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Super juicy Baked BBQ Chicken is easy to make in your oven! A simple BBQ Chicken Marinade makes it sweet, smoky, and super flavorful, so you can experience the joy of Grilled Chicken Breast year-round!

sliced easy baked bbq chicken

Why You’ll Love This Oven BBQ Chicken Breast Recipe

  • True BBQ Flavor. This isn’t your ordinary barbecue chicken! By both marinading the chicken in an easy BBQ marinade, and finishing it with Homemade Barbecue Sauce, you get more moisture, and sweet and tangy flavor in every bite.
  • Quick and Easy. When it comes to weeknight dinners, this baked BBQ chicken breast recipe is a hero. You can prep it the night before and then have it cooked and ready to eat in under 30 minutes (find even more ideas in my 30 Minute Meals!). If you want to make it even faster, use your favorite brand of storebought BBQ sauce.
  • Simple Ingredients. Like my BBQ Chicken Salad and Crockpot BBQ Chicken, this baked BBQ chicken uses easy ingredients to create restaurant-worthy flavor.
  • Everyone Loves It. Kid-friendly! Adult-approved! No one can resist juicy baked BBQ chicken breasts. The technique in this BBQ chicken recipe is based on my wildly popular Baked Chicken Breasts, so it’s guaranteed to be a winner winner chicken dinner.
healthy oven baked bbq chicken

How to Make Baked BBQ Chicken

The Ingredients

  • Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts. You can use boneless or bone-in.

Other Cuts of Chicken

This recipe works for a variety of cuts of chicken, both bone-in and boneless.

Use the marinade and sauce to make barbecue chicken wings, chicken drumsticks, skin-on chicken thighs, BBQ chicken tenders, dark meat—whatever! Just note that the cooking times will vary.

For guidance, see Chicken Thighs in the Oven (or Grilled Chicken Thighs), Grilled Chicken Tenders, Air Fryer Chicken Legs, and Baked Chicken Wings.

  • BBQ Chicken Marinade. My recipe has all the flavors of a good barbecue sauce, but in marinade form!
  • Barbecue Sauce. Or use your favorite store-bought or homemade BBQ sauce.

The Directions

mixing together baked bbq chicken marinade in a large bowl
  1. Make the Marinade. Whisk all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
marinating baked bbq chicken in a ziptop
  1. Marinate Magic. Marinate BBQ chicken in the refrigerator for 2 hours or up to 1 day.
marinated chicken on a sheet for easy baked bbq chicken
  1. Bake. Bake BBQ chicken breasts at 425°F for 14 to 20 minutes depending upon their size.
oven baked bbq chicken resting on cutting board
  1. Rest and Serve. Let rest for at least 5 minutes, then serve and ENJOY!

Storage Tips

  • To Store. Refrigerate baked BBQ chicken breasts in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
  • To Reheat. Leftover chicken can be reheated in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F. Brush with fresh BBQ sauce before reheating and to serve.
  • To Freeze. Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat according to the directions above.

Meal Prep Tip

The chicken marinade and barbecue sauce can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Leftover Ideas

Add leftover chicken to sandwiches, wraps, and salads. I also love the flavor of BBQ chicken breasts with Cauliflower Mac and Cheese and Instant Pot Mac and Cheese. Or, layer it on Whole Wheat Pizza Dough, and get some inspiration from BBQ Chicken Pizza.

What to Serve with Baked BBQ Chicken

easy oven baked bbq chicken

Recipe Tips and Tricks

  • Pound the Chicken. This allows you to make sure your chicken is the same thickness throughout, which means that all of your chicken breasts will finish cooking at the same time and each breast will be juicy and tender throughout, instead of rubbery on the ends.
  • Marinate Overnight. If you have time, marinating the chicken overnight will help make it extra flavorful. That said, longer isn’t better—after 24 hours, the marinade will begin to break down the fibers in the chicken making it mushy.
  • Don’t Brush the Chicken Right Away. Applying the sauce after the chicken has been in the oven for a while is key to getting the sauce to stick. Apply the first coating of sauce when the chicken reaches 150 degrees F, then slather more BBQ sauce on after serving.
  • Use a Meat Thermometer. Don’t watch the clock! The best way to know when your chicken is done cooking is to use an instant-read thermometer. I remove the chicken from the oven when it reaches 155 degrees F, as the internal temperature will continue to rise during the resting time, eventually reaching the perfect (and safe!) 165 degrees F.
  • Let It Rest. If you cut into the chicken too soon, all the juices will run out, leaving your chicken dry. Loosely cover the BBQ chicken breast with foil and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then serve and cut.
  • Go Big Batch. If you need a large quantity or are looking for shredded BBQ chicken, check out Crockpot BBQ Chicken.

Baked BBQ Chicken

5 From 17 reviews . Help us out! Review HERE.Help out & review HERE

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 2 hours 30 minutes

Servings: 4 servings
How to make juicy oven-baked BBQ chicken with big, bold flavor. The best marinade and sauce make it the easy way to enjoy BBQ chicken anytime!

Ingredients
  

For the Baked Chicken:

For the Marinade:


Instructions
 

  • Pat the chicken dry, then place chicken breasts on a cutting board; if desired lay a sheet of plastic wrap over the top to keep things tidy. With a meat mallet or rolling pin, gently pound the breasts into an even thickness. Place in a sturdy ziptop bag or a small dish that will hold it snugly.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the marinade ingredients: ketchup, maple syrup, vinegar, Worcestershire, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper.
  • Add the marinade to the chicken (either the bag or the dish). Seal the bag (if using), squeezing out as much air as possible. Turn to coat the chicken in the marinade. Marinade the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.
  • When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature while you preheat the oven. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet or baking dish large enough to hold the chicken without it touching with parchment paper.
  • Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the parchment paper. Bake BBQ chicken for 14 to 16 minutes (for small/medium breasts that are about 6 to 7 ounces), 16 to 20 minutes (for medium/large breasts that are 8 to 10 ounces), or 20 to 25 minutes (for larger breasts). For best results, use an instant-read thermometer. When the breasts reach 165°F, they are done. Note that the chicken’s temperature will rise as it rests; I prefer to remove mine at 155°F. If desired, when the chicken has about 5 minutes left, brush it liberally with BBQ sauce.
  • Transfer the chicken to a plate or cutting board. Cover and let rest for a minimum of 5 minutes. Enjoy hot with a side of barbecue sauce as desired.

Notes

  • This recipe works for a variety of cuts of chicken, both bone-in and boneless. For cooking times, for other cuts, see Baked Bone In Chicken Breast and Chicken Thighs in the Oven.
  • Adapted from my Baked Chicken Breast and BBQ Chicken Marinade
  • TO STORE: Refrigerate baked BBQ chicken breast in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
  • TO REHEAT: Leftover chicken can be reheated in a baking dish in the oven at 350°F.
  • TO FREEZE: Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat according to the directions above.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 (of 4)Calories: 234kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 37gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 109mgPotassium: 764mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 632IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 2mg

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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  1. I made this chicken yesterday and we all loved it! Tender, moist, yum!! Even my son, who does not like chicken or barbecue, said it was really good. That’s saying a lot! I look forward to trying other recipes you have posted.5 stars

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  2. Really good BBQ chicken. I never have good results baking chicken in the oven but this recipe was so good. I used boneless skinless chicken and adjusted the cooking time. So easy and good!5 stars

  3. I have been on the hunt for a really good oven baked barbecue chicken recipe and I finally found it with this one!! I followed this recipe to the tee and it came out perfect.5 stars

  4. I made the chicken this evening, everyone loved it. Easy and delicious. I served it with Hawaiian Coleslaw and steam rice. Perfect combo!5 stars

  5. Thank you for this deliciously quick and easy chicken recipe. Made it for dinner today and had no issues with any of the process. Added a side of sautéed squash.5 stars

  6. This was delicious!! Took a little longer to cook but chicken always varies. Such an easy, simple but absolutely delicious recipe. I’ll definitely be making it again5 stars

  7. I came across this recipe last week, it was so delicious that it has become a regular on our dinner rotation, we just had it for dinner last night! The chicken is always delicious even my picky 5 year old loves it! Since I came across it again I wanted to leave a review since our family loves it so much!!5 stars

  1. I made this chicken yesterday and we all loved it! Tender, moist, yum!! Even my son, who does not like chicken or barbecue, said it was really good. That’s saying a lot! I look forward to trying other recipes you have posted.5 stars

    1