This Oven Baked BBQ Chicken is tender, flavorful, and so easy to make using your favorite bottled barbecue sauce. Make it on days when the grill is not an option or when you want to cook indoors.
We love this tasty BBQ oven-baked chicken. It bakes up so tender and delicious that you will wonder why you haven’t baked this recipe your whole life.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients on the recipe card below.
- Chicken breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You can substitute bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts or thighs. Bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts and thighs will need 10-15 minutes longer to cook. Boneless, skinless thighs will need 5-10 minutes more cooking time.
- Smoked paprika: This is one of my favorite spices with a sweet, smoky flavor and aroma. You can substitute sweet or hot paprika.
- Barbecue sauce: Use your favorite bottled barbecue sauce. I used Kinder’s black garlic barbecue sauce this time. It is one of my husband’s favorite BBQ sauces.
How To Make Oven Baked BBQ Chicken
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
- Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness, about ½ to ¾ inch thick.
- Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil.
- Whisk the spices together and rub the breasts with the rub. Let the breasts rest for 30-60 minutes.
- Bake the chicken breast for 5 minutes.
- Baste the chicken with barbecue sauce and bake for 5 minutes.
- Flip the chicken and baste it again. Bake for 5 minutes or until cooked through. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and let the chicken rest for 10 minutes.
Preparation Tips For Success
- Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and cover them with plastic wrap or place them in a zipper storage bag. Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness of about ½ inch using a meat mallet.
- Do not overbake the chicken. Chicken is cooked through when its internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Use an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken breast to measure the internal temperature.
- Cook bone-in chicken thighs and legs until they reach an internal temperature of 170-175 degrees.
- Let the chicken rest in a loose aluminum foil tent. This lets the juices redistribute throughout the meat.
More Chicken Recipes
Oven Baked BBQ Chicken
This Oven Baked BBQ Chicken is tender, flavorful, and so easy to make using your favorite bottle of barbecue sauce. Make it on days when the grill is not an option or when you want to cook indoors.
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Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 350kcal
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1¼ cups barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in a zipper storage bag on a cutting board. Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness of about ½ inch using a meat mallet. Place the chicken breasts on a parchment-paper-covered baking sheet. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil.
- Whisk the smoked paprika, dried thyme, ground cumin, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder together, then rub the mixture over the breasts. Let the breasts rest for 30-60 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Bake for 5 minutes. Baste the chicken with barbecue sauce and bake for 5 minutes.
- Flip the chicken and baste it again. Bake for 5 minutes or until cooked through. Chicken breasts are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and let the chicken rest for 10 minutes.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in the microwave at reduced power for short increments until warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1344mg | Potassium: 653mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 490IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg
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Amber
I love a good chicken! I’ll have to keep this in mind for a future dinner. It looks so tasty.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Amber! Enjoy!
Ebony
This chicken recipe is a keeper! It turned out so juicy and it was so easy to make!
Lisa
This chicken was delicious Beth! Oven baked BBQ chicken is one of my favorite alternatives when grilling isn’t an option and it was pouring down raining. I paired it with your chickpea salad and the whole family enjoyed it.
Beth Pierce
So happy that you liked it!
Vidhya
This is officially my new go-to weeknight chicken recipe. It’s so easy to throw together!
Mimi
Made this for dinner tonight and my family devoured it! The chicken stayed so incredibly juicy and that BBQ sauce caramelized beautifully in the oven.
Beth Pierce
So good to hear. Thank you, Mimi!
Liz
Just one of my all-time favorite comfort recipes! The chicken turned out so flavorful. Good thing I made extra to have leftovers!
Beth Pierce
So happy that you liked the chicken. We love it too!
Ben
I love this combo of easy and delicoius. I made it last night, and we loved it. I’m having the leftovers as a sandwich for lunch right now!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Ben! Enjoy!
Terri
I whipped up some mac and cheese with broccoli in it to go with this, and we loved it. It’s so good and so easy.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Terri!