Gaelic and Mustard Chicken: A Long Weekend Grill Recipe

Flavor

Fire up the grill, grab a cold Gaelic Amber Ale and make the most of the long weekend. Labor Day weekend is made for backyard hangs, porch dinners and one last big summer cookout before fall starts to sneak into the mountains. This Gaelic and Mustard Chicken brings easygoing cookout energy with a Highland twist: juicy grilled chicken, a bold Carolina Gaelic Ale BBQ sauce, a bright peach cucumber mint salad and cast iron cornbread built for sharing. 

Whether you’re hosting friends, heading to a neighborhood potluck or keeping things simple on the patio, this plate has everything you want from a holiday weekend meal: smoke, sweetness, tang, crunch and a beer that ties it all together.

Why Gaelic Amber Ale Belongs on the Grill 

Gaelic Amber Ale is Highland’s original brew, known for its deep amber color, rich malty body and balanced hop bitterness. Those same qualities make it a natural fit for grilling. In the BBQ sauce, Gaelic adds malt depth, gentle sweetness and a little backbone to the mustardy Carolina-style tang. On the side, it’s refreshing enough for a hot afternoon but flavorful enough to stand up to charred chicken, cornbread and summer produce. 

Gaelic and Mustard Chicken 

Start with a simple Gaelic Ale-forward marinade, then let the grill do the heavy lifting. The goal is tender chicken with just enough char to feel like a true holiday weekend cookout. 

Gaelic Mustard Marinade 

  • 12oz Gaelic Amber Ale
  • ½ cup Yellow Mustard
  • 1 Onion, Grated
  • 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 tbsb Brown Sugar
  • 1 ½ tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper
  • ½ tsp Scotty’s Carolina BBQ Rub

Marinate the Chicken 

  1. Add all marinade ingredients to a bowl and whisk together. 
  2. Add chicken and coat well. 
  3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. 
  4. Remove chicken from marinade before cooking. 

Grill 

  1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. 
  2. Grill chicken until charred and cooked through, turning halfway. 
    Carolina Gaelic Ale BBQ Sauce 

    This sauce is where the beer really shines. Mustard brings the tang, Gaelic adds malt richness and the whole thing cooks down into a glossy sauce for brushing, dipping or spooning over grilled chicken. 

    Mustard BBQ Sauce 

    • 1 cup Yellow Mustard 
    • ½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar 
    • ½ cup Gaelic Amber Ale 
    • 3 tbsp Brown Sugar 
    • 2 tbsb Scotty’s Carolina BBQ Rub 
    • 1 tbsp Worcesthestire  
    • ½ tsp Black Pepper

    Prep the BBQ Sauce 

    1. Add all ingredients to a saucepan. 
    2. Bring to a light simmer over medium heat. 
    3. Stir occasionally and cook until slightly thickened. 
    4. Remove from heat and let cool slightly before serving. 
    Cast Iron Cornbread 

    No grill plate is complete without something warm, buttery and built to catch every last bit of sauce. Cast iron cornbread brings crispy edges, a tender center and the kind of comfort that belongs at the center of the table. 

    Cast Iron Cornbread 

    • 1 cup Cornmeal
    • 1 cup All Purpose Flour
    • 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
    • 1 tbsp Baking Powder
    • 1 tsp Salt
    • ½ tsp Black Pepper
    • 2 Eggs
    • 1 cup Buttermilk
    • ½ cup Whole Milk
    • ¼ cup Butter, Melted
    • 2 tbsp Bacon Fat
    • 2 tbsp Chives, Chopped

      Make the Cornbread 

      1. Preheat oven and place cast iron skillet inside.
      2. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl.
      3. Mix wet ingredients in another bowl.
      4. Combine wet and dry ingredients until just mixed.
      5. Fold in chives.
      6. Carefully remove hot skillet from oven.
      7. Add bacon fat to the skillet and swirl to coat the bottom.
      8. Pour batter into the hot skillet.
      9. Bake until golden brown and cooked through
      Build Your Labor Day Weekend Spread 

      Serve the chicken hot off the grill with a generous spoonful of Carolina Gaelic Ale BBQ sauce, a scoop of peach cucumber mint salad and a wedge of cast iron cornbread. Add a cooler of Gaelic Amber Ale, invite a few friends over and you’ve got a long weekend meal that feels easy, festive and unmistakably Highland. 

      Save this one for Labor Day weekend, late-summer cookouts, football Saturdays and any night you want to bring a little Asheville flavor to the grill. 

      For more Highland recipes, beer pairings and cookout inspiration, explore the Highland Brewing blog. Cheers! 

       

       

      Introducing Scotty’s Carolina BBQ Rub by Spicewalla

      Some characters just belong in Asheville. Scotty is one of them.  Scotty, the Highland Scotsman, has been part of Highland Brewing's story since 1994, when he first appeared on the original brand logo. After a hiatus, he made his return in March 2026 on the Gaelic...