The Only BBQ Chicken Recipe You’ll Ever Need

The Best BBQ Chicken Recipe you’ll ever make, rubbed with a smoky chipotle spice rub, grilled to perfection then slathered in a homemade bbq sauce. A quick & easy grilled BBQ Chicken that’s juicy, tender and loaded with flavor – the perfect summer dinner!

What goes with BBQ chicken? My favorite sides to serve along side it are my Grilled Corn Salad with Jalapeno Dressing, Creamy Potato Salad with Bacon and of course an Epic Fruit Salad.

The Best BBQ Chicken Recipe

I couldn’t do a Summer Grilling Series and not have an Epic BBQ Chicken Recipe! Right?

What makes this recipe so mouthwatering is the layer upon layer of flavor. The first layer is a Smoky Chipotle Spice Rub I add, you can find the recipe here. If you don’t want to make you’re own you can use a pre-made one but just know that will change the nutritional facts and probably add more salt. The second layer is the flavor from the grill itself and lastly my homemade BBQ Sauce that gets slathered all over both sides of the chicken. 

This is my go to BBQ Chicken Recipe and I know it will soon become yours too! 

Ingredients you’ll need to make this Grilled BBQ Chicken Recipe:

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast – You could use bone-in chicken breasts to add more flavor. I like to use boneless chicken breast because I don’t want to deal with the bone and you are already adding flavor with the spice rub and bbq sauce.
• Smoky Chipotle Spice Rub – This is the KEY. Instead of just seasoning with salt and pepper you are adding another layer of flavor that takes this recipe over the top. All of the ingredients in this spice rub blend are pantry staples!
• BBQ Sauce – I used my Homemade BBQ Sauce for this BBQ Chicken Recipe. However, you don’t want to make your own sauce just use your favorite store bought brand.

How long to cook BBQ Chicken?

I typically cook my bbq chicken for 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the chicken. It ends up being 5-7 minutes per side and then I grill for 1 minute per side after I put the BBQ Sauce on. At the end of the day, timing may vary because there are a lot of factors. However, you chicken is not done until the internal temperature reaching 165°F.

What temperature should you BBQ Chicken be at?

According the FDA Chicken must reach 165°F to be “done.” For BBQ Chicken I recommend putting the sauce on chicken when they reach 160°F and removing them from the grill when they reach 165°F. They will be perfectly cooked through and still juicy and tender!

Should you marinate Chicken in BBQ Sauce?

NO! BBQ Sauce usually contains a lot of sugar. It won’t marinate well and then when you put the chicken on the grill it will cause flare ups leaving you with a char dry piece of chicken. I recommend putting a spice rub on your chicken and then brushing the bbq sauce on at the end.

How to cook BBQ Chicken on the Grill?

1. Preheat grill to medium high heat, 375-400°F.
2. To a small bowl add, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, chipotle chili powder, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper. Gently mix.
3. Pat chicken breast dry with a paper towel.
4. Season both sides of chicken with spice blend.
5. Rub down grill grates with olive oil soaked rag or spray with cooking spray.
6. Place chicken breasts on grill. Grill for 5 minutes and flip, cook an additional 5-6 minutes. Then baste chicken with bbq sauce, and cook for an 1 minute. Flip and repeat basting and grill for 1 minute. Remove chicken when they have reached 165°F.
7. Place bbq chicken on a plate and let rest for 5 minutes to let juices redistribute. Serve with more BBQ if you like them “saucey.”

How to cook BBQ Chicken in the oven?

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Pat chicken dry with paper towel. Season both sides of chicken with smoky chipotle spice rub and place in a 13’x9″ baking dish. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Brush the top side of the chicken with Homemade BBQ sauce, flip and generously brush the other side. Return chicken to the oven and cook for 5-8 minutes longer, or until the sauce bubbles and begins to char. The internal temperature should be 165°F and the juices run clear before you remove from the oven completely. Let the chicken rest a few minutes before serving.

Can you grill chicken from frozen?

I would not recommend grilling chicken from frozen. Your chicken will be very tough and fibrous. Just take the extra 30 minutes, run it under cold water and thaw it out. Trust me. It will be worth it in the end.

What goes with BBQ Chicken?

I mean really, what doesn’t go with Grilled BBQ Chicken. You can add it on a salad, shred it and add it on a slider bun or serve it as a the main dish along some awesome sides like these.

• Best Mexican Street Corn Salad
• 10 Minute Creamy Cucumber Salad
• Grilled Asparagus with Lemon Zest
• Light Roasted Tomato Caprese Pasta Salad
• Grilled Sweet Potato Salad
• Chipotle Sweet Potato Fries with Honey Sriracha Aiola

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