BBQ Chicken Breasts
These BBQ Chicken Breasts are classic, tried and true, and always satisfy whoever is gathered around the dinner table! Seasoned chicken breasts are charred first on the grill, then cooked all the way through as they’re slathered with BBQ sauce. Ideal for cookouts, backyard barbecues, and summertime meals of all sorts!
BBQ Chicken Breasts
I love trying crazy new recipes. When I see something weird on the menu, I’m the one at the table who takes a risk and orders it. I’m not afraid of exciting new hybrid recipes, vegan offerings, or anything else modern… But sometimes, you’ve really got to stick with your tried and true staples. When it comes to summertime grilling, I like to keep things classic with these BBQ Chicken Breasts!
As much as I love BBQ sauce, you can’t rely solely on that to bring all of the flavor to the chicken breasts. That’s why I first season them with a bold medley of chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne powder, and more. That way, the chicken is already downright delicious – it just gets further enhanced by the addition of BBQ sauce.
Speaking of BBQ sauce, you can totally use your favorite store-bought bottle for this easy recipe! Personally, I like to keep things interesting sometimes by using one of my homemade recipes like Spicy Barbecue Sauce, Blueberry Chipotle Barbecue Sauce, and Honey Chipotle Barbecue Sauce. No matter what sauce you choose to slather your grilled chicken breasts with, they’ll be perfect!
You can also make my homemade BBQ rub or use your favorite for this recipe. Either way, this chicken gets 5 thumbs up from the family.
How to Make BBQ Chicken Breasts
- Prepare the grill. Heat the grill to medium high or 450˚F.
- Mix the seasonings. Whisk together the brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper.
- Season the chicken. Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and arrange on a plate or baking sheet. Sprinkle the rub on the chicken and coat both sides evenly. Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken and place on the grill.
- Grill the chicken. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes or until it easily releases from the grill and is slightly charred. Flip the chicken and brush the top with barbecue sauce to coat. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes. Flip the chicken again and brush with the barbecue sauce to coat. Turn the heat to low and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until the chicken registers 150˚F on an instant read thermometer. (The internal temperature will continue to rise to a safe 165˚F while resting. Pulling it off the grill a little early ensures the chicken will be juicy and not overcooked.)
- Let the chicken rest, then serve. Coat the chicken with a little more sauce and transfer to a platter. Cover with foil and rest for 5 minutes. Serve immediately with more sauce, if desired.
What to Serve with BBQ Chicken
Complete your backyard barbecue with more of my favorite recipes! Here are some of the best side dishes to accompany this grilled BBQ Chicken with.
- Easy Broccoli Salad with Bacon
- BBQ Baked Beans with Bacon
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
- Easy Grilled Potatoes in Foil with Garlic
What Temperature To Cook BBQ Chicken
Always use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of your grilled chicken! If the thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 165°F, it’s fully cooked and safe to eat.
How To Store Leftover BBQ Chicken
In an airtight container in the fridge, your leftover chicken breasts will stay fresh for about 3-4 days. I recommend reheating your leftovers on your stove top over medium heat. The microwave will likely dry the meat out. However, slathering on even more BBQ sauce will help with that problem!
More BBQ Chicken Recipes
- Oven Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Carolina BBQ Chicken
- BBQ Grilled Chicken Legs
- Honey Chipotle BBQ Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Crockpot BBQ Pulled Chicken
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Get the Recipe: BBQ Chicken Breasts Recipe
Ingredients
For the rub:
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
For the chicken:
- 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 4 teaspoons chicken BBQ rub
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup BBQ Sauce
Equipment
- grill
Instructions
- Heat the grill to medium high or 450˚F.
- Whisk together the brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and arrange on a plate or baking sheet.
- Sprinkle the rub on the chicken and coat both sides evenly.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken and place on the grill.
- Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes or until it easily releases from the grill and is slightly charred.
- Flip the chicken and brush the top with barbecue sauce to coat. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes.
- Flip the chicken again and brush with the barbecue sauce to coat. Turn the heat to low and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until the chicken registers 150˚F on an instant read thermometer. (The internal temperature will continue to rise to a safe 165˚F while resting. Pulling it off the grill a little early ensures the chicken will be juicy and not overcooked.)
- Coat the chicken with a little more sauce and transfer to a platter. Cover with foil and rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve immediately with more sauce, if desired.