Easy BBQ Chicken
Juicy BBQ chicken breasts basted with a sweet, sticky homemade BBQ sauce is a delicious and easy chicken recipe perfect for dinner.
Ingredients needed
- Chicken breasts. I used boneless skinless chicken breasts since they cook so quickly but you can substitute with other cuts of chicken like bone-in chicken thighs, drumsticks, etc. The cooking time will need to be adapted as they take longer to cook.
- Salt.
- Smoked paprika. Other spices like garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper or chili powder can also be used.
- Garlic powder.
- Tomato ketchup.
- Worcestershire sauce.
- Cider vinegar / Balsamic vinegar.
- Brown sugar.
How to make barbecue chicken
1. Make the BBQ sauce:
Combine the bbq sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Allow to cool. Alternatively, use your favorite bbq sauce.
2. Prepare the chicken:
Season the chicken with paprika, garlic powder and salt.
3. Grill
Heat a grill or griddle pan on a stove then cook the chicken, brush with the barbecue sauce continuously until the chicken is sticky, glossy and cooked through. On a hot grill this should take 5-6 minutes per side, depending on the size of the chicken breasts.
4. Rest and serve:
Remove from the grill, allow to rest then serve.
How To Know When Chicken Is Cooked
Chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165°F/74°C on a meat thermometer. I always remove the chicken from the heat at around 160°F/70°C as it will continue cooking as it rests. The meat should be opaque white throughout while still being tender and juicy.
Can I make this ahead?
The chicken can be seasoned up to 24 hours in advance and kept covered in the fridge. Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and used in salads, wraps or on pizza.
Serving suggestions
We love this recipe served with traditional barbecue side dishes like baked beans, cornbread and macaroni salad. For a lighter summer meal, serve it with grilled zucchini salad, potato salad or a big side salad.
Ingredients
For the BBQ sauce
- ¾ cup tomato ketchup
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp Cider / Balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
For the chicken
- 4 chicken breasts skinless, boneless
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Combine the BBQ sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Combine the seasonings for the chicken then dust the chicken on both sides with the spice mixture, making sure the chicken is completely covered.
- Cook the chicken on a hot grill (or a griddle pan on the stove), basting with the BBQ sauce continuously until the chicken is sticky, glossy and cooked through. Approximately 5-6 minutes per side.
- Remove the chicken from the heat and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Recipe Notes and Tips:
- If your chicken breasts are very uneven in thickness, flatten them with a meat mallet or a rolling pin. This will ensure even cooking and can also tenderize the meat slightly.
- Allow the cooked chicken to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Resting is a very important step because it will allow the juices to redistribute within the chicken creating succulent chicken.
- If using bone-in chicken pieces like thighs or drumsticks, start the chicken over direct heat to develop some color then move to indirect heat, close your grill and allow to cook until almost fully cooked before moving back to direct heat and basting with the bbq sauce.
Nutrition
Grilled chicken recipes
