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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.
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 and I think you might also like my baked BBQ chicken drumsticks.
Want to make it a full meal? Serve with my Garlic Parmesan Baked Potato Wedges or my Healthy Potato Salad.
Recipe Overview
Before you get started
→ You do not have to use chicken breasts. This can be swapped with boneless and skinless chicken thighs or another type of protein that you prefer.
→ Don’t overcook the chicken breasts! Listen, the ovens will vary, and the size of the chicken breast you are using will also vary, and thus the time it will take for the chicken breast to cook through will vary. Expect anywhere between 40-50 minutes.
→ Make ahead: Marinate the chicken breasts the night before. It will save a bit of time.
→ Consider adding some veggies. For the last 20 minutes of the bake time, add in some broccoli florets or green beans (rinse and season ahead with salt and pepper).
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.
Yes. You can use your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce. There are many great low-sugar options out there now.
Ovens vary, and the size of the chicken breast you use plays a factor in the bake time. In my oven, they needed 40 minutes until they reached an internal temperature of 165°F.
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. Don’t like chicken? Use salmon fillets.
- Avocado oil: You may use avocado oil or whatever oil you have on hand.
- 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.
1️⃣ Season the 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.
✏️ You can do this ahead or even the night before and let it just marinate.
2️⃣ Add BBQ sauce and Bake
Next, when ready to bake the chicken, remove it from the ziploc bag and place it into the prepared dish. Brush the seasoned chicken breast with half of the BBQ sauce (could be homemade or store bought) and bake them in the oven for about 40-50 minutes.
✏️ Flip the chicken breasts 20 minutes in onto the other side, brush again with the BBQ sauce, and continue to bake until cooked through (about another 20 minutes). In my oven they needed 40 minutes, yours may need another 10 minutes. Also, to check for doneness, use a food thermometer and check the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken breast. Once it reaches 165°F, it is ready.
Once done, remove from the oven. Slice and serve warm with the remaining BBQ sauce.
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.
Baked BBQ Chicken Breast
Video
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.
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.
More chicken recipes
- Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
- Creamy Cajun Chicken
- Southwest chicken salad
- Honey Mustard Chicken
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
- Thai Basil Chicken
- Baked Cashew Chicken and Veggies
- Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Skillet
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I’ve made this recipe several times and it has always been delicious. Other than using olive oil in place of avocado oil, I follow the directions exactly as stated. Perfect every time!
This was super yummy! I smacked the chicken with a mallet a few times to get it a more consistent thickness and baked for 15 minutes. Then when I flipped I put in my internal read thermometer which is hard for me to live without. It just beeps when it gets to the temperature I have set and then no worries! I cook to 160 then take out and cover with foil and the temp goes up a bit. I also cooked at 450 as I have had a lot of luck in the past cooking for a shorter time at higher temp. Doesn’t matter much if you’ve got the thermometer though! I may try the broiler for a couple minutes at the end next time but the recipe was great as it is! Thanks again!
Do you cover or put a lid on the chicken while it is baking?
No I don’t cover it. You can and for the last 10-15 minutes you should uncover it
So easy to make i used sweet baby rays bbq sauce cooked chicken for 1 hr after 45 mins I brushed on more sauce. Rested chicken for 5 mins before serving. Made with parmesan potato wedges and mixed greens
This was amazing. I have two very picky eaters, my Husband and my Youngest daughter. This was a hit for them both.
yay. Perfect
This was the best chicken that I’ve ever made juicy soft and everybody liked it
So awesome. Glad everyone liked it
Excellent! The chicken breats were very most and tasty. I didn’t flip them and they temped just fine after 30 mins.
It was a great recipe. Everyone loved it. I trike the recipe and have lots of leftover. Can you freeze these??
yes you can
Made this tonight and it was fabulous!!! It was so easy to make and so tender and juicy. And my Jack Stack barbecue sauce–a Kansas City best–just sent the flavor over the top! The only thing I did different was hit the broiler briefly at the end of baking to crisp the top up a bit, and it didn’t dry it out at all. I will definitely make this chicken a regular around our house. Thank you for sharing!
Delicious and juicy, quick meal for the family.
Thank you
This is a delicious recipe and the first time I’ve been able to cook chicken that didn’t come our dry and tough. I do have a question though. What do you think is the best way to freeze what’s left and then reheated. There’s only 2 of us and my husband is vegetarian so I can’t eat all of this in 4 days. I usually eat 3 oz per meal. I don’t want to throw out any of it.
Thank you.
Great recipe! Very moist and awesome flavor!!
Nice. Thanks for the feedback
Why would we EVER suggest Canola or Grapeseed oil if we call these “healthy” meals? They cause inflammation and more people need to know to AVOID them!
You can use any oil of your choice for your dietary needs.
There is a great barbecue sauce that has NO SUGAR and is sweetened with vegetables. I used it in this recipe and it was great. It’s called TrueMade Foods Kansas City Barbecue sauce and it’s available in many grocery stores.
This is a very good recipie to try on a family dinner night! Great flavor and not very dry. I found that using olive oil instead of the other oil tastes better. I did add a little of my own spices too! I found that the bbq sauce directed was a little to less for 4 big chicken breasts. But over all a great recipie to try!
sounds good
LOVED IT!! Made it for dinner last night for my husband and a friend and it was a HIT! Definitely a “make again” kind of recipe!! Thank you!
Nice. Thanks for the feedback. Glad you liked it
make this dish every week!! sometimes i add fresh pineapple and use hawaiian bbq sauce!! so yummy!!!!!