Grilled BBQ Chicken
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This easy BBQ chicken is absolutely loaded with smoky barbecue flavor.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
We have a running joke about chicken in my family. Whenever I say we’re having chicken for dinner, my husband says, “Chicken again?” and then rattles off a seemingly endless list of chicken dinners his mother used to make: “Chicken Parm, chicken cutlets, chicken stir-fry, chicken casserole, chicken pot pie” and so on. The kids jump right on the bandwagon, groaning about all my chicken dinners. What they don’t realize is that this only makes me even more determined to change their minds about chicken. You could almost say I’m on a Chicken Crusade! Luckily, these BBQ chicken breasts always win everybody over. They are absolutely loaded with smoky barbecue flavor. I guarantee clean plates all around. Winner, winner chicken dinner!
What You’ll Need To Make BBQ Chicken
For this recipe, you can use chicken tenderloins or boneless skinless chicken breasts. If using chicken breasts, it’s important to pound them to an even 1/2-inch thickness before marinating. This both tenderizes the breasts and ensures they cook evenly. (Pounding is not necessary if using tenderloins, as tenderloins are naturally very tender.)
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the oil, garlic, salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.
Whisk to combine.
Add the chicken to the bowl and toss with tongs until evenly coated. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.
Preheat the grill to high and oil the grates. Grill the chicken, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes.
Flip the chicken, and then brush with some of the barbecue sauce. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.
Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and serve with remaining barbecue sauce alongside.
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Grilled BBQ Chicken
This easy BBQ chicken is absolutely loaded with smoky barbecue flavor.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1¾ pounds chicken tenderloins or boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- About 1 cup store-bought barbecue sauce or homemade BBQ sauce
Instructions
For the Chicken
- If using boneless skinless chicken breasts, place the chicken breasts one at a time in a 1-gallon zip-lock bag; using a meat mallet, pound the breasts to an even ½-inch thickness. (Skip this step if using tenderloins.)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, garlic, salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne. Place the chicken in the bowl and, using tongs, toss until the chicken is evenly coated with the marinade. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Preheat the grill to high and oil the grates. Grill the chicken, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the chicken, and then brush with some of the barbecue sauce. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. (Note that tenderloins will cook faster than breasts.)
- Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and serve with the remaining barbecue sauce alongside.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 386
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Sugar: 4 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Sodium: 513 mg
- Cholesterol: 145 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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What an amazing recipe. I had everything except brown sugar so substituted with granulated sugar and a bit of maple syrup. Used sweet baby Ray’s bbq sauce and some shredded cheese on top. (For the kiddos) loved the heat from the ingredients but it wasn’t “hot”
I normally don’t write reviews but this recipe was absolutely delicious! I had not been able to get my bbq chicken the way I wanted it until this recipe! Absolutely, mouth watering! Best recipe I’ve tried and I’ve tried many…. I didn’t have the full six hours to marinate it, so I did 4 and it still turned out perfectly! Thank you!
Your recipe prep should include the marinading time – or put in another section for resting or marinading time. It has been disappointing to read several of your recipes only to find none that I can make tonight, seeing as dinner is in an hour and a half. Will try one another night when I am prepping the day before.
I’m sorry you had that experience! For future reference, under the prep and cook time lines in the recipe box, there is a total time line. If the recipe requires marinating, chilling, etc., it’s indicated there.
Another delicious recipe! Loved the smoky, sweet, & tangy flavors. I added this chicken to a barbecue chicken salad including black beans, jicama, roasted corn, and onion strings. For the dressing, I mixed your buttermilk ranch dressing recipe and your sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. Out of this world! This will become a regular!
Hi Jenn! This is one of our all-time faves (we love EVERYTHING we’ve tried from you!) This will be my first time cooking it in the oven as it is way too cold and rainy to go outside to use the grill. I see your instructions to other people on broiling and my question is: do I need to do anything to the sheet pan…foil? grease it? Also do I pre-heat? I grill outside on a super-hot setting and I’m not sure if my oven’s grill gets hot enough to keep the wonderful tenderloins moist. It’s a gas stove, BTW.
Hi Maryalice, thanks for your nice words about the recipes-so glad you like them! You can broil this in the oven as I’ve shared with other readers. I would put it on a sheet pan covered with foil for easy cleanup. No cooking spray needed. And, yes, I preheat your broiler for a few minutes before putting the chicken in. Alternatively, you can use a use a grill pan. Heat it over medium-high heat until hot. Add the marinated chicken breasts and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on the first side without touching, until the chicken develops nice grill marks. Using tongs, flip the chicken over and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, or until cooked through. Hope that helps!
I’ve tried 4,762 chicken recipes and tips on how to cook moist chicken. AT LAST, Success with this one!
Thank you!
🙂
I’m glad the 4,763rd one worked!
Hello, this looks delicious. I’m planning on making it with drums … will 6 hours marinating be enough and will it still be favourful?
Thanks!
Sure Natacha, 6 hours is enough — hope you enjoy!
This recipe, like all of the recipes from you that I’ve made, was splendid! We used skinless boneless breasts because thats what we had on hand. I was worried they would be dry, but they were incredibly moist and so flavourful. We used Sweet Baby Ray’s Hickory & Brown Sugar BBQ sauce, but I’m looking forward to trying with your homemade sauce. We served with leftover mushroom and beef consomme rice, a kale salad, and diced cucumbers. We’re having leftovers tonight as chicken burgers. Adding this to our menu rotation.
Great recipe, as always. What do you think about using this to marinate pork blade steaks?
Sure, I think it would work nicely (and glad you liked it)!
Great, simple recipe to accompany a summertime salad. Made this one yesterday and fed a crowd by tripling the ingredients. I used tenderloins. I prepared your A Better Macaroni Salad in the morning, along with some deviled eggs, and appreciated the short cook time for the chicken. It freed me up to spend more time with my family. They all enjoyed the meal including my younger, picky son who normally doesn’t eat chicken. He said, “It’s good. I’ll eat it again.” Thanks for sharing this one, Jenn!
Good basic bbq chicken recipe. Will make again.
Good morning Jenn! Just wondering if you remove the entire tendon or just the white “nub” from the tenderloin? Thanks! Ally in NJ 🙂
Just the nub 🙂
Thanks!! I’m going to make them tomorrow! : ]
Thank you such reliably awesome recipes! This is another new family favorite. The chicken came out so tender, juicy, and flavorful. It didn’t even really need extra bbq sauce, that’s how good it was. The leftovers were perfect cut up into a green salad.
Love all your recipes and can’t wait to try this. We like chicken tenderloins better because they’re much more “tender” and I usually remove the tendon before cooking, but I’ve seen you and other chefs not remove it. I also never seem to find that pesky tendon in a whole rotisserie chicken. Does the tendon cook down / off and am I wasting my time removing it?
Hi Sharon, I snip off the tendon if it’s sticking out of the end of the tenderloin. I’ve never bothered to pull them out. I find that while they don’t necessarily cook off, they don’t really bother me or my family when eating them.
Aside from broiling, would a well heated cast iron grill pan work on top of the stove work too?
Sure – enjoy!
Perfect summer meal with your broccoli salad AND the homemade BBQ sauce. The chicken is crazy good. My husband over- or undercooks everything on the grill—except when it’s your recipe. It’s a mystery… ☺️
Hi Jenn,
SO GOOD! What an easy and delicious BBQ chicken dinner. I used tenderloins and with that short cook time, I had dinner on the table in just minutes. Another keeper, of course!!
After I whisked the marinade together, I just used my hands to coat the chicken. Easy. I’m going to double the chicken next time – we both were hoping for leftovers. The smoked paprika and cayenne added such great flavor!
Thanks for another wonderful recipe!
Hi! I was thinking of making these for a party along with your pulled pork. Could you give suggestions on making ahead and possibly freezing and reheating?
Thanks!
Kim
Hi Kim, If you freeze this, I would thaw them in the fridge overnight and then reheat it, covered with foil, in a 325°F-oven until hot. Hope that helps!
Hi Jen,
What a great recipe! Would this work with pork tenderloin?
Sure!
So delicious – going in my regular recipes!
Made this for my husband and we shredded it and made BBQ chicken sandwiches. The chicken tasted great with the marinade!
These are so delicious! Followed the recipe as written. My family gobbled then down. Served with corn on the cob and tater tots. They loved it! It’s on rotation!
I made this recipe when entertaining friends at the lake. Perfect as the chicken is prepped in advance! Wonderful flavor and very tender. I served with purchased barbeque sauce for convenience and it was great. Kids would love this too!
This was great! The marinade was just perfect, really flavorful with a little sweetness. Using tenderloins was a nice shortcut.
Thank you for the recipe! The chicken tenderloins came out perfectly and the homemade bbq sauce was an added bonus. Looking forward to the arrival of your new book.
Can I grill these on skewers?
Sure, that should work. Enjoy!
A new favorite! I made this for dinner last night and everyone raved about how good it was. I marinated for about 18 hours and it was full of flavor, tender and juicy. Those are not how most grilled chicken breast are described…haha I used Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce. Thanks again Jen 🙂
I love this recipe!!!! After it’s been marinated can I freeze it?
Sure, Pat, that’s fine. 🙂
Hi Jenn
This recipe sounds delicious! Do you think it would work to make it in a crockpot and shred the chicken once it’s cooked?
Thanks so much for all of your wonderful recipes!❤️
Hi Cindy, So glad you like the recipes! I don’t have a crockpot but I think it would work. I’d probably stick to chicken breasts and wouldn’t bother to pound them out first.
Thanks so much Jenn for getting back to me so quickly!
Is there a good way to grill the chicken a half hour before and keep it warm and on hold for dinner?
Hi Jamie, I think you could grill this and then put it on the warm setting in your oven covered with foil until you’re ready to serve it. (I think this would taste good at room temperature too.)
Thanks so much for your prompt reply. We really, really, enjoy your recipes!
Hello Jen,
What would be a good store bought BBQ sauce you recommend?
Hi Elaine, I usually buy Sweet Baby Ray’s.
Another winner Jenn! Made exactly as per your instructions. Easy, made with ingredients always on hand, a quick cook, and just excellent results. Everyone loved it! And made your bbq sauce as well. Winner, winner, chicken dinner 😁
Another stellar recipe from you Jenn!! My husband declared it the absolute best he’s ever had! Made recipe exactly as written and it was perfect!!
I’ve made this twice and it is an excellent recipe. It is full of flavor and the chicken was moist and tender. For my taste, it has too much smoked paprika, so the second time I only used 1 Tsp of smoked, and 1 Tsp of regular paprika. Thanks for another great recipe! Pounding out the breasts and the short cooking time work great.
This chicken was excellent! nice amount of spice and heat without being too intense. I was bored by BBQ chicken and now am interested to make this again.
Delicious! The marinade/rub gives it an extra flavorful boost! The family loved it. Served with corn on cob, grilled garlic bread and tomato, mozzarella, basil and avocado salad. Def a keeper!!
Hi Jen,
I have no grill, how do you recommend to cook it: oven, pan? For how long?
Thanks in advance.
Hi Natalie, Sure, I’d broil it in your oven. Set your oven rack about 4 inches from the heat source and broil for the same amount of time specified for the grill (flipping once) and put the bbq sauce on after flipping. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
Sounds yummy! No grill here — any tips for doing this in the oven or stove top?
Hi Deborah, I’d use the oven and broil it. Set your oven rack about 4 inches from the heat source and broil for the same amount of time specified for the grill (flipping once) and put the bbq sauce on after flipping. Enjoy!
This sounds yummy! Can I sub boneless, skinless chicken thighs?
Yep 🙂
I recently made this recipe from your cookbook and it was delicious. If I wanted to make this again with a bit of less smoky flavor– it possible to reduce the amount of smoked paprika or would you suggest substituting some of it with regular paprika?
Hi Debbie, Glad you like it! I’d probably just replace some or all of the smoked paprika with regular paprika.
I don’t have a grill so how do you think this would taste baked in oven?
Any other options?
Thanks do much!
Marny
Hi Marny, I’d broil instead of bake it. Set your oven rack about 4 inches from the heat source and broil for the same amount of time specified for the grill (flipping once) and put the bbq sauce on after flipping. Hope that helps!
Can this dish be prepared in the oven? If so, what temp and for how long should it cook?
Thank you.
June V.
Sure, I’d broil it. Set your oven rack about 4 inches from the heat source and broil for the same amount of time specified for the grill (flipping once) and put the bbq sauce on after flipping. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!