime, then finish the chicken with No Manches Don Juan Original BBQ Sauce.

The secret is adding the sauce toward the end of cooking. That gives it time to caramelize over the fire without burning, creating juicy chicken with charred edges and a bold, sticky BBQ glaze.

Serve it straight from the grill or use it for tacos, quesadillas, sandwiches and bowls.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35–50 minutes
Rest Time: 5–10 minutes
Servings: 4–6

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 3–4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

For the Mexican BBQ Rub

• 1 tablespoon chili powder

• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder, optional for extra heat

For the No Manches BBQ Glaze

• 1/2 cup No Manches Don Juan Original BBQ Sauce

• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

• 1 tablespoon melted butter

• 1 teaspoon honey, optional for extra sweetness

How to Make Mexican BBQ Chicken

1. Prep the Chicken

Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels.

Drizzle with olive oil and fresh lime juice, then toss until the chicken is lightly coated.

Drying the chicken first helps the seasoning stick and gives you better browning on the grill.

2. Bring on the Mexican Flavor

Combine the chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, oregano, salt, black pepper and optional chipotle powder.

Season the chicken generously on all sides.

For even more flavor, season the chicken several hours ahead of time and refrigerate it until you're ready to cook.

3. Fire Up the Grill

Preheat your grill for two-zone cooking, with one hotter side and one cooler side.

Aim for approximately 350–375°F inside the grill.

Start the chicken over the cooler side of the grill, skin-side up. Close the lid and allow it to cook gradually.

Turn the chicken occasionally so it cooks evenly.

Cooking the chicken more slowly before adding the BBQ sauce helps keep it juicy and prevents the sugars in the sauce from burning.

4. Make the No Manches BBQ Glaze

While the chicken cooks, combine:

1/2 cup No Manches Don Juan Original BBQ Sauce

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon melted butter

Add a teaspoon of honey if you'd like a slightly sweeter glaze.

Stir everything together until smooth.

The lime brightens up the BBQ sauce while the butter gives the finished chicken a rich, glossy coating.

5. Sauce & Caramelize

Once the chicken is nearly cooked through, start brushing it generously with the No Manches BBQ glaze.

Move the chicken closer to the hotter side of the grill.

Cook for a few minutes, turn, brush with more sauce and repeat.

You're looking for sticky, caramelized edges and a little char—not burned BBQ sauce.

Because BBQ sauce contains sugar, stay close to the grill during this part.

This is where the magic happens.

6. Cook Until Done

Chicken is safe at 165°F internal temperature, but dark meat such as thighs and drumsticks often becomes more tender when cooked somewhat beyond that minimum.

Check the temperature in the thickest part of the chicken without touching the bone.

Once the chicken is cooked through and beautifully glazed, remove it from the grill.

7. Let It Rest

Give the chicken 5–10 minutes before serving.

That short rest helps keep the juices inside the meat instead of losing them on the cutting board.

Finish with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

And don't forget a bottle of No Manches Don Juan Original BBQ Sauce on the table.

🔥 Don Juan's Chicken Tips

For the juiciest results, bone-in, skin-on thighs and drumsticks are hard to beat.

Don't add your BBQ sauce too early. Let the chicken cook first, then build layers of sauce during the final part of grilling.

Use indirect heat first and direct heat at the end to get juicy chicken with those caramelized BBQ edges.

Want more heat? Add a little extra chipotle powder or finely chopped jalapeño.

And always keep an eye on the grill once the sauce goes on. Beautifully caramelized BBQ sauce can turn into burned BBQ sauce quickly.

What to Serve With Mexican BBQ Chicken

This chicken works with traditional BBQ sides, Mexican-inspired sides—or a little of both.

• Mexican street corn (elote)

• Cilantro-lime rice

• Charro beans

• Grilled peppers and onions

• Creamy coleslaw

• Warm corn or flour tortillas

• Pickled red onions

• Fresh avocado

• Pico de gallo

• Lime wedges

• Fresh cilantro

Don't Waste the Leftovers

If there's any chicken left tomorrow, you've already got the start of another meal.

Mexican BBQ Chicken Tacos — Chop or shred the chicken and serve it in warm tortillas with cilantro, pickled red onions and a drizzle of No Manches Don Juan.

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas — Chicken, melted cheese and a little BBQ sauce grilled between two tortillas.

Mexican BBQ Chicken Sandwiches — Pile the chicken onto a toasted roll with slaw, pickled onions and extra sauce.

BBQ Chicken Bowls — Cilantro-lime rice, black beans, corn, avocado, chopped BBQ chicken and fresh lime.

BBQ Chicken Nachos — Tortilla chips loaded with chicken, cheese, jalapeños, pico de gallo and a drizzle of Original BBQ Sauce.

Bring on the Sauce

No Manches Don Juan Original BBQ

This recipe was made for No Manches Don Juan Original BBQ Sauce—bold barbecue flavor inspired by Mexican flavors and Texas roots.

Use it on chicken, brisket, ribs, pulled pork, burgers, tacos and anything else that could use a little more attitude.

NO MANCHES DON JUAN

MEXICAN BARBECUE

Texas Roots. Mexican Soul.