First we make up a big batch of Alabama White Sauce. Then we season up some Chicken Leg Quarters and smoke them using two zone grilling with hickory wood. Finally, we dunk the chicken quarters in the white sauce to finish the dish.

Tap this link for another chicken leg quarters recipe which happens to be the prettiest chicken we’ve ever cooked.

Here’s an additional recipe on this same line – Reverse Seared Chicken Leg Quarters.

And here are some Alabama White Sauce Wings which was our first foray into this goodness.

The Origins of Alabama White Sauce:

With this Chicken Leg Quarter recipe we share the joy of smoking seasoned chicken quarters which we bathe in that fabulous Alabama White Sauce. SAY WHAT?! White Barbecue Sauce?? It’s been around a while, quite a while actually, ever since Big Bob Gibson’s opened for business in 1925 in Decatur, Georgia.

I became aware of the recipe around 2009 when I purchased Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ Book by renowned champion pitmaster Chris Lilly. The sauce recipe lies therein and I knew I had to try it. After pouring through the book our first foray into Alabama White Sauce came the following year with a cook featuring spatchcocked chicken dipped in the sauce. That episode was followed by smoked chicken wings dunked in the white BBQ sauce. A few years later we interviewed Chris Lilly at Memphis in May and he kindly signed my copy of his book.

We selected chicken leg quarters for this cook because I’d been searching for an economical meat item to grill or smoke during the current period of rising prices and a local supermarket advertised the quarters for .88 per pound. The package was right at 4 pounds so a meat entree could be provided at minimal cost. Note: All chicken leg quarters are not produced equally. This particular brand removed the backbone for an improved meat to bone ratio.

All this begs the questions:

What is a Chicken Leg Quarter?

The chicken leg quarter or chicken quarter is the chicken thigh and chicken leg removed from the rest of the chicken but still connected to each other. Thus, the reason is it is called a chicken quarter is that each chicken is made up of 8 main pieces, 2 breasts, 2 wings, 2 thighs and 2 legs. The thigh and leg together is one quarter of the whole thicken.

Are Chicken Leg Quarters Worth It?

Chicken leg quarters, AKA chicken quarters, are generally some of the cheapest parts of the chickens (see price above, which is circa Summer of 2024). Being made up entirely of dark meat, the chicken quarter is higher in fat than the more expensive and healthier chicken breast but also has a larger window in which to finish cooking it and still keep it juicy. Conversely that window is much smaller for the white meat of the chicken. Is it worth it? It’s one of the cheapest proteins one can buy.

Tap this link for another chicken leg quarters recipe which happens to be the prettiest chicken we’ve ever cooked.

Here’s one more recipe on this same line – Reverse Seared Chicken Leg Quarters.

Alabama White Sauce Chicken Leg Quarters Ingredients

Chicken Leg Quarters:

• 4 chicken leg quarters
• Your favorite BBQ seasoning
• Kosher salt to taste
• Fresh black pepper (optional)

Alabama White Sauce:

• 2 cups mayonnaise (we used Duke’s-it’s a Southern thing)
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/2 cup apple juice-cider would be great also
• 2 tsp prepared horseradish
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 2-3 tsp sugar**

This recipe can be found on page 219 in the book shown in the pic above.

** Notice my note adding a bit of sugar at the urging of my lovely wife.

Note: I doubled the recipe for this cook to have sufficient liquid volume to adequately submerge the chicken leg quarters.

Here’s a look after seasoning the chicken quarters:

Then three seasoned with kosher salt and one of my favorite BBQ rubs and the fourth simply kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper.

Set the grill up for indirect cooking/smoking with coals and smoke wood (hickory) on one side and the protein on the other:

I used hickory for this cook.

Big Bob Gibson’s uses hickory but there are many smokewoods that could be used.

Pecan comes to mind.

Or check this list of smoke woods and what protein they pair with.

Target grill temp is 275F-300F.

Now that the grill is up to temp and producing ‘clean’ blue smoke it’s time to get the yardbird legs on and close the lid:

While the Chicken Quarters catch some smoke let’s make that sauce.

How to Make Alabama White Sauce:

Combine the mayonnaise, distilled white vinegar, apple juice (or cider), horseradish, lemon juice, salt, cayenne and sugar. With a whisk work the ingredients together until blended thorougly.

Mayo is in the pool now add the vinegar:

Pour in apple juice:

Now add lemon juice, prepared horseradish (adjusted for your taste) salt, black pepper, cayenne, and sugar:

Whisk until combined

Now back to the grill.

After an hour the chicken is flipped:

The two slightly smaller chicken leg quarters were temping around 180 but the other two weren’t there yet so I located the larger pieces closer to the fire, above.

I think we’re done here with the thick part of the thigh at 185:

Wait, what? Chicken is supposed to be cooked to 165F.

White meat is.

Dark meat is much more forgiving.

What Temperature to cook Dark Meat Chicken

In my opinion, as well as many others, chicken dark meat should be cooked to a minimum of 175F and up to 200F degrees internal temperature. Due to the higher fat content, it can be cooked longer than the leaner breast meat. Additionally, I sampled competition chicken thighs from a pitmaster who won the Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational BBQ contest who cooked to 200+ and they were fabulous.

Try it and you’ll likely like it!

The leg quarters are done and the Alabama White Sauce is waiting:

Before I dunked the chicken in the white sauce, I put grill marks some summer squash for a tasty side:

How do the leg quarters look?

At last, it’s time for a dip in the pool!

Quite a contrast!

Dunked and Dripping!

The one seasoned with just salt and pepper is ready for a dip:

Swimming!

Dunked!

Board Sauce!

Close up of the salt and pepper leg quarter after an Alabama white sauce bath:

Oops! Dribbled on the table

Recap of Chicken Leg Quarters with Alabama White Barbecue Sauce

The Chicken was cooked nicely with a big kiss of hickory smoke but the Alabama White Sauce brought it all home. The only change I’d make next time is adding just a bit more horseradish. Was it messy? You bet, but isn’t that what barbecue is supposed to be? Surprise your guests and give this a try at your next cookout.

Additionally, if you have a ‘barbeque library’ as I do then I suggest adding a copy of Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ Book to yours. The recipes plus the history and much more make it special. Finally, on page 111 there’s a recipe for Peach Bread Pudding with Vanilla Peach Sauce that is to die for…

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Recipe Card:

Print

Alabama White Sauce Chicken Leg Quarters

Chicken leg quarters seasoned and smoked with two zone grilling over hickory and then completely dunked in Alabama white sauce.

Course Barbecue, BBQ, Entree, Main Course

Cuisine American, American Fare, Barbecue, BBQ, Chicken, Chicken Leg Quarters, Chicken Quarters

Keyword #Grilled, Alabama, Alabama White BBQ Sauce, Alabama White Sauce, Alabama White Sauce Chicken Leg Quarters, Alabama White Sauce Recipe, Barbecue Chicken, BBQ Chicken, Big Bob Gibson's, Boar's Night Out, Charcoal, Chicken, Chicken Leg Quarters, Chicken Quarters, Grill, Grilled Chicken, Hickory Wood, Indirect Grilling, Leg Quarters, Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters, Two Zone Grilling, White Barbecue Sauce, White BBQ Sauce, White Sauce, Yard Bird, Yardbird

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Chicken Leg Quarters

• 4 Chicken quarters
• Your favorite BBQ seasoning
• Kosher salt to taste
• Fresh black pepper Optional

Alabama White Sauce

• 2 cups Mayonnaise
• 1 cup Distilled white vinegar
• ½ cup Apple juice Substitute apple cider
• 2 teaspoons Prepared horseradish
• 2 teaspoons Fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoon Cayenne
• 2-3 teaspoons Sugar

Instructions

Chicken Leg Quarters

• Season the chicken quarters with salt and your favorite BBQ rub or go traditional and simply season with salt and black pepper.
• Prepare the grill for indirect grilling with coals and smoke wood on one side and nothing on the other. Target temperature inside the grill at 275F (+/-25). Place the chicken leg quarters on the side of the grill with no direct heat and close the lid and smoke the chicken.

Alabama White Sauce

• While the chicken is smoking combine the mayo, vinegar, apple juice, horseradish, lemon juice, salt, cayenne, and sugar. Whisk until the ingredients are combined thoroughly.
• Once the chicken quarters reach 175F-185F remove from the heat and dunk in the Alabama white sauce and serve.

Video

More pics of this one:

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