Grilled BBQ Chicken enveloped in a tantalizing spice rub, slathered with Homemade Barbecue Sauce and grilled to perfection for the best juicy, smokey flavorful chicken every single time!

Grilled BBQ Chicken is super quick and easy and doesn’t require a marinade so it is perfect for last minute dinners or entertaining. You can use my insanely delicious Homemade Barbecue Sauce or your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce. I’ve included tips and tricks and cooking times for different cuts of chicken so you are fully quipped to make Grilled Barbecue chicken in all its juicy, saucy, caramelized-edged glory.

GRILLED BBQ CHICKEN RECIPE VIDEO

picking up a piece of grilled bbq chicken

What Makes the Best BBQ Chicken on the Grill?

Grilled BBQ Chicken is always a crowd pleaser – when it’s done right. And this Grilled BBQ Chicken is done right. Both Patrick and I were expecting to love this Barbecue Chicken but we were inhaling this chicken. This Grilled BBQ Chicken deserves to become a dinner time staple along with favorites Nashville Hot Chicken and Baked Fried Chicken.

What sets this Grilled BBQ Chicken recipe apart from the rest is the homemade spice rub and homemade Barbecue Sauce. I’ve scaled down both the rub and barbecue sauce from my BBQ Brisket, BBQ Ribs, and BBQ Brisket Sandwiches because you don’t mess with perfection. If you haven’t tried any of these barbecue recipes yet, then it’s time, starting with this Barbecue Chicken! Here are just a few comments regarding the Homemade Barbecue Sauce (on my ribs post):

“Absolutely incredible!! My husband is a huge BBQ rib fan. He’s been to rib competitions always looking for the best BBQ sauce. He was blown away. I haven’t even finished digesting and felt the need to leave this comment asap. Lol thank you...” – Danielle

“The BBQ sauce is some of the best I have tasted!” -Beth

“….The best part is your BBQ sauce. That is the best I have ever had and I will be making my own (your recipe) from here on out. I was skeptical reading all the posts about how good it was and I now know why. Absolutely amazing…” – Terry

“…That bbq sauce is amazing, I will definitely be using that sauce from now on!” – Kristen

So while it’s easier and more convenient to squeeze a bunch of store-bought barbecue sauce on your grilled barbecue chicken, I promise the homemade barbecue sauce is very simple to make and tantalizingly delicious!

BBQ Chicken ingredients

Chicken: Use 8-10 skinless chicken drumsticks, approximately 3 pounds, or mix and match your favorite cuts of chicken, noting different cooking times.
Olive oil: The chicken is coated with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to insulate it from the high heat before adding the spices.
Spices: Smoked paprika, chili powder, onion, powder, garlic powder, brown sugar, chipotle chili powder, dried thyme, salt, and pepper are whisked together. Part of the blend is added to the barbecue sauce and the rest is rubbed over the chicken.
Barbecue Sauce: The homemade barbecue sauce is a mixture of ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, blackberry preserves, and apple cider vinegar. Blackberry preserves are my personal favorite, but you may substitute them with strawberry, raspberry, etc.

Once you rub your chicken with olive oil and the spice rub, you can let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, or cover or transfer to a freezer size bag and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. 24 hours is optimal but even with just 30 minutes of resting, your chicken will be taken to a whole new level of YUM.

Why season BBQ Chicken AND use BBQ sauce?

Along with the homemade barbecue sauce, your chicken needs a dynamite rub. If you just slather a piece of grilled chicken in barbecue sauce, I promise you will be disappointed. If you just marinate your chicken in barbecue sauce, I promise you will be disappointed. If you want multi-dimensional restaurant delicious Grilled Barbecue Chicken, then it needs a spice rub and barbecue sauce.

I am a huge believer in the elevating power of spice rubs. I use a spice rub in my Carne Asada recipe and I use a spice rub in my Buffalo Hot Wings which I believe transforms them into some of the best out there.

How to make BBQ Grilled Chicken

Combine the Spices: Whisk the spices together in a small bowl. Then, take 1 ½ teaspoons and set it aside in a saucepan to use later in your Barbecue Sauce. Double the flavor without doubling the work!
Season the Chicken: Drizzle the chicken with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and rub it all over the chicken. Sprinkle the spices over all sides of the chicken, then rub it in. It will seem like a lot of spices, but please use all of it. Let the chicken rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Alternatively, cover the chicken, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours if making ahead, then let the chicken sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling.
Make the Barbecue Sauce: Combine the ingredients in a saucepan with the reserved 1 ½ teaspoons spices. Simmer for 5-10 minutes for the flavors to meld.
Grill the Chicken: Grill the chicken over high heat for 5 minutes per side in order to sear. Cover, and reduce the heat so the temperature stays around 325 degrees F when the lid is closed. Cook for 10 additional minutes, flipping halfway through.
Baste the Chicken: Baste the chicken with the barbecue sauce and cook for 1 minute, flip and cook an additional minute. Continue to cook until the chicken registers 165-170º F on an instant-read thermometer
Coat in Barbecue Sauce: Remove the chicken to a serving platter and brush with barbecue sauce. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with additional barbecue sauce as desired.

How long does it take to BBQ chicken on the grill?

I chose to use chicken drumsticks in this Grilled BBQ Chicken recipe because they are always the first to fly off the plate (pun intended). Chicken drumsticks are inherently juicy, hard to overcook and easy to eat with just one hand without any utensils required.

That being said, you can certainly use any part of the chicken to grill. I have outlined the different cooking times for each cut of chicken below, but keep in mind these will be slightly different for each individual due to grill variables and the actual size of each cut of chicken. The only certain way to know if your chicken is done is to use an instant read thermometer. If you don’t own one, they are available at every grocery store, so add it to your list today :)!

You will note below that I say some cuts of chicken are done when an instant read thermometer reads 165°F and on some cuts I say 165-180° F. While 165° is safe, some cuts of chicken, such as the drumsticks and leg quarters, actually taste better when they are cooked closer to 180°F because they (unlike chicken breasts) will become more tender.

HOW LONG DO I GRILL CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS?

Grease and preheat grill to high heat.
Season chicken and add to hot grill and sear for 5 minutes, uncovered, flip and sear an additional 5 minutes, uncovered.
Cover, and turn heat down to low so the temperature stays around 325°F when the lid is CLOSED.
Cook 5 minute then flip and cover; cook an additional 5 minutes.
Check chicken temperature. It should register 165-180°F. If chicken is not cooked to this temperature yet, flip and repeat steps until chicken is fully cooked through.

HOW LONG DO I GRILL CHICKEN THIGHS?

Grease and preheat the grill to medium heat, 375-450°F.
Season chicken thighs and grill undisturbed for 5-7 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through. An inserted thermometer should read 165° F.

HOW LONG DO I GRILL BONE-IN CHICKEN THIGHS?

Grease and heat grill to medium heat.
Season and add chicken to grill.
Cover, and reduce heat so it stays around 350-375°F with the lid CLOSED.
Grill chicken thighs 6-10 minutes per side, depending on size, or until no longer pink and an inside thermometer registers 165° F

HOW LONG DO I GRILL CHICKEN BREASTS?

Grease and preheat grill to medium heat, 375-450°F.
Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness.
Season chicken breasts and grill undisturbed for 5-7 minutes per side, depending on thickness, or until chicken is cooked through. An inserted thermometer should read 165°F.

HOW LONG DO I GRILL CHICKEN LEG QUARTERS?

Grease and heat grill to high heat.
Add seasoned chicken to hot grill and sear for 5 minutes. Flip chicken over and sear 5 minutes.
Cover and reduce heat to low so that the heat stays around 350 degrees F when the lid is closed. Grill with the lid closed for 12 minutes. Flip chicken over, cover and grill and additional 12 minutes. Check chicken temperature. It should register 165 degrees F. If chicken is not cooked to this temperature yet, flip and repeat steps until chicken is fully cooked through.

up close grilled bbq chicken with barbecue sauce

Tips and tricks for Grilled BBQ Chicken

Remove Skin. I remove the skin from my chicken drumsticks because I am not a fan of soggy skin. Even if the skin is crispy initially when grilled, it gets soggy when coated in the barbecue sauce. Chicken with the skin on is also more prone to cause flare-ups and burn. If you want to grill with the skin on, eat it with the skin on or you will lose the flavor from the rub.
Use all the seasonings. The spice mix might seem like a lot of seasonings, but I promise it is the perfect amount, use ALL of it!
Let chicken rest. After you rub the chicken with seasonings, let it rest for 30 minutes on the counter or tightly wrap/transfer to freezer size Ziploc bag and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Letting it rest is life changing!
Don’t cook chicken straight from the refrigerator! If your chicken has been refrigerated, let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes, this will allow your chicken to come closer to room temperature so it will cook more evenly
Preheat grill with lid closed. Preheat your grill with the lid closed so your grill gets nice and hot but sear with the lid open. Follow specific instructions on whether grill should be open or closed. If instructions do not specify, then that means to grill uncovered, with the lid open.
Use a instant read thermometer! When it comes to checking the temperature of chicken, there is no accurate way to check without cutting your chicken open and loosing juices, other than an instant read thermometer! They are fast, highly accurate, and save you all the guesswork and possibly food poisoning.
Close lid. With the exception of chicken breasts, and thighs, keep the grill lid closed as much as possible after searing. Drumsticks, leg quarters and bone-in chicken thighs need to be roasted which is accomplish when the lid is closed causing heat to surround the chicken.
Cook to 165°F for LIGHT meat or 180°F for DARK meat. While 165°F is a safe internal temperature for all chicken, 180°F will produce more tender, fall-off-the-bone dark meat.

best grilled bbq chicken on a white plate garnished by parsley

WHEN SHOULD I ADD BARBECUE SAUCE TO THE GRILLED CHICKEN?

You don’t want to add any BBQ Sauce to your chicken until the last 3 minutes or so of cooking otherwise the sauce will burn due to the sugars in the barbecue sauce. I like to add the barbecue sauce when my chicken is almost done, then let it grill on each side for a minute or so so the barbecue sauce caramelizes slightly then I slather my chicken with more barbecue sauce off of the grill.

Variations and Substitutions for BBQ Grilled Chicken

You change the flavor profile of this recipe by either changing the spices or the barbecue sauce. Here are a few ideas:

Honey Sriracha BBQ Chicken: Replace the brown sugar with honey and add Sriracha for a sweet and spicy kick.
Honey Mustard BBQ Chicken: Replace the brown sugar with honey and add Dijon mustard to taste for a sweet and tangy flavor.
Cilantro Lime BBQ Chicken: Incorporate lime juice and zest along with fresh cilantro to give the chicken a zesty, refreshing flavor.
Brown Sugar Pineapple BBQ Chicken: Use pineapple juice in the barbecue sauce for a tropical, sweet-savory combination
Spicy Cajun BBQ Chicken: The barbecue sauce already contains Cajun-forward seasoning but you can add some cayenne pepper to ramp up the heat.
Spicy Korean BBQ Chicken: Add gochujang (Korean chili paste) and sesame oil for a spicy, umami-rich flavor profile.
Chipotle Lime BBQ Chicken: Incorporate chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and fresh lime juice for a smoky, tangy variation.

GRILLED BBQ CHICKEN BREAST

If you want to make Grilled BBQ Chicken Breasts, you might want to consider using a brine because chicken breasts can easily dry out when cooked due to their low fat content.

WHY BRINE CHICKEN BREASTS? In short, brining is the quickest way (15 minutes) to ensure juicy chicken every single time because the salty brining bath increases the moisture capacity of the chicken. It does this by breaking down the proteins of the bird so they can no longer contract when cooking. This means less water will be squeezed out and lost, resulting in juicier chicken.
HOW TO BRINE CHICKEN: Combine 8 cups warm water and ½ cup kosher salt together in a glass dish. Stir until the salt dissolves. Add chicken and let sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes. Rinse chicken and pat dry – that’s it!

What Should I Serve with Grilled BBQ Chicken?

How to store Chicken BBQ

How to Store and Freeze:

Store: Allow the chicken to cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Freezing: For longer storage, flash freeze the chicken by placing the drumsticks on a baking sheet without the chicken touching. Freeze for 2 hours, then transfer the chicken to a freezer-safe container or a resealable plastic bag, removing as much air as possible. Label with the date and freeze for up to 2-3 months.

Reheating Barbecue Grilled Chicken Drumsticks:

Air Fryer Method: Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C), arrange the drumsticks in a single layer, and heat for 5-7 minutes, flipping halfway through. Ensure the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) for safe consumption.
Oven Method: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the drumsticks on a baking sheet and cover with aluminum foil to prevent drying. Heat for about 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
Microwave Method: Place the drumsticks in a microwave-safe dish and cover with a microwave-safe lid or another microwave-safe dish to trap moisture. Reheat on medium power for 2-3 minutes, checking and turning the drumsticks halfway through.
Grill Method: Reheat the drumsticks on a medium grill for about 5-10 minutes, turning frequently to ensure even heating.

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©Carlsbad Cravings by CarlsbadCravings.com

Servings: -6 people

Total Time: 35

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 25

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Ingredients

8-10 skinless chicken drumsticks approx. 3 pounds
1 tablespoon olive oil

SPICE MIX

2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tsp EACH chili powder, onion, powder, garlic powder, brown sugar
1/2 tsp EACH chipotle chili powder, dried thyme, pepper

Barbecue Sauce

1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons seedless blackberry preserves
2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons reserved Spice Rub (from above, in directions)

Instructions

Whisk together all of the Spice Mix Ingredients. Remove 1 ½ teaspoons to a saucepan to use later in your Barbecue Sauce.
Drizzle chicken with 1 tablespoon olive oil and rub it all over the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken with half of the Spice Mix and rub into chicken. Flip chicken over and sprinkle with remaining spice mix (it will seem like a lot but use it all). Rub spice mix into chicken. Let chicken sit 30 minutes at room temperature OR you can cover and refrigerate up to overnight and cook later. (If you refrigerate chicken and grill later, let chicken sit at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to grilling for more even cooking.)
Meanwhile, add all of the Barbecue Sauce ingredients to the saucepan with the reserved 1 ½ teaspoons spice mix. Whisk together and simmer for 5-10 minutes for the flavors to meld.

TO GRILL

Grease grill and preheat grill to high heat. Once hot, add chicken and sear, uncovered, for 5 minutes, flip chicken over and sear an additional 5 minutes.
Cover, and turn heat down to low so the temperature stays around 325 degrees F when the lid is closed. Cook 5 minutes with the lid closed, flip and cook an additional 5 minutes with the lid closed.
Baste chicken with barbecue sauce and cook 1 minute, flip and cook an additional minute. Using an instant read thermometer, check temperature of chicken at the thickest part without touching the bone. Chicken is done when it registers 165-180º F on an instant read thermometer. If chicken isn’t done, continue to grill (covered) and flip chicken and baste with barbecue sauce every 3 minutes until it reaches temperature.
Remove chicken to a serving platter brush with barbecue sauce. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Serve with additional barbecue sauce.

TO BAKE

Line a baking sheet with foil (for easy cleanup) and top with a baking/cooling rack if you have one. Lightly spray rack with nonstick cooking spray. Line drumsticks on the baking rack without touching. Let chicken set at room temperature for 30-60 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 F degrees. Bake chicken at 425 F degrees for 30-35 minutes or until cooked through.
Remove chicken to a serving platter brush with barbecue sauce. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Serve with additional barbecue sauce.

Video

Notes

Don’t miss the “how to make” recipe video at the top of the post!

TIPS AND TRICKS

Remove Skin. I remove the skin from my chicken drumsticks because I am not a fan of soggy skin. Even if the skin is crispy initially when grilled, it gets soggy when coated in the barbecue sauce. It is also more prone to cause flare-ups and burn. If you want to grill with the skin on, eat it with the skin on or you will loose the flavor from the rub.
Use all the seasonings. The spice mix might seem like a lot of seasonings, but I promise it is the perfect amount, use ALL of it!
Let chicken rest. After you rub the chicken with seasonings, let it rest for 30 minutes on the counter or tightly wrap/transfer to freezer size Ziploc bag and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Letting it rest is life changing!
Don’t cook chicken straight from the refrigerator! If your chicken has been refrigerated, let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes, this will allow your chicken to come closer to room temperature so it will cook more evenly.
Preheat grill with lid closed. Preheat your grill with the lid closed so your grill gets nice and hot but sear with the lid open. Follow specific instructions on whether grill should be open or closed. If instructions do not specify, then that means to grill uncovered, with the lid open.
Use a instant read thermometer! When it comes to checking the temperature of chicken, there is no accurate way to check without cutting your chicken open and loosing juices, then by using an instant read thermometer. They are fast, highly accurate, and save you all the guesswork and possibly food poisoning.
Close lid. With the exception of chicken breasts, and thighs, keep the grill lid closed as much as possible after searing. Drumsticks, leg quarters and bone-in chicken thighs need to be roasted which is accomplish when the lid is closed causing heat to surround the chicken.
Cook to 165°F for LIGHT meat or 180°F for DARK meat. While 165°F is a safe internal temperature for all chicken, 180°F will produce more tender, fall-off-the-bone dark meat.
Add BBQ sauce at the end. We want to develop a nice sear on our chicken, so hold the barbecue sauce until the last few minutes of grilling. It is also important to not add barbecue sauce until the end of grilling otherwise the sauce will burn due to the sugars in the sauce. I like to add the barbecue sauce when my chicken is almost done, then let it grill on each side for a minute or so so the barbecue sauce caramelizes slightly then I slather my chicken with more barbecue sauce off of the grill.

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48 Comments

Regina Adducci says

at

I made your chicken barbecue recipe and it was amazing. I will never cook chicken again w/o first brining! I used leftover chicken in chicken fried rice and the chicken was still moist! The barbecue sauce is exquisite will never buy bottled again. I also used preserves on hand not blackberry -tasted good to me! Look forward to trying your brisket recipe. Gina
PS California is our home away from home (East Coast). Carlsbad is one of my fav spots. Love ur Açaí bowls recipes too.

- Jen says
  
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  Thank you so much for the glowing review Regina! I’m so pleased you loved the barbecue sauce and that the chicken brine was a revelation! What a small world that you love Carlsbad, it really is magical!
  
Brad says

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We really enjoyed this recipe thank you

- Jen says
  
  at
  
  You are so welcome, Brad, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
  
B says

at

Looove this recipe. So full of flavor. Question, what is the longest length of time to brine chicken breast?

- Jen says
  
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  Thanks so much B! I’m so glad you love the flavor! You won’t want to brine a chicken breast more than 24 hours. Hope that helps!

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