Grilled BBQ chicken is one of the easiest, most versatile dishes of summer. Juicy pieces of bone-in chicken take on new flavor when they’re grilled… and those classic grill marks are one of the signs of the season! You can serve it hot off the grill, take it along on a picnic, or strip it off the bone and use it as a tasty salad topper.

But so many people are afraid of grilling meats, especially chicken. I’m happy to tell you that it’s a lot easier than you might think, and you can get great results right from the get go! Here’s how!

Grilling BBQ chicken is easier than it seems!

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What is Grilled BBQ Chicken?

Grilled BBQ chicken is one of those dishes that is expected during the summertime, much like burgers and hot dogs. Even though we think of it as a classic American food, the barbeque experience has its roots in the Caribbean. There, the Taino peoples heavily seasoned their meats and cooked them on wooden grates over fire. They called this process barbacoa, which is where the English term barbeque originates.

Ask someone to envision bbq chicken and they’ll imagine bone-in chicken drumsticks cooked over a fire, dripping in tangy barbeque sauce. And they won’t be wrong.

But today, more variations of traditional grilled BBQ chicken are accepted. Boneless chicken breasts are touted as a much less messy version of saucy drumsticks. Boneless breasts cook more quickly, can be eaten with knife and fork, and people feel there is less waste, as the entire breast can be consumed without bits sticking to a bone.

The variety of chicken cuts that are grilled seems small compared to the array of barbeque sauces used at modern cookouts. Traditional tangy sauce has given way to fruit-based sauces, like the glaze used in our peach glazed grilled pork tenderloin, to spicy, pepper laden sauces that bring a little (or a lot) of heat to the tongue. And it seems that every region of the United States has its own spin on classic sauce, from the red wine sauces of California to the smoky Carolina hickory sauce.

But no matter what sauce you choose, grilling your chicken to perfection is done the same way!

There's nothing like grilled BBQ Chicken on the patio.

Tips for Grilling the Perfect Chicken

The perfect grilled chicken–juicy inside, slightly crisp skin outside, and of course the beautiful hint of char exterior, with the token grill marks, of course! For a long time, I could never grill chicken right. It was either burned and dried out or too undercooked. But, little by little, I figured out how to cook the chicken that everyone loves… and consistently, too!

Oil the grill grates. It seems like an insignificant step, but it really does make a difference. When your chicken sticks to the grates, you lose moisture when you tear the meat off the rack to turn it. This leads to dried chicken. I use a pastry brush to paint a thin layer of vegetable oil on the rack before I start heating the grill. Don’t overdo it or it will drip down and make a mess.
Cook the chicken over medium heat. If you are new to grilling, this can be difficult to gauge. Most gas grills come with thermometers that allow you to read how hot the grill is running. You can also get a grill thermometer to set on the grates so you can check the temperature just as you would with an oven. Medium heat measures between 300 and 400F on a thermometer.
Don’t add sauce until the end. My biggest mistake was drenching my chicken in sauce right from the get-go. Since most BBQ sauce contains sugar, it has a tendency to burn when on the heat for too long. Instead, cook the chicken through first, then add the sauce. Keep the saucy chicken on the heat for a just a few minutes to caramelize and you’ll have gorgeous chicken, every time!

Do I Have to Use a Spice Rub?

No, not at all!

I have found that using a spice rub brings a punch of extra flavor to my meat. And it doesn’t have to be chicken! Beef, pork, poultry and seafood all benefit from a little seasoning. And if you’re trying to cut back on sodium, this is a wonderful way to get great taste in meats without using salt.

If you don’t want to use a spice rub before grilling, try brushing each piece of chicken with olive oil before setting it on the grill. The oil helps to seal in juices, and while it doesn’t add flavor, it helps to create that crisp exterior that is SO delicious!

Directions

Pull the skin off the chicken pieces and rinse them with cold water, then pat dry. Rub each piece with the BBQ spice blend of your choice. I like to really rub it in to get that flavor into the meat. And I don’t skimp on flavor!
Head outside and oil the grill grates with vegetable oil, then preheat the grill to medium heat, 300-400F. After about five minutes, lay the chicken directly onto the grate. Grill the chicken pieces over direct medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes per side.
When the chicken pieces are thoroughly cooked, brush the tops with the BBQ sauce of your choice and grill for 2 to 3 minutes. The purpose of this is to allow the sauce to thicken and carmelize on the chicken. Then turn the chicken pieces over, brush the tops with BBQ sauce, and grill another 2 to 3 minutes.

Be sure to keep a watch on the chicken once you’ve added the sauce. Too much heat will cause the sauce to burn quickly. I don’t know about you, but I hate burnt BBQ chicken!
Remove the chicken from the grill and place your delicious dinner on a platter for serving. I always like to brush a little extra sauce on the pieces at this point. Serve ’em up with sauce on the side for dunking!

Need a Side Dish to Go With Grilled BBQ Chicken?

This Overnight Salad is made the night before… and it’s keto-friendly, too
Pasta lovers will especially enjoy cold Summer Spaghetti Salad
For dessert, everyone loves Chilled Lemon Layered Lush, and so will you!