BBQ. The food of the gods.

But gods are perfect. (Ask Thor. Even Chris Hemsworth is perfect and he’s just playing him in a movie). Gods don’t get BBQ fingers or need bibs. Gods don’t accidentally wipe their hands on their shirts or drip a dollop of sauce on their pants.

And THAT’S why cooking BBQ is perfect for Dinner Date Night-In. Spray N Wash at arms reach. Oh, and it’s super impressive, delicious and easy to make.

Seriously. Is there anything more mouthwatering than walking down the street in the evening and smelling barbecue? Cue the drool.

’Twas a warm evening in October when the BBQ Bug bit. I know summer’s traditionally barbecue season, but who says its not perfect for fall too? Definitely not me. And definitely nobody who’s ever smelled BBQ while hungry.

Now although I love the smell, the taste, the thrill of the grill… I’ve never actually manned it before. But it can’t be too hard to figure out, right? Right. (Pro Tip: Wanna try nude BBQ-ing in just a chef’s apron? That shit is hot. No. Seriously. It’s HOT. And while sweat can be sexy, burning yourself is not. Be safe, kids.)

Armed with my $20 worth of ingredients, some propane and a fire extinguisher (just kidding), I created a BBQ meal masterpiece. Cheap, simple, delicious.

Perfectly moist and slightly spicy chicken paired with slightly sweet fennel and apple slaw. I used Deaf Man’s BBQ Sauce in XXX flavor because it’s hella spicy, all-natural ingredients, and adds tons of flavor with minimal effort. The slaw is a recipe I modified from Southern Living, so you know it’s legit.

Wash it all down with a Lagunitas IPA. You probably wouldn’t expect it it, but somehow the complexity of this beer pairs perfectly with spiciness of the BBQ and sweetness of the slaw.

Wet Naps won’t be the only thing wet.

Enjoy.

Your Supermarket List:

BBQ Chicken:

2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts

Spicy BBQ Sauce

Vegetable Oil (any neutral kitchen oil will do)

Salt and Pepper

Fennel Slaw:

1 large fennel bulb

1 large shallot

3 stalks celery

2 apples (Gala or anything that looks crisp, red and yellow)

1 bunch flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt (himalayan sea salt, if you have it)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

$20 Date Tip: Prep the slaw first and let it sit in the fridge before your date arrives. Let your date be impressed by your planning and see your grill skills in action.

For the Slaw:

1. Thinly slice shallot, celery stalks, fennel (bulb only! The fronds – that top frilly part- will be used a bit later). Toss together in a large bowl.
2. Coarsely chop parsley and add to large bowl.
3. Add olive oil, salt and pepper and toss.
4. Mix apple cider vinegar and sugar together in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. Thinly slice apples and toss with vinegar mixture.
5. Add the apple and vinegar to the large bowl.
6. Chop two teaspoons of fronds (the top, dainty looking parts of the fennel) and sprinkle into large bowl.
7. Toss the salad. Yea, I said it.
8. This will be a lot of cole slaw. It keeps pretty well for lunch the next day if you have leftovers.

For the Chicken:

1. Heat the grill on high setting.
2. Brush the chicken with oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Cook skin side down on high for 5-10 minutes. Just long enough to sear and crisper the skin, but not long enough to char it.
4. Turn the heat to low (or move the chicken to the low side of the grill) and flip the chicken over.
5. Baste with BBQ sauce cook covered on low approximately 20 minutes. Repeat basting at 5 minute intervals (4 time).
6. Flip the chicken over and baste with BBQ sauce. Cook covered on low for approximately 15-20 minutes, basting at 5 minute intervals.
7. Boom, you should have some crispy BBQ chicken.

Ba-da-bing. Ba-da-BBQ. Got some BBQ tips for me? Comment or tweet me @20dollardatela.

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