Perfectly caramelized outsides and tender, juicy insides, this baked BBQ chicken breast is big on summery barbeque flavors and makes the perfect midweek meal.

Ready in less than an hour, my oven-baked BBQ chicken breast delivers perfectly juicy and moist chicken without skimping on taste. Smothered in a sweet and tangy barbeque sauce, it’s easy to make and uses just a few pantry-staple ingredients, making it the perfect choice for meal prepping or for a simple weekday dinner.

See how to make it

Ingredients

• Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: Choose chicken breasts of even size – they’ll cook at the same time.
• BBQ Sauce: You can use store-bought or make your own homemade BBQ sauce.
• Water: You can substitute with chicken or vegetable broth for more flavor.
• Olive Oil: Or use any neutral cooking oil with a high smoking point – avocado oil is a great option.
• Seasonings: Smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, black pepper.

How to make baked BBQ chicken breast

Preheat the oven to 350ºF/175ºC. Use a little oil to grease an ovenproof casserole or baking dish.

Season the Chicken: Lay out your chicken breasts flat and drizzle with more olive oil. Cover the chicken with the seasonings, using your hands to make sure they’re all completely covered. For a no-mess version, put the chicken in a Ziplock bag and shake with the spices and oil until covered.

First Bake: Bake in the oven for fifteen minutes uncovered, then remove from the oven.

Add BBQ Sauce and bake again: Add ½ of the BBQ sauce over the partially baked chicken breasts, using a pastry brush or spoon to spread it out over all of the chicken breasts. Return to the oven for a further 15 minutes.

Add more BBQ Sauce and finish baking: Remove the chicken from the oven and add over the rest of the BBQ sauce before cooking for a further 15 minutes. All together, the chicken will have been cooked for 45 minutes.

This cooking method stops the BBQ sauce from burning while letting the baked BBQ chicken breast cook perfectly.

Check for Doneness: Using a meat thermometer, check the center of the breast. When perfectly cooked, chicken breast should have an internal temperature of 165°F/74°C. If you don’t have a thermometer, check by cutting into the thickest part of the breast. If the juices run clear and there’s no pinkness, the chicken is done.

Rest and serve: Allow the chicken breasts to rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow the BBQ sauce to meld into the meat and the juices to come out. Serve hot with fresh chopped parsley.

Top tip to perfect baked BBQ chicken

To master this BBQ chicken breast recipe, don’t be tempted to cook it all in one go. The first bake means no dry sauce and perfectly moist, flavorful chicken. Be generous with your BBQ sauce as it’ll allow it to caramelize during the last bake and give your chicken a sweet and sticky glaze.

What to serve with

• Potatoes: Serve hot with flavorful potato dishes – I love it with parmesan potatoes, creamy mashed potatoes, or some easy roasted potatoes.
• Veggies: Make good use of your oven and serve with roasted asparagus, broccolini, green beans, or onions.
• Sides: Pair with comforting sides for the perfect cold-weather meal. Try it with mac and cheese, green bean casserole, or rice.
• Fruit: It might seem a little strange, but the sweetness of the BBQ sauce works fantastically with fruit! Experiment with sweet and savory flavors like a mango salad, a fruit salad, or dried strawberries for crunch.

More baked chicken recipes

• Roast Chicken
• Chicken Lollipops
• Oven-Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs
• Oven Baked Chicken Breast

If you try this recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!