Published May 27, 2022.This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
You will love the simple-to-prepare marinated and grilled BBQ chicken recipe that is bursting with tasty barbecue flavors. Be sure to see my video for this below and don’t skip the marinade, grilling techniques, and BBQ sauce tips to really take grilled chicken over the top.
For your next barbecue, be sure to pair up this grilled BBQ chicken recipe with my Baked Beans or Creamy Coleslaw.
Grilled BBQ Chicken
Grilled BBQ chicken consists of grilling chicken at high heat to sear and then cooking over lower heat to finish cooking while occasionally basting with BBQ sauce. It is the most common practical way to make BBQ chicken if you do not have a smoker. This easy-to-make recipe is a popular recipe at backyard BBQ get-togethers.
If for some reason you have a smoker and want to learn how to make it, then please check out my Smoked BBQ Chicken Recipe. This recipe requires more time to prepare and the taste is exceptional, however, this grilled BBQ version is right up there in the flavor department.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken – Any chicken parts will work, and I like to use a combination of skin-on split chicken breasts, thighs, and drums
- Oil – Any neutral-flavored oil will work.
- Spices – I prefer to use cumin, paprika, chili powder, ground mustard, brown sugar, salt, and pepper.
- Worcestershire Sauce – This will add some umami natural salts to the flavor of the marinade.
- Onion – Use peeled yellow, white, sweet, or red onion.
- Garlic – A few garlic cloves will go a long way in this marinade.
- Apple Juice – Any apple juice will work to help sweeten up the sauce.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – You can use any cider vinegar.
- BBQ Sauce – Use any BBQ sauce as long as it is not vinegar-based BBQ sauce.
- Butter – Always use unsalted butter.
How to Make Grilled BBQ Chicken
Use these easy-to-follow instructions and images to make this amazing Grilled BBQ Chicken recipe:
Whisk together all the ingredients for the marinade in a large bowl until combined.
Submerge the chicken parts in the marinade and rub and move everything around so to infuse the flavors in the chicken.
Cover or transfer to a plastic zip bag and marinate for at least 12 hours and up to 48 hours.
When ready to start grilling, combine the BBQ sauce with the apple cider vinegar, apple juice, and butter, and heat over low heat to warm up and melt the butter. Set aside.
Next, add the chicken skin side down onto the hot portion of the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes. See the video to keep from burning.
Move the chicken to the middle portion of the grill where the heat is on medium without flipping it over and cook for 5-6 minutes.
Flip the chicken over to the same area on the grill and immediately baste with the BBQ sauce and cook for 5-6 minutes.
Turn the chicken over and transfer it over to the low hear area on the grill and immediately baste with BBQ sauce on the bottom side of the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Lastly, flip the chicken over, baste 1 more time and cook uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, covered for 15-20 minutes, or in the oven at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken reaches 155° to 160°.
Remove the chicken and let rest for 3-5 minutes.
Serve with more BBQ sauce and an optional garnish of chopped chives, green onions, or parsley.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 30 minutes ahead of time, cover with foil and keep in the oven at 200° until ready to serve.
How to Store: Cover and keep the grilled BBQ chicken for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. You can freeze this covered for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Place the desired number of grilled BBQ chicken pieces on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and cover with foil and bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for a further 10 minutes or until hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to cook BBQ chicken on the grill?
- It takes roughly 40 to 45 minutes to grill BBQ chicken.
Do you put BBQ sauce on the chicken before grilling?
- You can, but I chose to add the BBQ sauce after the first flip on the grill.
How do you grill the chicken without drying it out?
- Be sure to not overcook it and account for carry-over cooking. Remove the chicken from the grill once it reaches 155° internally.
Chef Notes + Tips
- All parts of the chicken are good for this recipe, so feel free to use a combination or just 1 cut like drums or thighs.
- If there are a lot of flames coming through the flames, tone them down with a few ice cubes in the places where they are most prevalent.
- Substitute the fresh onion in the marinade with 1 ½ tablespoons of onion granules.
- You can swap out the fresh garlic for 1 tablespoon of garlic granules
- This same grilling and marinating technique can be applied to pork chops.
- If you do not have the option to split the grill into different heat sections then only heat 1 side of the grill and leave the other side completely off and let it cook by indirect heat with the grill covered.
More BBQ Recipe
- Smoked Pork Shoulder
- Vinegar Based Coleslaw
- Smoked St. Louis Ribs
- Potato Salad
- Italian Pasta Salad
Be sure to follow me onFacebook,YouTube,Instagram,andPinterest,and if you’ve had a chance to make this then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below.
Video
Save
Grilled BBQ Chicken Recipe
5 from 41 votes
You will love the simple-to-prepare marinated and grilled BBQ chicken recipe that is bursting with tasty barbecue flavors.
Servings: 10
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
Marinating Time: 12 hours hours
Ingredients
For the Marinade:
- ¾ cup neutral flavored oil
- 1 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ peeled and finely grated yellow onion
- 4 finely grated garlic cloves
- 2 split chicken breasts
- 6 skin-on chicken drums
- 5 skin-on thighs
For the Sauce:
- 2 cups BBQ sauce
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup apple juice
- 1 stick unsalted butter
Instructions
Marinade: Add everything except for the chicken to a large bowl and whisk until completely combined.
Place the chicken into the marinade and thoroughly to ensure the chicken is completely covered.
Place plastic wrap over top of the bowl or transfer to a plastic zip bag and marinate for at least 12 hours or up to 48 hours.
Sauce: Right before you are ready to start cooking add the sauce ingredients together to a medium-size saucepot and cook over low heat until the butter has melted in and the sauce is hot. Set aside.
Preheat the grill in 3 sections with one side being hot (550°+) the middle section over medium heat (350° – 400°) and the last section over low heat (300° – 350°). See Chef notes if this is not an option.
Once the chicken is done marinating transfer to a platter lined with parchment paper to make it easy to place right on the grill without marinade going everywhere.
Add the chicken skin side down onto the hot portion of the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes. See video to keep from burning.
Move the chicken to the middle portion of the grill where the heat is on medium without flipping it over and cook for 5-6 minutes.
Flip the chicken over on the same area on the grill and immediately baste with the BBQ sauce and cook for 5-6 minutes.
Turn the chicken over and transfer it over to the low hear area on the grill and immediately baste with BBQ sauce on the bottom side of the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Lastly, flip the chicken over, baste 1 more time and cook uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, covered for 15-20 minutes, or in the oven at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken reaches 155° to 160°.
Remove the chicken and let rest for 3-5 minutes.
Serve with more BBQ sauce and an optional garnish of chopped chives, green onions, or parsley.
Notes
Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 30 minutes ahead of time, cover with foil and keep in the oven at 200° until ready to serve.
How to Store: Cover and keep the grilled BBQ chicken for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. You can freeze this covered for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Place the desired number of grilled BBQ chicken pieces on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and cover with foil and bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for a further 10 minutes or until hot.
All parts of the chicken are good for this recipe, so feel free to use a combination or just 1 cut like drums or thighs.
If there are a lot of flames coming through the flames, tone them down with a few ice cubes in the places where they are most prevalent.
Substitute the fresh onion in the marinade with 1 ½ tablespoons of onion granules.
You can swap out the fresh garlic for 1 tablespoon of garlic granules
This same grilling and marinating technique can be applied to pork chops.
If you do not have the option to split the grill into different heat sections then only heat 1 side of the grill and leave the other side completely off and let it cook by indirect heat with the grill covered.
Nutrition
Calories: 409kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 30gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 142mgSodium: 1179mgPotassium: 559mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 381IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 2mg
Author: Chef Billy Parisi
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81 comments
- Angel Grant
This recipe is the best!
- Reply
- sue
Thank you Chef Billy fabulous
- Reply
- Chef Billy Parisi
Thank you!
- Reply
- Vera Kelly
Fantastic
- Reply
- Nanette fa*gan
Made this chicken last night. It was delicious and the recipe so easy to follow. Thanks Chef Billy for all these recipes. You’re making me a better cook. Lol
- Reply
- Joseph Duffek
This was so good and easy to make, thanks
- Reply
- Bernie Keller
So delicious and rather easy to make.
- Reply
thanks for giving it a shot!!
- Reply
- Rusty Smith
I have tried a lot of these recipes and they are so easy. Billy makes cooking fun again!
- Reply
awesome!
- Reply
- Denise Finger
I made this for a party/picnic the day before and reheated it. It was moist and delicious. Lots of compliments.
excellent!
- Reply
- Louise
Delicious@ came out perfect.
- Reply
excellent!
- Reply
- Maria Elisseou-Seminara
Made these for dinner guests . Was hoping I’d have leftovers for lunch…. I didn’t! Everyone loved them!
- Reply
good sign!
- Reply
- Lisa M Albers
Excellent recipe. So tasty. Unfortunately there wasn’t any leftovers!
- Reply
amazing!
- Reply
- Nurse Robert
This chicken is the bomb com.
Thanks chef Billy for another fabulously delicious recipe.- Reply
so good!!
- Reply
- Vanora Nongrum
Delicious
- Reply
so good!!
- Reply
- Rosa Pastran-Butler
This is the best bbq recipe ever. Loved by my guests at my birthday celebration bbq fest.
- Reply
thanks for giving it a shot!!
- Reply
- Maryanne Coppinger
This is the absolute best barbecue reipeive ever done!! 5 people for dinner..scoffed it up and said wow!!z thank you thank you sir! I’ve always been intimidated by barbecue….now I have something to bank on!
- Reply
thanks for giving it a shot!!
- Reply
- ski
This BBQ chicken was delicious. Totally turned me into a dark meat fan!!! Definitely a keeper recipe.
- Reply
excellent!
- Reply
- Linda Felix
Great recipe! Our family loved it along with your vinager based coleslaw!
- Reply
thanks for giving it a shot!!
- Reply
- Gidget Shenefield
My chicken turned out delicious and tender!
- Reply
fantastic!
- Reply
- Jelena Sias
Delicious & easy another great recipe from Billy
- Reply
appreciate you trying it
- Reply
- Robin
ty for sharing this grilled chicken recipe….it was delicious….i marinated overnight and it was so moist… i didnt have apple juice so i just used my bbq sauce…..i love your recipes!..i will make it again and with your bbq sauce..
- Reply
My pleasure
- Reply
- Kathy
Excellent!
- Reply
thank you so kindly!!
- Reply
- Rob C
Easy to make and the flavors are pure deliciousness. As always yhe tutorials have great tips to elevate my skills.
- Reply
Fantastic!
- Reply
- Amanda
Sooooo good!!!
- Reply
Excellent!
- Reply
- Keith
Great recipe!
- Reply
thank you so kindly!!
- Reply
- Josephine
Just fabulous! Flavor is amazing!
- Reply
Excellent!
- Reply
- Abbie
Scrumptious!
- Reply
fantastic
- Reply
- Joy
Great
- Reply
excellent!
- Reply
- Mike Rossetti
Outstanding Billy! I have made this twice so far and is my go to for chicken! I am thinking about trying it on pork chops next! Unless you have one specifically for pork…….
- Reply
It would work!
- Reply
- Chris
I love this recipe, easy and delicious
- Reply
so good!!
- Reply
- Angela Freeman
Very very good grilled chicken. The sauce is amazing. Winner winner chicken dinner for sure! 🤤😍
- Reply
Nice!
- Reply
- Angel Grant
This is the juiciest and most tender bbq chicken I’ve EVER had!
- Reply
perfection!
- Reply
- Lori Barrett
This recipe really works. I’m not a natural grill girl, so the timing really helped. I did burn my chicken in the first segment of cooking but Billy was right, still tasted awesome!! I will make this again.
- Reply
thanks for giving it a shot!!
- Reply
- Donna Lynch
Delicious!! Easy to follow recipe
- Reply
so good!!
- Reply
- Denise Atkinson
Loved it
- Reply
thank you so kindly!!
- Reply
- Sue
We made this chicken for Memorial Day. OMG it was a super hit everyone wanted the recipie. 👍👍👍👍👍
- Reply
- Louise Bailey
Oh so good. I made this last weekend and it was delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
- Reply
- Tom Cormie
Perfect recipe, my grill is a Weber Q1400 electric. Cooked on medium high, times were spot on.
- Reply
awesome
- Reply
- Bernie Keller
Melts in my mouth.
- Reply
every time!
- Reply
- Delmy
Making this tonight again 😋
- Reply
love it!
- Reply
- John Kares
What great recipes have made quite a few of them 5 stars plus Thank you Billy
- Reply
my pleasure!
- Reply
- White Ronda
Yummy as always! One of my favorites
- Reply
excellent!
- Reply
- Debra Wilbanks
Great recipe! Looking forward to making it. I am curious, though. You stated not to use Carolina style barbecue sauce. Why is that? You also have an excellent Carolina barbecue sauce recipe.
- Reply
Awesome!
- Reply
- Rufus V. Smith
Whenever I grill BBQ chicken I can never get the skin the way I want it because it’s always too fatty to get the crispness. Does marinating, as in your recipe remove some of that fat? I’ve not been marinating, but I have been par-boiling with slightly better results but perhaps didn’t do it long enough.
- Reply
Marinating will not remove fat, you do that by physically trimming it off or removing it all together.
- Reply
- Virginia Mom
Hands down, the best BBQ chicken recipe I’ve ever had. Worth planning ahead for (to marinate overnight). Made the sauce the day before, too, so when it came time to grill it was a simple effort. Excellent recipe, Chef! Really outstanding.
- Reply
