Cornell Chicken Barbecue
Updated Jul 01, 2025
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Try this original Cornell chicken recipe, and you’ll agree it may be the best barbecue chicken you’ve ever tasted.
📌 Quick Look: Cornell Chicken BBQ
- 🐔 What it is – A classic Upstate New York BBQ dish featuring a tangy, vinegar‑based and egg‑enriched basting sauce developed by Cornell University’s Dr. Robert C. Baker. The egg gives the chicken extra moisture and produces crispy skin and juicy meat.
- 📁 Categories – Grilling, chicken recipes and summer BBQ.
- 🌎 Cuisine – American (Northeast/Upstate NY).
- 🧑🍳 Skill level – Easy.
- ⏱️ Timing – Prep time: 10 min, marinate time: 4–24 h, cook time: 45–60 min, total time: up to 25 h with marinating.
- 🍽️ Servings – Makes about 6 servings.
- 🍗 Main ingredients – Bone‑in chicken pieces or halves, eggs, vegetable oil, vinegar, salt and poultry seasoning.
- 🔧 Equipment – Charcoal or gas grill, a large mixing bowl, basting brush and grill tongs.
♨️Why This Cornell Chicken Recipe Works
Proven Method: Developed by a Cornell food science professor in the 1950s, this is the original marinade that locks in moisture.
Simple Ingredients, Big Flavor: The egg-and-vinegar marinade is bold, salty and perfect for grilling.
Great for a Crowd: Easy to prep and serve family-style.
Regional Recipe: A must-try for American foodies and BBQ enthusiasts.
Good to Know:
Marinate overnight and baste frequently while grilling. Leftovers store well and can be served cold the next day. Cornell Chicken is favorite at state fairs and community cookouts throughout New York. Serve this with a creamy rigatoni mac and cheese with bacon.
Enjoy this iconic BBQ chicken recipe, and get ready to fall in love with its tangy sauce, crispy skin and juicy bite!
Featured Comment: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Made it again here in Minnesota. Everyone asked for the recipe! Thanks again, Dan!” -Lucinda Z. (more comments)
Table of Contents
About Cornell Chicken BBQ
Chicken on the grill is one of my favorite things to make, and for me, it all starts with Cornell Chicken BBQ. This fireman’s chicken is what’s led to other great grilled chicken recipes, like our Easy Jerk Chicken, Tangy Lime Chicken on the Grill, and our Caesar Salad Grilled Chicken Kebabs.
I credit my dad for teaching me a lot about “good chicken.” That’s probably why we feature so many tasty ways to make chicken here on Platter Talk. From Thomas Keller’s Roast Chicken Recipe, Easy Homemade Chicken Pot in a Skillet, Honey and Lime Chicken Thighs, my Mom’s Old-Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie Recipe, and this Easy Leftover Cheesy Chicken Casserole. We even love to make chicken drumsticks in an air fryer!
But this Upstate New York firehouse BBQ chicken recipe is my favorite chicken recipe of all time. It’s a part of my family and it always will be. Plus, hands down, there’s nothing better than the taste of this Cornell Chicken BBQ.
Whoever thought that New York Chicken could taste this good? Hands down, this is one of my favorite chicken recipes.
The foothill region of upstate New York state’s Adirondack mountains is known for its harsh snowy winters, its soft hilly landscapes, outdoor recreation of all kinds, and like any area, unique foods not found anywhere else. Like this New York chicken.
I grew up in Upstate New York and was convinced my grandfather invented Cornell Chicken. Every summer it showed up at fire department barbecues, county fairs and 4-H fundraisers—golden, smoky and dripping with that tangy, vinegary sauce. I just assumed it was a family secret, something passed down through the generations. Turns out I wasn’t entirely wrong.
This Cornell Chicken recipe has been passed down through generations, but it wasn’t my grandfather who invented it. (Although I have cousins who still believe it was “his chicken!” and I can’t convince the otherwise!)
Bakers Chicken Recipe
Cornell Chicken is as Upstate as it gets, and while my grandpa didn’t exactly invent it, Dr. Robert C. Baker at Cornell University did—probably around the same time my grandpa was grilling up batch after batch in the backyard. Back in the 1940s chicken wasn’t the grocery store staple it is today. It was mostly sold whole, making it harder for farmers to compete with more popular meats like beef and pork. Baker, a food scientist at Cornell, set out to change that. His egg-based marinade wasn’t just about flavor it locked in moisture, made the chicken more tender and gave it that crispy, charred skin when grilled.
The result? A barbecue classic that became a way of life in New York State. You couldn’t step foot at a local event without catching a whiff of Cornell Chicken sizzling on the grill. It became the go-to fundraiser meal for volunteer fire departments, 4-H clubs and county fairs, cementing its place in New York’s culinary history. Even today you’ll find it at fireman’s fund-rasiers, summer cookouts and any gathering where good food brings people together.
So yeah, maybe my grandpa didn’t invent it. But you’ll never convince me the best Cornell Chicken in the world didn’t come straight off his grill.
The recipe is instead credited to Dr. Robert C. Baker, who was a former Cornell University poultry science professor. You can read about the creator of Cornell Chicken here.
Thus, this is really Dr. Baker’s Cornell chicken recipe! Some call this barbecue chicken recipe “The most famous State Fair food you’ve probably never heard of.
Fun Fact:
Cornell Chicken is the unofficial food of the New York State Fair which goes through 40,000 chickens every year.
This recipe for New York Cornell Chicken is a delicious way to prepare any cut of the bird. Sometimes I’ll buy a package of drumsticks to make this way, which is how our boys love it.
Traditionally, this Cornell Chicken is served with salted small white local potatoes, also known as Syracuse salt potatoes. We usually enjoy it with a green salad and baked beans. It always hits the spot!
Dan and Scot, on Living with Amy, show folks how to barbecue using the famous Cornell Chicken Recipe.
Baker’s Chicken Recipe Ingredients
(See the recipe card below for exact measurements.)
- Bone-in chicken (I think it is better with the skin on.)
- Salt, black pepper, and optional garlic salt or garlic powder. You won’t find garlic powder in Dr. Baker’s original Cornell chicken recipe, but you can. Usually, a tablespoon will do the trick for a whole chicken. Thank my late sister Ann for the idea of adding it.
- Oil and Vinegar
- 1 cup vegetable oil to 2 cups apple cider vinegar. The total amount you need will depend on how much chicken you are making.
- Raw Egg and poultry seasoning. The egg creates a nice light custard finish on the Cornell chicken. I think this is what gives Bakers chicken recipe its signature “tooth.”
Important Recipe Tip
Be sure and buy apple cider vinegar (the dark stuff.) One of the mistakes I used to make when first learning how to make this recipe was to use clear distilled vinegar. The clear vinegar is too mild for this recipe. As my sister, the chef would say, “Like kissing your sister.”
To Marinate the Chicken (or Not!)
When I was a boy, we never marinated this recipe. Instead, my mom or dad would constantly baste the meat as it was barbecued over the hot coals.
The raw egg in the basting sauce creates a layer of custard with every layer of marinade brushed on the chicken. This creates a subtle but distinct crusty shell of flavor around every piece.
If marinating, it’s best to soak the meat a minimum of 2 hours, but up to 24 is even better. I have marinated it for 2 days before grilling it and it turned out beautiful and delicious.
How to Make Cornell Chicken BBQ
I try to put this Cornell chicken recipe together once or twice a year. On this past Memorial Day weekend, I decided to make the original recipe the old fashioned way, over coals.
A day before I made it, I called my brother Don, some 1,200 miles away to gain some input from him on the technique. It’s not unusual for him to put 40 lbs. of juicy, plump poultry over a barbecue pit with a hotbed of coals, encased with cinder blocks. You just won’t get the same flavor using a gas grill.
He offered no direct advice but just some cautionary words about wind, about the importance of not covering the grill while the meat grilled, and the advantage of being able to adjust the height of the rack depending on the heat of the coals.
Realizing he couldn’t give me any more specific hints on a successful outcome since he was in Florida and I was in Wisconsin, I was happy for at least having an excuse to chew the fat with him over the phone and to have the chance to say hi.
We never get together enough anymore.
Pro Tips for How to Make Cornell Chicken Barbecue
Food Safety Tip: Chicken should have an internal temperature of 165° F before consuming. I love using this instant-read thermometer, and it is the one I always recommend using.
- The coals have to be white-hot
- vegetable oil in the marinade will fuel the fire. Have a glass of water to quell the flames when necessary.
- The skin may look burned, that’s OK! Just don’t let the fire get away on you.
- You can’t leave the grill unattended when making Cornell chicken; it’s a very hands-on process.
- You can even bake this in the oven (in the event of rain or earthquakes or snow flurries, etc.)
- Often the chicken is grilled in chicken halves, providing a serving size for the most serious of eaters. You can also grill smaller chickens, chicken quarters, chicken thighs, or just a variety of chicken pieces.
When making this Cornell chicken barbecue, it’s normal (I even prefer) to have some char on the chicken skin. There is nothing better than crispy skin! The coals will be kept hot with the oil in the marinade. Be sure to have some water handy to put out any flames; otherwise, it will become a fire department cookout!
If you haven’t ever had Cornell chicken, make it a goal for this grilling season!
How to Marinate New York Chicken
- If marinating, it’s best to soak it for a minimum of 2 hours but up to 24 is even better.
- Use large zip-lock bags to soak the meat. Remove as much air as possible before sealing and then place the bag(s) in a large mixing bowl in the refrigerator.
- Rotate the bags (turn/flip) every couple of hours to ensure an even soak.
- Always refrigerate while marinating.
Cornell Chicken BBQ is a Way of Life
Back to where I started this post, and back to where I start this life; I grew up eating this New York chicken and my family has continued to make it for many decades now.
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I couldn’t help feel some pride as I watched my then 16-year-old son tend the grill over Memorial Day weekend. Realizing he was the fourth generation of my family to make this down-home-food, a recipe standard that is now a part of my roots.
Now he’s a commercial airline pilot, and I have a good feeling he will pass this recipe on to the next generation and beyond.
This New York Cornell chicken has been a tradition in my family for nearly 100 years, spanning five generations.
Two other families joined us for the “barbecue” and this Cornell chicken central New York specialty recipe was a hit with everyone. The taste was as I remembered growing up, and I loved having the chance to tell my boys a little about the recipe and how it was a part of their heritage that someday they would be making for their kids.
Good outdoor weather is here now, and I realized that we have to plan a chicken barbecue again, very soon.
We make a lot of delicious grill recipes. It’s one of my favorite things to do. Things like jerked beef on the grill, easy smoked brisket, and our course, this fireman chicken from New York state where I grew up and learned to make this.
Take a look at our favorite grilling and smoker accessories. We use these products all the time!
Common recipe questions
You can bake Cornell Chicken in the oven. More than once we’ve started on the grill and finished in the oven due to rain! Is it the same as on the grill? No, but it’s still delicious!
Bake, covered or uncovered, at 375° until the juices run clear or the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160° using a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh.
Two of our favorite ways to use leftover chicken are in our Crispy Leftover Chicken and Shells and our Chicken Enchiladas.
- Green salad
- Grilled Beet Salad
- Waldorf slaw
- Potato salad
- Baked beans
- Potato chips
- Corn on the cob
- Rolls and butter
- Coleslaw
- Scalloped potatoes
- Cake
- Dessert bars
If you love chicken barbecue but don’t have time to light the grill, try this air fryer BBQ chicken! It’s seriously delish!
If you’re grilling out but someone isn’t a chicken fan, you can make some healthy turkey burgers in the air fryer. They’re delicious and are great for any cookout!
More of the Best Grilled Recipes
Pork Recipes
Alton Brown’s Pork Tenderloin
Eggplant Recipes
Grilled Eggplant Involtini
Grill and Smoker Recipes
No-Brainer Grilled Steak Tacos
Grill and Smoker Recipes
Flank Steak Pinwheels
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Cornell Chicken Barbecue
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Ingredients
- 2 chickens, halved or cut up
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic salt, optional
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground peppercorn
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine oil and vinegar, add egg and beat thoroughly until will mixed. Add remaining dry ingredients and stir well.
- The poultry can be marinated from 2 hours to overnight, or it can be basted with a brush, while on the grill. To marinate, place chicken in bowl, and pour sauce over it and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to grill.
- Prepare charcoal in grill and heat till coals are starting to turn white, then evenly distribute coals throughout base of grill. Place oiled rack on grill. Place chicken on grill and barbecue on each side 20 to 30 minutes, depending on heat of coals. Turn frequently to avoid burning. Grill until juices run clear when cut with tip of knife, or internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Video
Notes
- Adjust Cornell chicken sauce/marinade quantity to the amount of chicken you are grilling, and maintain a 2:1 ratio of cider vinegar to oil. Similarly, adjust salt and other seasonings to quantity and taste.
- If marinating, place meat in gallon-size zip-lock bags. Place sealed bags in a large bowl or basin in refrigerate. Rotate the bag periodically to ensure even distribution of marinade.
- The poultry will require constant attention while grilling due to the oil dripping on the coals. Have a glass of water available while grilling to squelch flames from hot coals.
- If chicken is cut up into breasts, thighs, wings, and legs, start off by grilling the breasts and thighs as they will take longer than the smaller pieces.
Avoid closing the lid on the grill if possible to avoid a smokey flavor. If you have to close lid, be sure to open the vents on the lid. - You can make this on a gas grill as well. Preheat grill to medium-high setting and tend to chicken as outlined above.
- Nothing goes better with this barbecue recipe than a green salad and baked beans!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh Dan, THIS chicken…THIS barbecue chicken…THIS Cornell Chicken…is THE chicken of my dreams and one I have never mastered. You have inadvertently just planned my weekend, and my mind is racing. I have to plan a party and send out invites, dig a firepit in my backyard to double as a grill, buy a ton of paper plates and paper towels, make a couple of gallons of lemonade, fill a galvanized tub with beer, etc., etc., etc. Oh yes, and…purchase airplane tickets for your “crew” and you to come to my home so we make and enjoy this delicacy together.
That would be best case scenario, but if you can’t make it, the following is my backup plan: invite our children and grandchildren, set up my grill, hand Jeff a beer, pour a glass of wine for me, marinate the chicken and follow your beautifully written instructions. THIS…is going to happen!
I so love this post and all your photos.
Susie! You’re so kind and your comments here make my day! This Cornell Chicken Barbecue is part of who we are as a family, more than just about any other recipe with the exception of one or two others. I hope that everyone has a recipe like this in their life because as people come and go, loved ones pass on and new generations are born, this grilled chicken recipe is a perfect example of something that transcends time and in doing so becomes intertwined in the heritage and legacy of a family. It is just one more example of the magical power of food to connect people and keep them together. I love the idea of you making this in your backyard. The lemonade and beer sound perfect and I might also suggest some baked beans, a green salad, and maybe indulge in some salty old-fashioned potato chips. I would love to be there and even more I would love to show you in person how we make this magical chicken recipe! Thanks again for stopping by; seeing your comment has been my big smile of the day!
Any oven-friendly tips for the few of us who don’t have grills?
Hi Julie and thanks for the great question. My mom use to occasionally finish this Cornell Chicken Barbecue in the oven and it’s still as delicious as ever. As a couple of hints: I would consider either searing it in a hot skillet just to brown the outside before putting it in the oven, or, maybe put it on the highest rack of your oven and place under the broiler for a couple of minutes for the same effect. Either way, after the outside is browned, cover it in foil and bake at 350° F until it’s done. It won’t be quite the same as from the grill but I think you will enjoy. Thanks for reading Platter Talk, we hope to see more of you around here!
Love to see the picture of your family cooking in the BBQ and the one with your kids.
Thanks for posting the recipe. Anyone living in Lowville know the flavor of this BBQ. It is a great money maker sold on weekends.
One minor correction to your post. Cornell is in Ithaca NY. You have been out of Ny too long!
Thanks for the kind comments and the refresher on my New York geography!
I haven’t made this forever. Glad I found your site. Your photos are gorgeous.
Thank you so much for the great recipe.It sounds fabulous.
Found your blog when I was looking for the Cornell BBQ chicken recipe. Grew up in Lewis Co – Croghan – and my mom made this frequently. Looking forward to receiving new recipes from your blog!
Welcome to Platter Talk, and definitely a taste of my native Lewis County. Thanks so much for the comments and we hope to see much more of you on the site!
I am visiting after seeing your video. I do not want you to ever loose the writing style you began with – it draws you in. Be you always.
We can’t wait! xo
OMG, this looks amazing! Time to clean off my grill. Summer here I come!
Thanks, Caroline. I hope you give this a try; it’s a sure bet that you will make again and again.
Dan this chicken looks fantastic!
Thanks, Nancy. We made it again this Memorial Day! I hope you try it some time.