This Oven Roasted BBQ Chicken is an easy way to enjoy sticky, finger licking chicken that turns out tender and juicy every time. Seasoned chicken breasts are roasted, then smothered in BBQ sauce, and baked to perfection. This will be a family favorite recipe, guaranteed!
This post was originally posted on 8/3/2020 and updated on 7/29/2022.
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Why We Love These Oven Baked BBQ Chicken Breasts
- It's ridiculously easy to make. The oven does most of the work!
- Requires simple ingredients that you most likely already have in your kitchen.
- You can use your favorite bottled BBQ sauce or homemade sauce.
- Family friendly dinner that the kids just love!
- The BBQ sauce turns into a sticky, caramelized glaze that is so delicious!
- The chicken breasts turn out tender and juicy.
- So incredibly delicious!
Oven Roasted BBQ Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts
- Favorite BBQ Sauce
- Olive Oil
- Paprika
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Salt
- Black Pepper
Substitution Suggestions:
- Chicken Breasts: I mostly use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs for this recipe. You can use bone-in with skin if you prefer. As well as legs or leg quarters. The cooking time will just need to be adjusted a bit. Bone-in chicken breasts will take a little longer to cook through.
- BBQ Sauce: You can use your favorite BBQ sauce, homemade or bottled. I recommend using a thick BBQ sauce so it can adhere to the chicken better. You don't want a runny sauce or it won't coat the chicken well. It will run off and you'll be left with a pan of burnt sauce.
- Olive Oil: Any neutral oil can be used. Canola, vegetable, or avocado are all good options.
- Seasonings: You can season your chicken with your favorite blend of spices. I like garlic, onion, and paprika with BBQ sauce. It's a delicious combination.
How to Make the Juiciest Oven Baked BBQ Chicken
This recipe is really simple and only has a few steps.
- Heat oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper. Coat both sides of the chicken with the olive oil and then sprinkle or rub both sides with the spices.
- Then place chicken on prepared baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
- Next, slather half of the BBQ sauce on both sides of the chicken using a pastry brush. Place back in oven and bake another 10 minutes.
- Brush the remaining BBQ sauce on the top side of the chicken and bake another 10-15 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160°F.
- Lastly, let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes, then slice it and serve it!
What to Serve with Oven Roasted BBQ Chicken
Here are some of our favorite recipes we like to have with BBQ chicken.
Storing Roasted BBQ Chicken
Store any leftover BBQ chicken in an airtight container in the fridge. The chicken will last up to 4 days.
The chicken can be reheated in the microwave or in a low heat oven covered with foil until warmed through.
Tips for the BEST Oven Roasted BBQ Chicken
- For even cooking, make sure the chicken breasts are the same thickness throughout. You may need to pound some of the breasts to create an even thickness. The breasts should be around 1 inch thick.
- Use the parchment paper. It's a lot easier to clean up than scrubbing caramelized BBQ sauce off the sheet pan.
- Be careful with cross contamination from the chicken. Once you brush the chicken with the BBQ sauce the pastry brush is contaminated. If you put that brush back in the bowl of sauce, the sauce is now contaminated and can not be eaten unless it is cooked.
- Use an instant read thermometer so you don't overcook your chicken. Cook chicken until the thickest part reaches 160°F and then let it rest for 5-10 minutes.
- If you are using thinner chicken pieces or chicken cutlets, reduce the cook time so it doesn't get overcooked, and then check it with thermometer.
Other Delicious Chicken Recipes:
- Baked Cumin Chicken
- Baked Chicken Parmesan
- Perfect Roasted Whole Chicken
- Chicken Meatballs
- Best Crock Pot Chicken
- Oven Fried Chicken Legs
- Herb Roasted Spatchcock Chicken
- Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Foil Packets
- Crispy Corn Flake Chicken
Oven Roasted BBQ Chicken
This Oven Roasted BBQ Chicken is an easy way to enjoy sticky, finger licking chicken that turns out tender and juicy every time. Seasoned chicken breasts are roasted, then smothered in BBQ sauce, and baked to perfection. This will be a family favorite recipe, guaranteed!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, about 1 inch thick
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl combine paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper.
- Rub the olive oil on both sides of the chicken and then sprinkle with spice blend and rub that into the chicken.
- Place chicken on prepared sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes.
- Using a pastry brush, brush half of the BBQ sauce on both sides of the chicken and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Brush tops of chicken with remaining BBQ sauce and bake for 10-15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160°F.
- Let chicken rest for 5-10 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 5ounces | Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 1054mg | Potassium: 678mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 166IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Please rate the recipe, leave a comment and tell me how much you loved it!
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Kellie says
This recipe is delicious but I agree that the chicken only needs to cook on 400 for a total of 20 minutes. I left mine in there for an additional 4 minutes and it was a little dry and I had used full size chicken breasts
Renee says
I am wanting to make this for a large crowd of maybe 40+ people with probably chicken thighs either boneless & skinless or bone and skin on. I was thinking about making it the day before, putting it in the fridge and then warming it up in the crockpot before serving the next day.
Do you think this would work?
Heather Warburton says
It should be fine. I would use the chicken thighs because they are more forgivable and won't get dried out as fast as a chicken breast would. Good Luck! Let me know how it turns out.
Jasmine says
Mine came out super overcooked and dry!! used a giant chicken breast too, cooked for 20 mins on 400, then bbq sauce and in for 10 more mins, then MORE bbq sauce and in for 10 more mins. I did leave it uncovered bc it was my first time baking chicken and i didnt even think about it.
Lisa Haver says
Mine was delicious super moist. Ty for the recipe
Heather Warburton says
Sorry that happened. I would check your oven temperature and make sure that the chicken breasts are at least an inch thick next time. Also, an instant read thermometer is your best friend in the kitchen that way you can pull the chicken out as soon as its at 160°F. I don't cover it either. The bbq sauce needs to get thick and glaze like and that won't happen if its covered because of the steam.
Danielle says
Tried it first time tonight, followed recipe as is other than used chicken tenderloins-delicious!!
Crissy says
This was delicious, I loved cooking it in the oven instead of the stove! I used chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise and baked for 20 minutes! Perfect!
Rita Tauer says
Wow! You were so right - this chicken recipe is delicious! I made it tonight and wasn't sure about covering it for fear that it would get dried out; so I did about half and half - I baked it first without a cover and when I put the BBQ sauce on I put a piece of foil over the dish. But when I added more sauce - I left it uncovered and it came out perfect! Very moist and tender too! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
We will be have this again soon.
Heather Warburton says
Thank you! I'm so glad you liked it!
Rita Tauer says
Trying your recipe!
Does the chicken get covered with foil in the oven?