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easy grilled bbq chicken breasts recipe
I’m no scientist, but I’m sure there must be data about the gravitational pull at cookouts that brings everyone to the hot plate of juicy chicken breasts, sizzling and saucy, straight from the grill. My grilled BBQ chicken is always the first protein to disappear, so I’ve compiled all the best tips and tricks for how to make BBQ Chicken the star of any summer get-together.
I’m trying to make your life easier with this super simple recipe, but I fear I’m making the grill master at your house put in overtime because, I promise you, this chicken is going to disappear immediately.
Recipe Tips & Suggestions
- Use an indoor grill. I used a Ninja Indoor Smokeless Grill for this recipe. If you use an indoor grill as well, you can place the chicken breasts on the grill while it’s preheating. This way, the inside will reach a safe temperature quickly, but the outside of the chicken won’t burn.
- Feed a big crowd. If I’m having a big get-together, sometimes I will slice the chicken breasts when I put them out on the buffet. It helps stretch my budget a little further, and it’s easier for people to grab a slice and try a little bit of everything.
- Look for a value pack. Look for a large-sized value pack of chicken and scale this recipe up, because it’s summer and that means it’s grillin’ time!
Grilled BBQ Chicken Breasts
Cost $6.22 recipe / $1.55 serving
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts (boneless skinless, (2 lbs) $5.34)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.44)
- ½ tsp sea salt ($0.01)
- ½ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.05)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika ($0.10)
- 2 tsp brown sugar ($0.03)
- ¼ cup BBQ sauce ($0.25)
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to 450°F.
- Place 2 chicken breasts into a heavy-duty baggie and tenderize with a meat mallet or rolling pin, flattening the meat to ½-¾ inch thickness.
- Rub olive oil over each chicken breast, covering the entire surface area. Rub salt, pepper, brown sugar, and smoked paprika all over each and set aside. Allow chicken to come to room temperature.
- Place each chicken breast on the hot grill, preheated to 450°F, and grill on each side for 6 minutes, until they easily move and do not stick to the grates.
- Baste each breast with BBQ sauce after the first flip. Cook an additional 2 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 155-160°F.
- Remove the chicken breasts from the grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes, covered with aluminum foil. The breasts will continue to cook in their own juices and reach the safe, mandatory temperature of 165°F.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Indoor Grill
Nutrition
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Pound the chicken: Preheat the grill to 450°F. Place 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts into a heavy-duty baggie and, using a meat mallet or rolling pin, flatten the meat to ½-¾ inch thickness to tenderize it.
Season the chicken: Rub 2 Tbsp olive oil over each chicken breast, covering the entire surface area, and then rub the chicken with ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, 2 tsp brown sugar, and 1 tsp smoked paprika. Set aside and allow the chicken to come to room temperature.
Grill the chicken: Place the chicken breasts on the preheated grill, and grill on each side for 6 minutes, until they easily move and do not stick to the grates.
Add the BBQ sauce: Baste each chicken breast with ¼ cup of BBQ sauce after the first flip and continue to cook an additional 2 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 155-160°F.
Rest the chicken: Remove the chicken breasts from the grill and let them rest for 5 minutes, covered with aluminum foil. The breasts will continue to cook in their own juices and reach the safe, mandatory temperature of 165°F.
Serve: Serve the juicy grilled BBQ chicken and enjoy.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this grilled BBQ chicken with extra BBQ sauce for dipping. For sides, I always enjoy okra, but air fryer zucchini is more of a crowd pleaser, as is this grilled cabbage. And, of course, no cookout is complete without a side of pasta salad. For dessert, there’s nothing better than grilled peaches for a special summer treat!
Storage and reheating
I recommend storing leftover grilled BBQ chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To freeze, wrap individual chicken breasts in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place them in a Ziplock bag to store for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
This was excellent! I did tweak a few things on the seasonings. Instead of sea salt I used Johnny Seasoning (similar to Lawry’s season salt) and I also doubled the measurements because there wasn’t enough to cover both sides. Thanks for the great recipe!
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks, Jules!
I love the BBQ Sauce recipe! I also love not having to use my oven on a hot summer day! ❤️