- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts. Time: 5 to 6 minutes per side.
- Temperature: Medium-high (400˚F)
- Best technique: Cook over direct heat until 165˚F.
The ideal marinade or rub for BBQ chicken breast is not complicated. This simple grilling or baking technique, sweetened with BBQ sauce, is the key to consistently producing moist and juicy barbecue chicken breasts.
BBQ chicken, whether grilled or baked in the oven, is one of those meals that everyone at the table will enjoy. Unless it’s dry and overcooked. But that is NOT this recipe. Anyone can easily master it, making it possible for them to assert that their barbecue chicken is the best on the block.
This recipe is simple and it’s ready quick. There’s no extra time needed for marinades or fancy rubs. Good quality chicken breasts, a hot grill or oven, and your preferred BBQ sauce are all you need.
What Happens If it Doesn’t Reach 165 Degrees F (75 °C)?
The internal temperature must reach 165 °F (75 °C) for two reasons:
We refer to the time it takes for the internal temperature to reach 165 °F (75 °C) when discussing grilling times.
Average Grill Temperatures and What They Mean
What does it mean when a recipe instructs you to grill over “medium heat”?
Here is a helpful chart that illustrates the typical grilling temperatures in case you are unfamiliar with the various temperature ranges. If you want to check and keep an eye on the temperature at the grill grates, make sure you have a reliable wireless digital thermometer.
Chicken cooked too quickly or at a high temperature will result in burned skin but undercooked meat.
In order to cook chicken for a sufficient amount of time without burning, the ideal cooking temperature will be in the middle range.
How Long to Cook BBQ Chicken
You should cook the chicken almost completely before adding the BBQ sauce at the very end, whether you prepare this BBQ chicken on the grill or in the oven. Sauces with a fair amount of sugar, like BBQ sauce, can burn easily. The sauce is added at the very end and seared quickly to reduce the risk of it burning.
FAQ
How long do boneless chicken breasts take on the grill?
Cooking time for boneless, skinless breasts should be 10 to 12 minutes on high heat. In order to toss the salad or grab a platter before flipping the food over to cook the other side, you have no more than five minutes.
How long does it take to BBQ raw chicken?
For 6 to 8 ounces of boneless, skinless chicken breast cooked over direct medium heat (350 °F), it will take between 8 and 12 minutes; for 10 to 12 ounces of bone-in chicken breast cooked over indirect medium heat (350 °F); and for 30 to 40 minutes for a leg or thigh cooked over indirect medium heat (350 °F).
How do you cook chicken breast on a gas grill?
Before cooking, preheat the gas grill to medium-high heat, or 350–400° F. Lightly grease grill surface and add chicken. Cook for 8 minutes with the lid shut, or until the bottoms are browned and have sear marks. Turn chicken over, cover, and cook for an additional 7 to 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
How long do you grill chicken breasts on a gas grill?
Chicken breasts should be grilled for about 10 minutes in total, cooking for 2-3 minutes at a time on each side. The chicken is prepared when its internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
