The Perfect Cocktail Pairing For Succulent Barbecue Chicken

Barbecue usually brings to mind ribs and brisket galore, but another classic for at-home grilling is chicken. Slathered with your favorite BBQ sauce, chicken makes for a quick and easy-to-grill protein. It's versatile, too; serve it with potatoes, veggies, mac and cheese, or even throw it on a pizza. Sides and sauce choices aside, there's one more component that will complete this perfect meal: the beverage. We spoke to expert bartender Camille Parson Goldstein, co-founder of Muddling Memories, for her cocktail advice on this front. Her suggestion? "Think about the sauce. Go with something on the more boozy and bitter side to offset the smoky sweetness of the BBQ."

One cocktail in particular fits right into that description. "Aperol Spritz would be perfect!" according to Goldstein. Aperol is an Italian aperitif, a liquor meant to stimulate appetite, so it's infused with herbs and spices that give it a bitter edge even with the sweet orange notes. Layered with a good glassful of prosecco, this spritz definitely fits into the booze-forward category. Plus, the fruity hint of bright citrus complements the flavors of barbecue sauce beautifully. While both grilling and Aperol spritzes make one think of a warm summer day, this meal can bring a bit of sunshine to even the gloomiest of days, so go ahead and enjoy it at any time of year.

The exact type of sauce to put on your barbecue chicken is up to you. You can go with your favorite store-bought bottle or make your own — Ina Garten's foolproof barbecue sauce features a whole cup of honey, so you know it's going to be good. To meet in the middle of the two, add a touch of cinnamon to store-bought barbecue sauce to make it taste homemade. A fruity sauce, like this Green Jay Gourmet's Smoky Orange BBQ, would go particularly well with the orange notes of an Aperol spritz. 

To get that crispy, sticky crust on your barbecue chicken, flip it at least twice, brushing on more sauce each time. You can enjoy this dish even if you don't have a grill though; barbecue chicken can easily be roasted in the oven. The main course and the sociable sip accounted for, grilled corn and a light salad (perhaps with oranges or mandarins) are the sides you need to turn this into a stellar meal.