This Grilled BBQ Chicken will be your new summer favorite! Seasoned with a lip-smacking blend of spices, use your favorite cut of chicken, and fire up the grill. It’s perfect for parties or an easy weeknight dinner!
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What’s in Grilled BBQ Chicken?
Rubbed with a mouth-watering blend of spices, then slathered in BBQ sauce, this grilled chicken is finger-licking good!
- Chicken: Any part of the chicken works here– breasts, thighs, drumsticks, or wings.
- Spices: Chili powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt, onion powder, and garlic powder enhance the barbecue flavor of these wings.
- Olive Oil: Helps the spices stick to the chicken.
- Barbecue Sauce: Adds that perfect smoky-sweet flavor.
Pro Tip: Oil the grill grates thoroughly before adding the chicken. This prevents sticking and makes for easier cleanup later.
Variations on Grilled Barbecue Chicken
There are a few substitutions you can make if you don’t have some of the recommended spices. If you don’t have chili powder, use 3 teaspoons paprika, 1½ teaspoons cumin, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne. If you don’t have smoked paprika, you can make your own by mixing 1⅓ teaspoons regular paprika and ⅔ teaspoon cumin.
Feel free to use your favorite store-bought or homemade barbecue sauce. Different regional sauces will yield different flavored wings. I used a tomato-based sauce for my wings, but you could use a vinegar-based, mustard-based, or mayonnaise-based sauce depending on your personal preference. Carolina Gold is another favorite of mine!
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You should thoroughly season the chicken before grilling for maximum flavor penetration!
You’ll want to set your grill to medium-high heat, which is about 375-400°F.
While you should put some sauce on the chicken before grilling, you don’t want to slather it on, as this could cause the chicken to stick to the grates or caramelize too quickly. You can always baste more on during cooking.
You want to grill the chicken over indirect heat, so do not place it directly over a flame. The inside of the chicken needs time to cook completely without burning the outside.
That depends on the cut you choose! For breasts and thighs, 10-12 minutes should be sufficient. For drumsticks, aim for 30-35 minutes, and for wings, 20 minutes.
Ideally, flip chicken breasts or thighs only once. This prevents them from falling apart and prevents the grill from losing too much heat. For drumsticks and wings, you’ll want to flip and baste every few minutes.
How to Store and Reheat BBQ Chicken
Store leftover BBQ grilled chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Gently reheat in the microwave, or place the chicken in a foil-covered baking dish with 1 cup chicken broth and heat in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until 165°F internally. You can remove the foil in the last 5 minutes of baking, if desired.
How to Freeze
Freeze BBQ grilled chicken in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet until solid, about 1-2 hours. Transfer to an airtight container or Ziplock bag and store for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
This is such a versatile recipe! You can make it hearty with some filling sides, like coleslaw and oven baked beans, or keep it lighter with spicy grilled pineapple or a cucumber salad. Check out some of my favorite BBQ side dishes for more inspiration!
More BBQ Chicken Recipes We Love
BBQ Chicken Recipe (Grilled)
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds bone-in chicken breasts or chicken thighs, drumsticks, or wings (skin optional)
- 1½ tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups barbecue sauce store-bought or homemade
Recommended Equipment
- Instant Read Meat Thermometer (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- If using chicken breasts, check the thickness of your chicken breasts. If needed, slice the chicken breasts in half to create thinner pieces, or place the breasts between parchment paper or plastic wrap, and pound them to an even thinness.2 pounds bone-in chicken breasts
- Combine the chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder in a small dish. Rub the oil and spices over the chicken pieces coating them completely.1½ tablespoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Brush the chicken with half of the BBQ sauce.2 cups barbecue sauce
- FOR CHICKEN BREASTS: Grill for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Ensure the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165°F. In the last couple minutes of cooking, brush with the remaining sauce.
- FOR CHICKEN THIGHS: Grill for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Ensure the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165°F. In the last couple minutes of cooking, brush with the remaining sauce.
- FOR CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS: Grill for 30-35 minutes, flipping the drumsticks every few minutes. In the last couple minutes of cooking, brush with the remaining sauce.
- FOR CHICKEN WINGS: Grill for 20 minutes, flipping the wings every few minutes. In the last couple minutes of cooking, brush with the remaining sauce.
- Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- You can use breasts, thighs, drumsticks, wings, or any combination of the four.
- If possible, use bone-in chicken parts, as they tend to be juicier and more difficult to overcook on the grill.
- You can use skin-on or skinless chicken parts; it’s up to personal preference.
- If you don’t have chili powder, use 3 teaspoons paprika, 1½ teaspoons cumin, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne.
- If you don’t have smoked paprika, you can make your own by mixing 1⅓ teaspoons regular paprika and ⅔ teaspoon cumin.
- Preheat your grill and clean the grates before beginning.
- Oil the grill grates thoroughly before adding the chicken. This prevents sticking and makes for easier cleanup later.
- Keep the lid closed as much as possible while cooking. Every time you open the lid, the temperature of the grill dips, which can lead to slow and uneven cooking.
- Any time you do open the lid, be sure to baste the chicken with additional BBQ sauce to seal in moisture. Remember to discard any sauce that was used to marinate the chicken and only baste with the sauce that has not touched the raw chicken.
- Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving to lock in the juices.
- Nutritional information is for 2 pounds of bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts.
Nutrition Information
More Chicken Recipes to Try
Chicken is our specialty! Have you tried these amazing chicken recipes? Let us know in the comments below. Add this Grilled BBQ Chicken to our list of all-time favorites.
