Learn how to grill bbq chicken breast with moist and juicy results. Delicious grilled bbq boneless chicken breasts are quick and easy on your gas or charcoal grill with these simple step-by-step photo instructions.
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Everybody wants to grill juicy skinless boneless chicken breasts, but they all get dried-out hockey pucks. Let's get it right; it is not that hard to keep it moist and tender.
🐓Ingredients
- Chicken breasts—Use skinless boneless chicken breasts for this recipe.
- Barbecue sauce—Use the BBQ sauce of your choice. I love Gates BBQ of KC sauce, but the more common Bulls Eye Original is good. My Memphis BBQ Sauce would also be great.
- Brine—Optional but uses water, table salt, brown sugar, and optional cayenne pepper.
👨🍳How to make grilled BBQ chicken breasts
- Trim skinless boneless chicken breast of any trimmable fat. Try to use chicken breasts of about the same size. Flatten to about ¾ inch thick if thick.
- Optional Brine: Mix brine of water, table salt, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper (optional.) Add chicken, submerge, and refrigerate for 30 minutes (no more than 1 hour). Remove chicken from the brine and rinse lightly under running water.
- Preheat grill to 450°clean and oil grill grates.
- Pat dry chicken breast.
- Brush lightly with the BBQ sauce of your choice.
- Place over direct heat.
- Flip about every 5 minutes. About 3-4 minutes before done, brush both sides with sauce. Remove from the grill at an internal temperature of 165°—about 30 minutes of total grill time.
- Allow to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
⏲️How long to cook BBQ chicken breasts on the grill?
About 30 minutes of total grill time at the recommended grill temperature of 450°.
But total time will vary by the exact grill temperature and thickness of the breasts. The thinner breast may be in the 25-minute range, and those huge thick ones may take 35 minutes.
♨️Grill setup
A grill surface temperature of about 450° is best for any grilled chicken. A little less is fine, and a smidge more is OK but never over 500°. You can NOT cook chicken properly on high heat. You will dry the outside long before the inside is even close to done or safe.
To get the grill temperature correct, you should use a grill surface thermometer. The hood thermometer is ALWAYS wrong. Please see A Beginners Guide to Grill Temperature on a Gas Grill for more discussion.
If you don't have a surface thermometer (you should), medium to medium-high heat will be about 400°-500° on most gas grills. The cooking time will be different, but you will do OK if you get the end-point of an internal temperature of 165° correct with an instant-read thermometer.
Charcoal Grill
With charcoal grills, you need to be very careful about surface temperature. And, of course, times will vary. On most charcoal grills, you will need to adjust the venting and the amount of charcoal. And it is a good idea to have a cooler area on the grill surface to use if needed.
I like to add a very light coat of BBQ sauce at the beginning to create a base for the last coat. You do not have to do that, but I recommend it.
Use the BBQ sauce of your choice. I love Gates BBQ of KC sauce but the more common Bulls Eye Original is good. My Memphis BBQ Sauce would also be great.
❓FAQs
Yes, but the final internal temperature for thighs should be 185°+ and will take a few minutes more grilling time.
A very light coat of BBQ sauce at the beginning creates a base for the last coat. You do not have to do that, but I recommend it. The sauce will adhere much better. It does not burn if you have the grill temp correct, and don't overcook the chicken.
The brine will moisturize and tenderize the chicken and is recommended if you have time, especially if the chicken has been previously frozen, which may dry the chicken.
The recommended brine is relatively heavy in salt. According to Cooks Illustrated, this brine concentration is recommended for chicken for 30 minutes to 2 hours. The chicken gets saltier if over 1 hour, so I'm suggesting 1-hour maximum. Even 20 minutes of brining will do a reasonably good job of brining.
While we no longer recommend rinsing chicken, you should always rinse carefully after brining. Also, don't add any more salt after the brine is used. You can grill a chicken breast and keep it moist without the brine, but it requires attention and skill.
According to the USDA, any chicken or poultry like turkey needs to reach 165° internal temperature to be safe. Chicken breasts are done at that temperature. Chicken thighs and drumsticks are more tender at 185°+ when the fibrous tissue has melted.
How to store and reheat leftovers
Store any leftover BBQ chicken breasts in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days or frozen for 3 months.
Reheat them in the microwave, oven, or grill. If frozen, thaw first.
📖Chicken Breast Recipes
How to Grill Chicken Breasts on a Gas Grill
Super Moist Grilled Skinless Boneless Chicken Breasts
Grilled Blackened Chicken Breasts
How to Bake Chicken Breasts in a Convection Oven
30 Minute Grilled Chicken Sandwiches
A Beginners Guide to Grill Temperature on a Gas Grill
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
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 down a little with a meat mallet or the bottom of a pan to about ¾ inch thick.
Optional Brine: Mix brine of 3 cups water, 1 ½ tablespoons table salt, 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar, and ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional). Add chicken, submerge, and refrigerate for 30 minutes (no more 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 grill grates and preheat to a surface temperature of 450°-500°, which is about medium-high on most grills. I recommend a surface thermometer to be able to control your grill well.
Pat dry the chicken breasts with paper towels.
Brush lightly with the BBQ sauce of your choice.
Place over direct heat.
Flip about every 5 minutes. About 3-4 minutes before done, brush both sides with sauce. Remove from the grill at an internal temperature of 165°—about 30 minutes of total grill time. But total time will vary by the exact grill temperature and thickness of the breasts. The thinner breast may be in the 25-minute range, and those huge thick ones may take 35 minutes.
Allow to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
📝Recipe
BBQ Chicken Breast on a Grill
Ingredients
- 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoon BBQ sauce of choice
Brine (optional)
- 3 cups water - cold
- 1 ½ tablespoons table salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper - optional
Instructions
- 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 down a little with a meat mallet or the bottom of a pan to about ¾ inch thick.
- Optional Brine: Mix brine of 3 cups water, 1 ½ tablespoons table salt, 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar, and ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional). Add chicken, submerge, and refrigerate for 30 minutes (no more 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 grill grates and preheat to a surface temperature of 450°-500°, which is about medium-high on most grills. I recommend a surface thermometer to be able to control your grill well.
- Pat dry the chicken breasts with paper towels.
- Brush lightly with the BBQ sauce of your choice.
- Place over direct heat.
- Flip about every 5 minutes. About 3-4 minutes before done, brush both sides with sauce. Remove from the grill at an internal temperature of 165°—about 30 minutes of total grill time. But total time will vary by the exact grill temperature and thickness of the breasts. The thinner breast may be in the 25-minute range, and those huge thick ones may take 35 minutes.
- Allow to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Your Own Private Notes
Recipe Notes
- This brine is relatively heavy in salt, so a maximum time of 1 hour please. Rinse to remove extra salt. The brine is optional but recommended.
- Total grilling time will vary by the exact grill temperature and thickness of the breasts. The thinner breasts may be in the 25-minute range, and those huge thick ones may take 35 minutes. But 30 minutes is average.
- If you have a breast that has a large variation in thickness, using a meat mallet to even things out a bit is a good idea. Try for about ¾ inches thick.
- I like a very light coat of BBQ sauce at the start to create a base for later. It does not burn, but omit if you wish.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editors Note: Originally published August 1, 2011. It was in need of a rewrite, some better photo editing, and some clarification of technique.
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Fae
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
Best bbq'd SBCBs we've ever eaten. Perfect!
Thank you.
Kris
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
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
Used siracha instead of cayenne and also did a honey brown sugar glaze, So Good !
DrDan
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
Don
I was really suspicious of this one... putting BBQ sauce on too early is recipe (pardon the pun) for burned chicken. However, I dutifully did as instructed and put a LIGHT coating of sauce on at the start. I was also VERY careful to watch the grill temp as instructed. The result was the best BBQ Chicken I've ever made. Our youngest LOVED it and has been begging me to make it again!
DrDan
Hi Don,
Welcome to the blog.
That light (very light) coat of sauce really does add a lot. I have been doing it for 30 plus years. It does go against the "no sauce until the end due to burning rule" But if you think about it, the meat is much cooler than the surface temperature which prevent the burning. It adds some taste and it holds the sauce so much better at the end.
Thanks for the note and glad it worked well for you.
Dan
Adriana Enríquez
Wow! I've never brined chicken before and I really think his made all the difference. I was so impressed with how juicy and delicious the chicken came out. My family loved it and finished it all. Can't wait to make it again.
Greg T
Thank you for this! Every time I cooked chicken on the grill it was burnt, dry, and gross. I gave up grilling chicken for the last 4 years and just stuck with oven methods that I could get a consistent enjoyable meal from. Yesterday I found this recipe and figured it was worth a shot. Holy diver! This was the best grilled chicken I've ever made! We opted for an hour brine, and it was a bit on the salty side. Will do a 30 min brine next time!
Such a detailed explanation without much fluff, great breakdowns, excellent followups in the comments. Really one of the best recipes from start to finish. I'm hooked and now digging through the website to find more things to try. Thank you!
Jack
I thought i would use lemon pepper, leave off bbq sauce
Jack
Would it be o k to use lemon pepper power in the brine, with water, salt for boneless skinless chicken breast. Iam trying on grillgrates at 450 to 500 degrees. What do you think?
DrDan
Hi Jack,
That would be fine if you are ok with the lemon taste with the BBQ sauce. I can't say how much since I never use lemon pepper.
Dan
Sparks
Don't like a wet brine with chicken.
T e d
I bookmarked this brine recipe and have used it several times. I also use it with wings and tinker with ratios. Not sure that doubling everything is the wayto go. This one is a winner.
DrDan
Hi Ted,
First, sorry for the delayed response.
This ratio I call 1:1. 1 cup water to 1 tablespoon table salt. If you add a sugar of some type then match the salt. You can double the salt but if you do never brine for over 2 hours and it may still taste too salty.
Thank for the note.
Dan
Tia
I made these last night and they were amazing! I loath dry chicken breasts, so I rarely grill them. These were so juicy and delicious! I'm never going back to non-brined chicken breasts. Thanks for an awesome recipe!
DrDan
Hi Tia,
Sorry for the delayed response.
Yes, the brine can make a huge difference. You can get good without it if your careful but not great. Better with.
Thanks so much for the note.
Dan
Sheila
Thank you for sharing this recipe. It was simple and delicious. We had a great family dinner yesterday. Everyone was enjoying this grilled chicken and it was indeed chicken heaven.
DrDan
Hi Sheila,
Thanks for the note. Glad it worked well for you.
Dan
inductioncookwaregirl
Sorry to hear about the passing of your dog -- I was looking recipes but you had my attention with the pictures of your dogs before I even got to the recipes!
I hadn't thought of brining chicken breast but it sounds like an easy solution to dry chicken breast. Not popular in this family! When baking chicken breast with a simple sauce, I also find that it can be dry. Any reason you can think of that brined chicken couldn't be baked in the oven? Thanks!
DrDan
Thanks for the thoughts about Jake. Gone but not forgotten.
You can always brine chicken breast but be sure to rinse and not to add any more salt.
Dan
Cheryl
better get that dogs eye checked out, doesnt look good
DrDan
In this picture, he is blind and the eye you are looking at is artificial. He died a few months later of cancer.
Dan
Jason rimler
came out great, forgot to poke holes but seemed fine, I put BBQ sauce in the brine intstead of sugar. Family loved