Baked BBQ Chicken Breast (4 ingredient recipe!)
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Baked BBQ chicken breast is an easy weeknight dinner recipe that is always a winner. The chicken is smothered in BBQ sauce and baked for 30 minutes. It turns out tender, juicy, and delicious every time. If you’re looking for an oven-baked BBQ chicken breast recipe, this is the one that you want to make!
This recipe is the chicken breast version of our popular baked BBQ chicken thighs. It’s all about the sweet and sticky BBQ sauce that coats the chicken and creates a delicious sauce as it cooks.
The chicken turns out tender, juicy, and smothered in a thick, caramelized BBQ sauce.
It’s an incredibly easy recipe that you can reach for on busy weekday evenings, and you can be sure that it will be a hit at your dinner table!
Step up this recipe by making your own BBQ sauce (it’s easy!)
Recipe FAQs
Is this a saucy chicken recipe?
The baking dish will have enough sauce to spoon some over the chicken breasts when you serve them.
What BBQ sauce should I use?
We love making homemade BBQ sauce to control the sugar and other ingredients. If you have a favorite store-bought BBQ sauce, use that! Sweet Baby Ray’s is a popular choice.
Can I use chicken thighs in this recipe?
Chicken thighs cook differently from chicken breasts. We recommend our baked BBQ chicken recipe if you prefer thighs.
Why is the sauce runny?
Some chicken breasts are injected with water to make them look larger. This water is released during cooking and can water down the sauce. If this happens to you, pour the sauce into a small pan and boil rapidly over high heat for a few minutes to thicken.
How do I tell if the chicken is cooked?
When the chicken breasts are ready to eat, the meat will be completely white on the inside. The best way to check the chicken is to use an instant-read meat thermometer. Knowing the exact temperature helps ensure that you don’t overcook it, which is essential if you want it to remain juicy. Once the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, it is fully cooked and safe to eat.
Baked BBQ Chicken Breast (4 ingredient recipe!)
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts (pounded – see notes)
- ½ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
- 1 cup bbq sauce (storebought or homemade)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish and sprinkle the tops with salt and pepper. Pour the BBQ sauce over top then shake the pan a little so that the chicken is well coated.4 chicken breasts, ½ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper, 1 cup bbq sauce
- Bake the chicken for 15 minutes. Baste the tops with some of the BBQ sauce in that baking dish then return it to the oven and continue to bake the chicken for another 15 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
If you use regular bbq sauce from the bottle do you need to add water or anything to the dish so it doesn’t burn or dry out?
We don’t add any water when we use store bought bbq sauce. The chicken releases enough liquid as it cooks to keep it from burning.
Used my own homemade BBQ sauce. Loved how tender the chicken came out. Covered it for first 15 minutes. Then left uncovered. Delicious. Thank you❤️
The thing that I truly admired about this recipe was that unlike other BBQ chicken, the meat remains soft as it is soaked in saucy gravy. I loved this idea and have tried it several times.
This is a classic delicious recipe that is great for busy weeknights. My family enjoyed it.
Thanks so much, Karen!
Looks delicious!
Hi Kristen …. Did you bake the chicken on the middle rack or the bottom rack?
I use the middle rack 🙂
Very good, very easy. I don’t add salt anymore, as I find the sauce I use is salty enough, and if I salt the breasts, both hubby and I find it a bit on the salty side. I serve with boiled or mashed potatoes and coleslaw, or a steamed vegetable.
I have a second date coming up soon, and I am excited about it. Your Baked Chicken breast recipe might be my saviour. I intend to make my bbq sauce extra spicy what do you think about that?”
I think that sounds wonderful!
Hi there, what do you think about brining the raw chicken for 15 minutes before anything? Will this make the chicken more juicy or do you think the barbecue sauce and the other ingredients will do this on its own? Thank you!
We like the recipe as written. But if you like to brine your chicken, you could definitely do that. 🙂
“Hi Kristen,
I have a second date coming up soon, and I am excited about it. Your Baked Chicken breast recipe might be my saviour. I intend to make my bbq sauce extra spicy what do you think about that?”
I think that as long as your date likes spicy food then it’s a great idea!
I love this recipe … thank you very much for sharing. Do you think adding sliced onions would be okay to add to the chicken?
I think that onions would be a great addition!
What adjustments would you make for chicken breasts with skin and bones? Thanks!
Bone in chicken breast will need to be cooked for 40-45 minutes. I would add a splash of water or chicken stock to the pan to make sure that the bbq sauce doesn’t dry out.
OMG The best baked chicken breast recipe I’ve ever tried. It goes well with smoky roast potatoes. Thank you for sharing this recipe! Keep it up, Kristen
Exactly the inspiration I needed for meal planning today.