A quick dry‑rub and a glaze—brown sugar, vinegar, and spices—make sticky, smoky‑sweet chicken bites that behave perfectly in tacos.←Back to Taco Base Recipes
Make rub: Mix brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, salt, and pepper until sandy and even. This is where you become a spice wizard (or at least look like one).
Toss chicken with oil and the rub. Let it rest 10 minutes (included in prep time below) while the pan heats so the rub hydrates and grips. The sugar needs time to get clingy.
Sear over medium-high heat 6–8 minutes until charred in spots and 165°F/74°C inside. Resist the urge to flip constantly—char is flavor, and patience is virtue.
Glaze: Off heat, splash in apple cider vinegar and toss to dissolve the pan fond into a shiny, thin glaze. That crusty brown stuff on the pan? That's liquid gold. Don't waste it.
Mild by default. For heat, add 1/4 tsp cayenne to the rub and brace yourself for the consequences.
Chef's Notes
The dry rub is where American BBQ lives or dies. Brown sugar provides sweetness and caramelization; smoked paprika brings that campfire essence; garlic and onion powder add savory depth; cayenne provides heat you can dial up or down. Pre-mix a batch and store it in a jar; it keeps for months and having it ready removes the friction from weeknight cooking. Here's a pro tip: after mixing, let the rub sit for 10 minutes before applying. The sugar partially dissolves into the other spices, creating a paste-like consistency that adheres better and seasons more evenly. Chicken thighs are the right choice here because they stay juicy even when you push them past 165°F for that sticky, caramelized glaze. Breasts dry out; thighs forgive. The glaze (brown sugar, vinegar, spices) should go on in the last few minutes of cooking; too early and the sugars burn into bitter char instead of glossy lacquer. Apple cider vinegar is traditional and adds brightness that cuts the sweetness; white vinegar works but tastes sharper. Cast iron gives you the best sear indoors; on a grill, keep the heat medium and work the chicken frequently to prevent flare-ups from the dripping sugary glaze. The goal is chicken that looks like it just emerged from a championship BBQ pit, sticky and deeply bronzed. People have won trophies with far worse technique than what you're about to deploy.
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