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This Baked BBQ Chicken Breast recipe is a fast and easy dinner that the whole family will love. The chicken is covered in a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce and then baked until perfectly juicy and caramelized. It’s perfect for busy weeknights and can be made with low-sugar BBQ sauce.
You may also like my baked BBQ chicken drumsticks.
If you love recipes that are light, kid-friendly, and easy to make this Baked Chicken Breast with barbeque glaze is just for you. The 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 or even use a homemade BBQ sauce for a lighter option. My kids love it as much as they love this pesto chicken recipe.
Want to make it a full meal? Serve with my Garlic Parmesan Baked Potato Wedges or my Healthy Potato Salad.
Recipe summary
- A handful of simple ingredients. You only need a few ingredients and likely already have them.
- Fast and easy. With this recipe, you can have dinner on the table in less than an hour. It’s so simple to make, perfect for busy days.
- Delicious! This baked BBQ Chicken recipe is juicy, tender, and covered in the most flavorful sticky BBQ sauce.
Ingredients needed
This is just a list of ingredients you will need to make this dish. Full measurements are listed further down below in the recipe card.
- Chicken breasts: if you prefer using boneless and skinless chicken thighs, you can.
- Avocado oil: you may use avocado oil.
- Seasonings: smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and white pepper
- Kosher salt
- BBQ sauce: you can get a good low-sugar store-bought BBQ sauce or make your own at home. Check out my Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe.
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 the chicken in the oven for about 40-50 minutes. (Flip the chicken breasts 20 minutes in onto the other side and let it cook for another 20 minutes.)
- Flip and add more sauce: After 20 minutes (halfway through baking) 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 it 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: Choose a low-sugar or sugar-free BBQ sauce.
- Want to make this sweeter? Add in some brown sugar or honey with the BBQ sauce.
Frequently asked questions
Chicken drumsticks cook differently than chicken breasts. To make drumsticks, try this Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks recipe.
I like using a food thermometer. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken, and 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 airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat it in the microwave or in the oven until warmed through.
Yes. If you prefer using boneless and skinless chicken thighs, you can. Just keep in mind the nutritional value change.
What to serve with Barbecue Chicken
You can serve this barbecue Chicken with any sides you like! For a well-rounded meal, choose a vegetable, a grain, and a serving of fruit to go with the protein-dense chicken. What you can serve it with:
- 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
Storing and Reheating
- Storing: To store leftovers, place them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: You may either reheat them in the microwave or a preheated oven for 5-7 minutes. Feel free to add more BBQ sauce if needed.
More chicken recipes
- Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
- Creamy Cajun Chicken
- Honey Mustard Chicken
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
- Thai Basil Chicken
- Baked Cashew Chicken and Veggies
- Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Skillet
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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 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° F. Grease a casserole dish with a bit of oil. About one tablespoon.
- Place the 4 large chicken breasts into a large Ziploc bag. Add the remaining one tablespoon of the 2 tablespoons avocado oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher 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 1 cup BBQ sauce and bake in the preheated oven for about 40-50 minutes total.
- After 20 minutes of baking the chicken breasts, flip the chicken brush again with the BBQ sauce, and continue to bake until cooked through. for a total of 40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 F.
- 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 it 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 airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
- Cook time: Cook time varies depending on the oven
- Please note: ovens are different, so the baking time for individual ovens will vary
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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!
Thanks for the amazing feedback Barbara. So happy you loved this recipe
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!!!
Great. Glad you loved it.
Best BBQ chicken I’ve ever had, couldn’t recommend more! And super easy too, my favorite recipe to make.
So glad you loved it. Thanks for the feedback
I have chicken tenderloins will that affect the cook time since they are not as big?
Yes. I would go for 10 minutes less. keep an eye on it for doneness or use a thermometer to check the temp
Awsome recipe. Chicken was fantastic!
Thanks. Glad you liked it.
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?
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
Can this recipe be grilled?
Hello Amy. Yes, it can.
Baked covered or uncovered?
I baked it uncovered. It won’t hurt if you do and remove the cover last 10 minutes
Can you use split chicken breasts for this recipe vs boneless breasts?
Yes you can
The chicken turned out to be so juicy and the BBQ sauce tasted so yummy with it. My husband and children loved it!
Just Perfect! Thanks
this was great I’ll do it again
Thanks! Glad you liked it
Great! I loved the recipe.
I made this last night and its amazing
Glad you liked it.
Just made this and it was awesome. Whole family loved it!
Amazing. Thanks for the feedback. I am so glad everyone loved it.
My family went bonkers for it! Thanks so much for a great recipe.
Yay. So glad
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!
Great recipe. I tried it with slight modification in spices and it came out fabulous.
Thank you. Glad it worked out for you
I made this last night and my boyfriend, who is a picky eater, couldn’t get enough .. definitely saving this to my favorites! Thanks for a great recipe!
Awesome!
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”.
Thank you, John. The Errors have been fixed.