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Cooking StyleGrillChickenChickenSouthernApplianceHigh-ProteinSoul FoodSummerBBQDinner

Cajun Grilled Chicken With Alabama White Sauce

This Cajun grilled chicken with Alabama white sauce is the kind of bold, smoky backyard dinner that disappears fast. Chicken leg quarters and breasts get rubbed down with a homemade Cajun spice blend, grilled over two zones for perfectly juicy, charred results, then finished with a creamy, tangy Alabama white sauce made with mayo, lemon juice, horseradish, and a kick of cayenne. It's a Southern barbecue classic that's surprisingly easy to pull off on any gas grill — and the sauce alone is worth making on repeat.

Joelle Park & Kelly Paige
Tasty Team
Total Time

1 hr 10 min

1 hr 10 min

Prep Time

20 minutes

20 min

Cook Time

40 minutes

40 min

Cajun Grilled Chicken With Alabama White Sauce
Total Time

1 hr 10 min

1 hr 10 min

Prep Time

20 minutes

20 min

Cook Time

40 minutes

40 min

Ingredients

for 4 servings

Alabama White Sauce:

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from ½ lemon)
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon prepared horseradish
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ tablespoon water

Chicken:

  • 1 teaspoon fine kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¾ teaspoon hot paprika
  • ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon celery salt
  • 2 chicken leg quarters
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • ¼ cup olive oil

Nutrition Info

  • Calories 724
  • Fat 46g
  • Carbs 3g
  • Fiber 0g
  • Sugar 1g
  • Protein 67g

Estimated values based on one serving size.

Preparation

  1. Make the Alabama white sauce: Whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, sugar, horseradish, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisk in the water until pourable, adding more as needed. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  2. Make the Cajun spice rub: Stir together the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, hot paprika, smoked paprika, black pepper, white pepper, oregano, and celery salt in a small bowl until evenly combined. Set aside.
  3. Pat the chicken leg quarters and chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Arrange on a baking sheet. Drizzle evenly with the olive oil, and rub to coat all sides. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the Cajun spice rub evenly over all the chicken pieces, rubbing it into both sides to fully coat. Reserve any remaining rub for another use.
  4. Preheat a gas grill for two-zone cooking: Turn one side of the grill to high heat (450–500˚F / 230–260˚C) and leave the other side off to create an indirect heat zone. Using tongs and an oil-soaked paper towel, carefully grease the hot grill grates.
  5. Place the chicken leg quarters skin side down over direct high heat and grill, uncovered, for 5 minutes per side, flipping once, until deeply charred with visible grill marks.
  6. Move the leg quarters to the indirect heat zone. Reduce the direct heat side to medium-high. Place the chicken breasts over direct heat. Close the grill, and cook the leg quarters for 15 minutes, until the thickest part registers 165˚F (75˚C). Grill the chicken breasts for 6 minutes per side, flipping once, until browned and the thickest part registers 165˚F (75˚C).
  7. Transfer all the chicken to a platter and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes, until the juices redistribute.
  8. Drizzle the chicken with the Alabama white sauce and serve. Store any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  9. Enjoy!
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Cajun Grilled Chicken With Alabama White Sauce