Alabama white sauce chicken

Put the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, black pepper and paprika or chilli flakes, if using, in a large bowl. Whisk until combined and smooth. Divide the mixture equally between two separate bowls.

Slowly whisk a little of the cider vinegar into the first bowl, to make a sauce roughly the consistency of a marinade. This will be used while you’re cooking the chicken.

Repeat with the second bowl, but add a little less vinegar to make a slightly thicker sauce for serving with the chicken – roughly the consistency of ketchup. You may not need all the vinegar, but this recipe is flexible, so you can choose the consistencies you prefer. You do you! Cover the second bowl with clingfilm and set aside to chill in the fridge until the chicken is ready to serve.

Now you need to get your chicken cooking. If grilling on a barbecue, you need to use indirect heat. To achieve this, move most of the coals to one side of the barbecue, keeping just a very small number on the opposite side. The idea is to grill the chicken on the side with fewer coals, so it cooks all the way through but does not burn. This is most easily done using a barbecue with a lid. If you are cooking indoors, use a griddle pan or large frying pan over a medium heat.

While the chicken is cooking, baste it regularly with the thinner sauce, from the first bowl.

Cooking times will vary, depending on the technique and temperature, and also the size of the pieces you are cooking. On average, it should take between 10-25 mins.

Check the chicken is cooked through by inserting a skewer into the thickest part – the juices should run clear. If they are pink, cook for a few more mins then test again. If using a meat thermometer, the chicken should reach a minimum of 74C.

When all the chicken is cooked, discard any of the thinner basting sauce you have left over. (This is important for safety reasons, as it has been in contact with the uncooked chicken.)

Take the thicker sauce from the fridge and serve with the cooked chicken, to dip, alongside your choice of sides.