Cary Grant's Oven-Barbecued Chicken

Cary Grant's Oven-Barbecued Chicken

1 (4 1/2 pound) whole chicken (cut into pieces)
1/2 cup oil (vegetable oil, for frying)
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup A-1 sauce
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 (8 ounce) yellow onion, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons cornstarch (or more if needed)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium till hot. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Fry the chicken pieces in the hot oil in batches until browned. Place browned chicken pieces in a 9 x 13 baking dish.

In a saucepan, combine ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, water, A-1 sauce, sugar, cider vinegar, onion and garlic. Whisk together over medium heat until warm.

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tbsps. cornstarch with 2 tbsps. cold water until smooth. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the barbecue sauce, whisking until incorporated. Continue to whisk over medium heat until the sauce is hot, bubbly, and thickened. Remove from heat. Pour the sauce evenly across the top of the chicken pieces.

Cover the roasting dish with foil. Bake the chicken for 60-75 minutes, or until the meat is tender and well cooked. Remove from the oven.

If you'd like to serve extra sauce with the chicken, skim the fat drippings from the top of the sauce.

To thicken the leftover sauce, pour it into a saucepan and heat over medium heat.

Mix together equal amounts of cornstarch and water, a half tablespoon at a time, and slowly whisk into the sauce. Heat and add the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly, until desired consistency is reached.

Serve chicken warm with the thickened barbecue sauce on the side.