Baked BBQ Chicken Breast (4 ingredient juicy chicken)
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Juicy, tender, and sitting in smoky-sweet sauce, my baked BBQ chicken breast bakes right in the simple sauce, so you get plenty extra to spoon over potatoes or rice at the dinner table. Made with only 4 ingredients in one dish, my recipe takes almost no work at all.
My baked BBQ chicken breast always comes out juicy and tender. When you pull it from the oven, it’s sitting in a pool of smoky-sweet sauce that you’ll want to spoon over everything. It’s what I make on busy weeknights when I’m craving BBQ flavor but only have a few minutes of hands-on time to prep dinner.
The trick is pouring the sauce over the raw chicken right at the start. As it bakes, the chicken releases its juices into the dish, which keeps the sauce from scorching (there is no water needed, even with sauce straight from the bottle) and loosens it into something you can spoon. Halfway through, I baste the tops so they bake into a glossy, caramelized layer while the bottoms stay soft and saucy.
I purposely keep this recipe simple with just chicken, salt, pepper, and sauce, and it’s one of the most dependable dinners I make. I love it with mashed potatoes or rice to catch the extra sauce, and my homemade BBQ sauce is worth it when I have time. If your family prefers dark meat, my baked BBQ chicken thighs have a stickier, more glazed finish.
Why is my BBQ sauce runny?
Most of the time, the sauce comes out of the oven thick and glossy, clinging to the chicken. When I tested this recipe with enhanced chicken breasts, though, I ended up with a thin, watery sauce pooled in the bottom of the dish.
Enhanced chicken, sometimes labeled “plumped,” has been injected with a solution of water, salt, and sometimes broth. It’s meant to keep the meat juicy, but all that extra liquid releases into the pan as the chicken bakes and waters down the sauce. Check the package before you buy. If the label says something like “enhanced with up to 15% chicken broth” or “contains a solution,” the chicken has been plumped.
The fix is easy. Move the chicken to a plate and tent it with foil to keep warm. Pour the sauce from the baking dish into a small saucepan and bring it to a rapid boil over medium-high heat. Stir it often until it thickens enough to coat a spoon, usually just a few minutes. Spoon it back over the chicken and dinner is ready.
Since enhanced chicken is already salted, I’d also skip the salt in the recipe if that’s what you’re using.
Baked BBQ Chicken Breast (4 ingredient juicy chicken)
Ingredients
- 4 6-ounce 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 9×11-inch baking dish and season the tops with salt and pepper.4 6-ounce chicken breasts, ½ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
- Pour the BBQ sauce over the top, then shake the pan gently to coat the chicken.1 cup bbq sauce
- Place the chicken in the oven and bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and baste the top with some of the BBQ sauce in that baking dish.
- Return it to the oven for another 15 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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This was so good and easy too! Great recipe!
Can I prepare ahead of time and then cook later?
Thank you.
Absolutely you can prep it ahead!
I tried your recipe with duck breast and indeed it came out fine. Thanks for shairng. Keep working dear.
Loved this the first time I made it! Looking to meal prep it and have it for a few more nights next time. How many days will the chicken stay good in the fridge after being cooked?
So happy that you enjoyed the recipe! Cooked chicken will keep well for 3-4 days in your fridge. Make sure to store it near the back of your fridge where it is the coldest. 🙂
I made this recipe for Sunday dinner. The dish was delicious. I took my favorite barbeque sauce and added 1/3 cup brown sugar. That made it spicy, sweet and juicy.
So good and super easy! My go to meal especially on an extremely busy night! I love that I found this recipe 😊
Does this turn out ok with boneless skinless chicken breasts?
Yes, that’s what we use in the recipe. 🙂
I can’t believe how good this chicken is! Seriously easiest recipe ever!
My chicken is still a little frozen so I need to increase baking time?
It’s best to start with thawed chicken. 🙂
I sprayed the baking dish with Pam so it won’t stick. I noticed with your instructions it did indicate to do this?
No we didn’t find it was necessary to oil the pan. 🙂
Hi Kristen, I’m actually trying to make this as I write this. My only question is, do you recommend covering with aluminum foil while cooking or not?
No I like to bake them uncovered. 🙂
Hi Kristen,
I am so glad that I found this recipe! I love BBQ chicken on the grill and have really been missing it this winter. I am going to make this over the weekend. Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
Turned out amazing!!!!
Best BBQ Chicken Recipe. Fast and delicious. Love it. I can make it in the oven which is great. Thank you.
Simple and delicious. Thank you for sharing.
Most recipes don’t indicate if you should cover while baking. Is it rule of thumb, if it doesn’t indicate “covering” you should not cover?
That’s right, no need to cover the chicken while it bakes!
This turned out great. The chicken was very moist and it was so easy to make. Will definitely make it again!