BBQ chicken breasts should be juicy, not dry. This simple grilled version delivers big flavor with minimal fuss—just boneless chicken, your favorite sauce, and a few smart tips.
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- 🧡 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 🐓Ingredients
- 👨🍳Quick Overview: BBQ Boneless Chicken Breasts on the Grill
- ⏲️ How Long to Cook BBQ Chicken Breasts on the Grill
- 🌡️ When Is Chicken Done and Safe to Eat?
- ♨️ Grill Setup Tips
- ❓FAQs
- 🥗 How to Serve BBQ Chicken Breasts
- ❄️ How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- ♨️ More Easy Grilled Breast Chicken Recipes
- 📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Featured Comment from Basil :
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Best bbq'd SBCBs we've ever eaten. Perfect!"
🧡 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Juicy every time – No more dry BBQ chicken. Just moist, flavorful results.
- Simple method – Works on any grill—gas or charcoal—with no special gear.
- Boneless & fast – Ideal for quick weeknight dinners or summer cookouts.
- BBQ flavor you control – Use your favorite sauce or spice it your way.
🐓Ingredients
- Chicken – Skinless boneless chicken breasts
- BBQ Sauce – Use your favorite store-bought or try my Memphis Style BBQ Sauce
- Optional Brine – Water, table salt, brown sugar, and a pinch of cayenne (optional)
👨🍳Quick Overview: BBQ Boneless Chicken Breasts on the Grill
1. Prepare
Trim boneless skinless chicken breasts. Thin to about ¾ inch if needed. Brine is optional.
Clean and oil the grill grates, then preheat to a surface temperature of about 450°F (medium on most gas grills). Avoid going over that—too hot and the sauce may burn.
2. Brush with Sauce
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Brush lightly with your favorite BBQ sauce.
3. Grill
Place over direct heat. Flip every 5 minutes. In the last 3–4 minutes, brush both sides with more sauce.
Cook to an internal temperature of 165°F—about 25 to 35 minutes total.
✅ Pro Tip: According to the USDA, chicken is safe to eat at 165°F internal temperature. Use an instant-read thermometer for best results—don’t guess.
4. Rest
Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
👇 Scroll down for the printable recipe card and step-by-step photo instructions—or keep reading for tips, veggie ideas, and serving suggestions.
⏲️ How Long to Cook BBQ Chicken Breasts on the Grill
Grill boneless chicken breasts for about 30 minutes total at a surface temperature of about 450°F.
- Thin breasts may finish in 25 minutes
- Thicker cuts may take up to 35 minutes
- Flip every 5 minutes for even cooking and saucing
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🌡️ When Is Chicken Done and Safe to Eat?
Chicken breasts are fully cooked and safe to eat at an internal temperature of 165°F, per USDA guidelines. Use an instant-read thermometer for accuracy.
✅ Pro Tip: Chicken thighs and drumsticks are safe at 165°F but are more tender at 185°F+ once the fibrous tissues have broken down.
♨️ Grill Setup Tips
Set your grill surface temp to about 450°F. That’s medium to medium-high on most gas grills. Too hot and you’ll scorch the sauce before the chicken cooks through.
If you have a surface thermometer, use it. If not, just don’t crank the dial to high.
✅ Charcoal? Totally fine—just manage the heat. Keep one side cooler for flare-ups, and watch those vents.
And whatever grill you’re using, your real target is 165°F internal temp.
❓FAQs
Yes, absolutely. Just know they’ll need a few extra minutes and should cook to 185°F for the best texture.
Brining helps moisturize and tenderize the chicken—especially useful if it’s been previously frozen, which can dry it out.
My brine is simple: water, table salt, brown sugar, and optional cayenne. It’s on the saltier side, so limit the brine time to 30–60 minutes max. Even 20 minutes helps.
After brining, rinse carefully, clean your sink area, and skip any added salt in your seasoning. You can skip the brine altogether, but it takes more attention on the grill to keep the chicken moist.
It gives the final layer of BBQ sauce something to stick to. That light first coat acts as a flavorful base and won’t burn—as long as your grill isn’t too hot and you don’t overcook the chicken.
Yes—just watch your heat closely. You’re aiming for about 450°F at the grate. Keep a cooler zone ready in case things start to flare up. Charcoal takes more tending, but the flavor payoff is great.
🥗 How to Serve BBQ Chicken Breasts
Keep it classic on a plate or a bun with extra sauce. Add a green salad or slaw for a lighter meal. Or serve it with chips, Grilled French Fries, Corn on the Cob, or Grilled Mixed Vegetables.
❄️ How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat in the oven or on the grill for the best texture. The microwave works too, but it may affect the texture. If frozen, thaw first for best results.
♨️ More Easy Grilled Breast Chicken Recipes
Looking for more ways to grill boneless chicken breasts?
- Grilled Chicken Breasts — complete tutorial For extra moist and juicy try
- Reverse Seared Chicken Breasts — for extra moist and juicy breasts
- Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with chicken filets
- Grilled Honey Chicken Breasts for a fast and easy change of pace
📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
BBQ Boneless Chicken Breasts on the Grill (Easy & Juicy)
Ingredients
- 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoon BBQ sauce of choice
- 3 cups cold water
- 1½ tablespoons table salt
- 1½ tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepare
- Trim skinless, boneless chicken breast of any trimmable fat. Try to use chicken breasts of about the same size. And if you get some that are very plump, flatten them to about ¾ inch thick with a meat mallet or the bottom of a pan.
- Optional Brine: Mix brine of 3 cups water, 1½ tablespoons table salt, 1½ tablespoons brown sugar, and ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional). Add the chicken, submerge it, and refrigerate for 30 minutes (no longer than 1 hour). Remove chicken from the brine and rinse lightly under running water. Please be careful and wash up the surrounding area and your hands.
- Clean and oil the grill grates, then preheat the surface to 450°F, which is approximately medium on most grills. I recommend using a surface thermometer to help you control your grill effectively.
Brush with sauce
- Pat dry the chicken breasts with paper towels.
- Brush lightly with the BBQ sauce of your choice.
Grill
- Place over direct heat.
- Flip about every 5 minutes. Brush both sides with sauce during the last 3–4 minutes. Remove from the grill at an internal temperature of 165°F—usually around 30 minutes, depending on the grill temperature and breast size.
Rest
- Allow to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
- The brine is optional but helpful, especially for previously frozen chicken. It’s salt-heavy, so brine no longer than 1 hour, and rinse carefully.
- Grill time varies by heat and thickness—expect a total of 25 to 35 minutes. The thinner breasts may take 25 minutes, while those with larger, thicker ones may take 35 minutes. But 30 minutes is average.
- Flatten uneven chicken breasts with a mallet for even cooking—aim for a thickness of no more than ¾ inch.
- A thin first coat of BBQ sauce helps the final layer stick. It won’t burn if the grill temp is right.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Editors Note: Originally published August 1, 2011. It was in need of a rewrite, some better photo editing, and some clarification of technique.
Fae says
Hello- First let me say YELLOW DOG!!! Everybody loves a yellow dog <3
Secondly, let me say thank you for addressing the size variables of BSCB
And finally, I am making this as we speak...so to speak. The recipe looks great and the instructions for the brine were very clear. This is the first time I have tried it. I went looking for recipes because grilling BSCB can be tricky.
Thanks bunches!
Basil says
Best bbq'd SBCBs we've ever eaten. Perfect!
Thank you.
Kris says
So the reason you use table salt instead of Kosher salt in this brine is to speed up the process? I always use Kosher salt in my brines.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Kris,
I don't think it matters as long as the equivalent amount of salt is used. It is all sodium chloride.
1 teaspoon table salt = 1 1/4 teaspoon Morton kosher salt = 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Dan
Chuck says
Used siracha instead of cayenne and also did a honey brown sugar glaze, So Good !
DrDan says
Hi Chuck,
Welcome to the blog.
I love sriracha sauce, especially on tuna sandwiches but also with chicken. It adds something special. My wife does not share my enthusiasm so it doesn't appear in the "cooking for two" recipes.
Thanks for the note and Happy New Years.
Dan