Today we're talking about baking chicken breasts to moist, juicy perfection, smothering them with BBQ Sauce and consuming immediately! Are you ready for this deliciousness?
Today's recipe for chicken is moist and juicy. And while we're focusing on smothering it with barbecue sauce, this preparation can be used on just about any flavor chicken you can dream up. Just marinate, season, bake and enjoy.
Why This Recipe Works
In a nutshell, this recipe uses bone-in chicken breasts and a flavorful marinade. Both of these things help the chicken stay moist and juicy while cooking in the oven. Then, you'll brush the chicken with bbq sauce during the last few minutes of cooking so that it forms a sticky bbq sauce topping and makes the chicken irresistible.
BBQ Chicken vs. Grilled Chicken
When someone says "bbq chicken" you think one of two things, right? There's the barbeque chicken that is cooked on a grill or smoker and there's the chicken that is baked in the oven with barbecue sauce. This recipe is the latter. If you'd like some recipes for grilled chicken, try this Gorgeous Grilled Chicken recipe, my Garlic Ranch Chicken Marinade, or my go-to recipe for Basic Grilled Chicken.
What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?
The key is to start with bone-in, half chicken breasts. Boneless and skinless chicken has its place in the poultry kingdom, but not here. We want the bone because it keeps the meat from drying out and imparts excellent flavor. Since we're smothering this chicken with BBQ sauce, I'm going to take the skin off, but I often leave it on if I'm cooking it without a sauce. Leaving it on will naturally baste the chicken as it cooks and also crisps up nicely if you like that sort of thing. I'm kind of a skin hater so even if I leave it on to cook I rarely eat it.
The Key To Moist, Flavorful BBQ Chicken
Marinating is all about adding flavor and moisture to the meat. I'm using a combo of olive oil, lemon juice, smoked paprika (for that smoky BBQ flavor), and minced garlic. If you don't have smoked paprika, I definitely suggest you get some! It has such good flavor and gives a nice smoky flavor to anything you add it to.
How To Make Oven Baked BBQ Chicken
Step 1.
Start by mixing up the marinade and pouring over the chicken in a ziplock bag. I use a bag as opposed to a bowl because you don't have to use very much marinade to cover the chicken and it seems to marinate more evenly. Place in the fridge.
Step 2.
Place the chicken in the fridge for at least an hour or up to overnight. Allowing the chicken to marinade past 24 hours could result in some funny-textured chicken though.
Step 3.
Take the chicken out of the marinade and place on a baking sheet. Season with liberally with kosher salt and pepper and pop in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes.
Step 4.
After 20 minutes your chicken will be about half-way done depending on the size of the breast. Brush each breast with your favorite Barbecue sauce and return to the oven.
Step 5.
Repeat the application of BBQ sauce to the chicken every 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Standard chicken breasts take a total of 35-40 minutes, so 4-5 brushings with the sauce should do ya. If you have a thermometer, insert it into the thickest part of the breast and remove it from the oven when it hits 165 degrees F.
How do I get that sticky-sweet caramelized sauce on my bbq chicken?
Taking the time to apply the sauce to the chicken at 5-minute intervals while baking results in a deliciously sticky, glazed exterior that makes me want to lick my fingers just thinking about it.
Frequently Asked Questions About This Recipe
Chicken can be marinated for up to 24 hours, but any longer than that, the marinade can affect the texture of the chicken.
Chicken is fully cooked at 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature and insert into the the thickest part of the chicken for an accurate reading.
Yes, boneless chicken can be used, but bone-in chicken breasts will give you the moistest, most flavorful chicken.
When roasting chicken, like we are here, you do not need to cover the chicken.
Other Chicken Recipes You Might Like
- Pesto Parmesan Chicken
- Easy Chicken Cacciatore
- Smothered Chicken Breast
- Honey Dijon Chicken Thighs
- garlic chicken thighs
Other Popular Recipes People Really Like
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Super Moist Oven Baked BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in Chicken Breast Halves
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ยฝ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ยฝ-3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- pepper to taste
- 1 cup favorite prepared BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Remove skin from chicken breast halves and place in a large ziplock bag.
- Combine olive oil, smoked paprika, lemon juice, and garlic in a small bowl and pour over chicken.
- Let chicken marinade for at least an hour, up to 24 in the fridge.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Remove chicken from bag and place on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 20 minutes and brush a layer of BBQ sauce on the chicken. Return to the oven and repeat brushing with BBQ sauce every 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes longer. Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F when read with a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast.
Janet says
I've made this several times now for my family and no matter how many chicken breasts I make, it's never enough! Delicious recipe ๐
Julie says
Today was the second time I made this recipe for my family. I made it two weeks ago and they loved it and asked me to make it for them again. Thanks!
story says
Is this gluten free
Rashawn Hood says
I made this chicken for the first time, and I absolutely loved it. I'm not a huge BBQ fan, but this was definitely a hit in my house. Thanks
JR says
Amazing and simple. Just had regular skinless/boneless chicken breast and subbed lime for lemon. I'd like to try it with bone-in chicken.
Jackie says
if I want to roast potatoes on the oven at the same time, how do I adjust cooking time?
Heather says
If you put the potatoes on the bottom rack, you probably shouldn't have to adjust the time much. Both the potatoes and meat should take about the same about of time. Good luck!
Natasha says
Pretty! This was an incredibly wonderful article. Thank you for providing this information.
Victoria says
Tried it today. So good! Flavorful on the inside and juicy too! Thanks for this recipe!
Barb Broad says
i can't wait to make this chicken recipe!! We're having a cookout and my husband doesn't want to be slaving over the grill for hours....so I'm making this recipe right in the over and I'll serve it with everything else! Thank you! I love your website...it's the best!
RLW says
will try! I hate to say it but I love skin on chicken. I know it's not healthy, but it can be delish--and the best part. More proof---watch the South Park episode where Cartman distracted the guys from a bucket of KFC and then ate all the skins. It caused them to cry. http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/154932/fried-chicken
April says
This was AWESOME! The chicken was so moist, and tender! Only had an hour and a half to marinate. Will definitely use this recipe again. ๐
Thank You
MCropp says
This recipe is delicious! I have made it several times! Do you think it would work if I substituted Italian dressing for the BBQ sauce. I am looking for a baked Italian chicken recipe and can't find one I like.
Victoria says
I have not tried using Italian dressing in place of BBQ sauce, although I can highly recommend using it as a marinade for chicken. Years ago, there was a restaurant in my city that had a wonderful grilled chicken breast - the secret ingredient was an Italian dressing marinade. The restaurant has been gone for a long time, but the whole family still loves that chicken.
Renee says
I know this is from several months ago, but I personally use Italian dressing sometimes. I like variety in my cooking and you can use almost any salad dressing or sauce. You just oil the pan and chicken, put the dressing or sauce over it (I use a deep pan like a cake pan or loaf pan). Every 10 minutes or so shake it a little to respread the sauce. I cook it at 350 for about 30-40 minutes. So delicious! Oh and sometimes I turn the chicken over for an extra 5 minutes or so. (I only ever use skinless boneless chicken)
Heather Cheney says
Thanks for the addition, Renee! ๐