This Baked BBQ Chicken Breast recipe is a fast and easy 30-minute dinner that the whole family will love. The chicken is covered in a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce, then baked until perfectly juicy and caramelized. It’s perfect for busy weeknights and can be made healthy with low-sugar BBQ sauce.
If you love recipes that are healthy, kid-friendly, and easy to make this Baked BBQ Chicken Breast recipe is just for you. This chicken is smothered in a tangy, sticky BBQ sauce that is so tasty! It’s packed with protein and completely gluten-free, plus it can be made with low-sugar or sugar-free BBQ sauce for a healthier dinner.
Want to make it a full meal? Serve with our Garlic Parmesan Baked Potato Wedges or our Healthy Potato Salad. Check out more side suggestions below.
Why this Chicken Breast recipe is great
- A handful of simple ingredients. You only need a few ingredients and you likely have them on hand already.
- Fast and easy. You can have dinner on the table in 30 minutes with this recipe. It’s so simple to make, perfect for busy days.
- Delicious! Baked BBQ Chicken Breast is juicy, tender, and covered in the most flavorful sticky BBQ sauce.
Ingredients you’ll need
This is just a list of ingredients you will need to make the Baked BBQ Chicken Breast. Full measurements are listed further down below.
Chicken breasts
Avocado oil
Seasonings: smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and white pepper
Kosher salt
BBQ sauce
how to make baked bbq chicken breast
- Preheat the oven to 375° F. Then grease a casserole dish with a bit of oil.
- Season chicken: Place the chicken breast into a large Ziploc bag. Add oil, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, and salt. Shake well until fully coated with oil and spices.
- Add BBQ sauce and bake: Next, place the chicken into the prepared dish. Brush the breast with half of the BBQ sauce and bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes.
- Flip and add more sauce: After 15 minutes flip the chicken and brush again with the BBQ sauce and continue to bake until cooked through.
- Serve: Once done, remove from the oven. Slice and serve warm with the remaining BBQ sauce.
Tips and Substitutes
- Chicken: Try to use chicken breasts that are close in size so that they bake evenly. You may use boneless chicken thighs.
- Avocado oil: You can also substitute with canola oil, olive oil, or grapeseed oil.
- Smoked paprika: You can also use regular paprika, but smoked paprika adds a lot more flavor.
- White pepper: Substitute with ground black pepper if needed.
- BBQ sauce: For a healthier dinner, choose a low-sugar or sugar-free BBQ sauce.
faqs
Chicken drumsticks cook differently than chicken breast. To make drumsticks, try this Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks recipe.
The easiest way to know if your chicken is done is to test it with a thermometer. Once the thickest part of the breast reaches 165 degrees, the chicken is ready to eat. Be careful not to overcook the chicken or it will be dry.
Store this chicken in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat it in the microwave or in the oven until warmed through.
What to serve with BBQ Chicken
You can serve this Baked BBQ Chicken Breast with any easy sides you like! For a well-rounded meal, choose a vegetable, healthy grain, and serving of fruit to go with the protein-dense chicken. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Potatoes: Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges or Healthy Potato Salad
- Mac and cheese: Vegan Mac and Cheese or Buffalo Mac and Cheese
- Roasted veggies: Roasted Garlic Cauliflower or Roasted Smoked Sweet Potatoes
- Rice: White Rice on the Stove or some Cauliflower rice for a low carb option.
- Fruit: Fresh seasonal fruit or Easy Mixed Berry Fruit Salad
more easy chicken recipes
- Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
- Creamy Cajun Chicken
- Honey Mustard Chicken
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
- Thai Basil Chicken
- Baked Cashew Chicken and Veggies
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Baked BBQ Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 4 large chicken breasts about 1.5 lbs. total
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil plus more to grease the pan
- 1 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° F. Grease a casserole dish with a bit of oil.
- Place the chicken breast into a large Ziploc bag. Add oil, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, and salt. Shake well until fully coated with oil and spices.
- Next, place the chicken into the prepared dish. Brush the breast with half of the BBQ sauce and bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes.
- After 15 minutes flip the chicken and brush again with the BBQ sauce and continue to bake until cooked through.
- Once done, remove from the oven. Slice and serve warm with the remaining BBQ sauce.
Video
Notes
- Chicken: Try to use chicken breasts that are close in size so that they bake evenly.
- Avocado oil: You can also substitute with canola oil, olive oil, or grapeseed oil.
- Smoked paprika: You can also use regular paprika, but smoked paprika adds a lot more flavor.
- White pepper: Substitute with ground black pepper if needed.
- BBQ sauce: For a healthier dinner, choose a low-sugar or sugar-free BBQ sauce.
- Storage: Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
Alyssa says
Saved it as my favorite recipe! It’s my go to! My husband and daughter and myself am obsessed! I never have white pepper so I have to use black pepper instead but it’s sooo delicious! Thank you for sharing this! ☺️
Rena says
Thank you Alyssa. Glad to hear that everyone loved it.
Sue says
Delicious and quick way to have a BBQ chicken dinner–without the slow cooker!
Only thing I would change is to eliminate the salt–most BBQ sauces are high in sodium and provide more than enough.
Rena says
Thanks Sue. Glad you liked it.
Ruthi Schklar says
I found your site accidentally but the reviews were so positive I decided to try this one. I’m SO GLAD I did! My husband, the pickiest eater ever, loved the chicken. He ate his piece and part of mine too and he usually doesn’t do that, so he really liked it!. My only change was to switch to black pepper because I didn’t have white- otherwise, I made it as written. Winner-winner, Chicken dinner!
Rena says
Thanks for the great review. so glad your husband loved it.
Barbara says
I am eating this chicken right now as I write this, It is absolutely delicious, I made the recipe exactly as written. Finally a recipe for chicken breasts that produces tender chicken!
Rena says
Thanks for the amazing feedback Barbara. So happy you loved this recipe
Joan Johnson says
My husband made this delicious BBQ CHICKEN BREAST TODAY!
WE LOVE THIS RECIPE
I WILL RECOMMEND THIS TO MY FRIENDS. YOU WON’T BE DISAPPOINTED!!!
Rena says
Great. Glad you loved it.
Paul Rogo says
Best BBQ chicken I’ve ever had, couldn’t recommend more! And super easy too, my favorite recipe to make.
Rena says
So glad you loved it. Thanks for the feedback
Sara says
I have chicken tenderloins will that affect the cook time since they are not as big?
Rena says
Yes. I would go for 10 minutes less. keep an eye on it for doneness or use a thermometer to check the temp
Kevin says
Awsome recipe. Chicken was fantastic!
Rena says
Thanks. Glad you liked it.
Karina says
I’m confused. After you flip the chicken, do you brush it wish what’s fallen off into the pan or the other half of the sauce?
Rena says
Yes. Brush with the same BBQ in the pan. The remaining BBQ goes on after its done baking. If you prefer you may add the BBQ when you flip and bake again
Amy Daugherty says
Can this recipe be grilled?
Rena says
Hello Amy. Yes, it can.
Tasha says
Baked covered or uncovered?
Rena says
I baked it uncovered. It won’t hurt if you do and remove the cover last 10 minutes
Kim says
Can you use split chicken breasts for this recipe vs boneless breasts?
Rena says
Yes you can
Brianna says
The chicken turned out to be so juicy and the BBQ sauce tasted so yummy with it. My husband and children loved it!
Rena says
Just Perfect! Thanks
Janie says
this was great I’ll do it again
Rena says
Thanks! Glad you liked it
Richard Brown says
Great! I loved the recipe.
Doug McMillan says
I made this last night and its amazing
Rena says
Glad you liked it.
April says
Just made this and it was awesome. Whole family loved it!
Rena says
Amazing. Thanks for the feedback. I am so glad everyone loved it.
Long says
My family went bonkers for it! Thanks so much for a great recipe.
Rena says
Yay. So glad
Ang says
I made this last night. Everyone really liked it. I didn’t have chicken breasts quite as big as the recipe described so I baked them for 13 minutes per side and they came up juicy and tasty. Loved that BBQ smell in the house too!
Daniel Perkins says
Great recipe. I tried it with slight modification in spices and it came out fabulous.
Rena says
Thank you. Glad it worked out for you
John Hoft says
Grammatically speaking;
“How do I know the when the chicken is done?” should be changed to “How do I know when the chicken is done?”.
Also, under Ingredients:
“4 large chicken breasts about 1.5 lbs.” should be “…about 1.5 lbs. total” or …about 1.5 lbs. combined”.
Rena says
Thank you, John. The Errors have been fixed.