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Charred edges, a sticky-tangy glaze, and smoky barbecue flavor all the way through—this grilled BBQ chicken recipe is a go-to for summer cookouts.
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 schnitzel, chicken pot pie, and so on. The kids immediately pile on, groaning about all my chicken dinners. Luckily, this BBQ chicken recipe always wins everyone over. It’s smoky, saucy, and full of flavor, with just the right amount of char from the grill. Even my chicken-weary crew can’t complain about this one.
“I made this chicken twice in the past week and received raves both times. Easy peasy and definitely crowd-pleasing!”
What You’ll Need To Make BBQ Chicken
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins both work well. If using breasts, pound them to an even ½-inch thickness so they cook quickly and evenly. There’s no need to pound tenderloins.
- Vegetable oil: Forms the base of the marinade and helps coat the chicken evenly. Its neutral flavor lets the spices come through.
- Garlic: Adds a savory, aromatic note to the marinade. Freshly minced garlic works best here.
- Salt and Light Brown Sugar: Season the chicken and balance the spices. Brown sugar also helps encourage browning on the grill.
- Smoked Paprika: Gives the chicken its smoky character even before it hits the grill. Be sure to use smoked rather than regular sweet paprika.
- Ground Cumin, Chili Powder & Cayenne Pepper: Add earthy warmth, depth, and heat to the spice mixture. Regular chili powder works well here; there’s no need for anything especially hot.
- Barbecue Sauce: Use a good-quality store-bought sauce or make your own homemade BBQ sauce. You’ll brush some onto the chicken toward the end of grilling and serve the rest alongside.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make BBQ Chicken
Make the marinade and marinate the chicken: Whisk the marinade ingredients together, then add the chicken and toss until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours. You’ll notice there’s no vinegar or citrus in the marinade—that’s intentional, since marinating lean chicken breasts in too much acid can significantly affect their texture.
Grill the chicken: Grill the chicken over high heat until nicely browned on the first side, keeping the grill covered as it cooks. Flip, brush with barbecue sauce, and continue cooking until done. Adding the sauce toward the end gives it time to cling to the chicken without burning, since the sugars in barbecue sauce can scorch over high heat. An instant-read thermometer is the easiest way to check for doneness. The chicken should reach 165°F in the thickest part.
Serve: Transfer the chicken to a platter and serve with the remaining barbecue sauce alongside.
Can I Use Bone-In Chicken?
Yes! Bone-in, skin-on chicken works well, but it needs a little more time and gentler heat than the boneless chicken used here. Cook it over medium heat on the cooler side of the grill, turning occasionally, until the thickest part reaches 165°F. If the skin needs a little more crisping, move it skin-side down to the hotter side for a few minutes, keeping a close eye on it. Brush on the barbecue sauce toward the end so it doesn’t burn.
Storage, Freezing & Reheating
Getting the chicken into its marinade the night before makes this an especially easy dinner to pull together—when you’re ready to eat, all that’s left is the grilling. It’s best fresh off the grill, but leftovers are handy for sandwiches, salads, or another quick meal.
- Store: Keep cooked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Place the chicken in a baking dish with a splash of water, cover with foil, and warm in a 325°F oven until heated through.
- Freeze: Cooked chicken can be frozen in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the raw chicken directly in the marinade for up to 3 months. Simply combine the chicken and marinade in a freezer-safe resealable bag, press out the air, and freeze immediately. Thaw either version in the refrigerator before reheating or cooking as directed. There’s no need to marinate the raw chicken again after thawing.
Video Tutorial
Grilled BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1¾ lbs chicken tenderloins or boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1¼ teaspoons 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-in (13-mm) 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. The chicken should reach 165°F in the thickest part. (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
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.
See more recipes:
What To Pair With BBQ Chicken
BBQ chicken goes with just about every classic cookout side. Coleslaw and potato salad are always welcome, fresh corn salad keeps things light, and cornbread is great for catching any extra barbecue sauce.
More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
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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!