Tested and Perfected For Extra-Juicy and Flavorful Results Every Time!
If you’ve followed Plays Well With Butter for a while you know that we’re obsessed with all things grilling.
From beer brats to chicken wings, we’ve meticulously tested countless classic grilling recipes to get the absolute best results and they’ve become some of our reader’s absolute favorite dinner recipes, especially in the summer months.
This Grilled BBQ Chicken recipe is no exception!
While grilling BBQ chicken seems really simple, doing it the right way, for perfect results, requires a little bit of technique.
Our trusted method for making the most tender, juicy, and smoky BBQ chicken depends on creating three layers of flavor with a quick brine, a homemade dry rub, and the 2-zone grilling method. All that’s left to do is slather on your favorite BBQ sauce for chicken that’s seasoned and flavorful all the way through.
Join the 30,000+ readers who have saved this recipe and make it your new go-to grilled chicken dinner, we can’t wait for you to try it!
The Best Chicken For Grilled BBQ Chicken
The best chicken parts to use for BBQ chicken are whatever parts you love most. Seriously! This recipe is so versatile it will work great with chicken breasts, chicken thighs, drumsticks, leg quarters, and even chicken wings.
For this recipe, I’m especially partial to bone-in chicken thighs! Dark meat has a higher fat content that renders and becomes even more flavorful and juicy compared to boneless chicken parts, which is why you see them pictured in this post.
No matter what you choose this chicken is sure to be a hit!
Love Crispy Chicken Skin? Since this particular barbecue chicken recipe involves a dry rub the chicken skin gets perfectly crisp on the grill so I love making some pieces with the skin still on. 😋 Pro Tip! ⇢ The chicken skin will soak up the sauce pretty quickly, so it’s best to only add BBQ sauce to the skin-on side just as you serve it. (Soggy, saucy chicken skin is no good!)
Grill Like a Backyard Pro ⭐
Step-by-step tutorials (like how to light the grill without burning your eyebrows off) & obsessively-tested tips (for juicy, charred results). Designed for meat lovers & vegetarians alike!
An Easy Brine Keeps Things EXTRA Juicy!
Because chicken is a lean protein, marinating or brining it in a liquid before you barbecue is key in helping to ensure your barbecue chicken stays totally juicy and doesn’t dry out on the grill.
My absolute favorite grilled chicken trick for adding rich, deep flavor to the chicken is soaking chicken in beer. While it won’t make the chicken taste like beer, it will keep the chicken nice and juicy throughout grilling.🍻
For the best flavor, use a full-bodied, dry, and hoppy beer, such as an IPA. Brine the chicken for up to 3 days in the fridge. The longer you can brine the more flavor you’ll get but if you only have 15 minutes before dinner needs to get on the grill, please don’t skip this step. Even the quickest brine will make a difference!
Don’t Like Beer? Use Buttermilk! If beer isn’t your thing (I get it!), you can use buttermilk, which is totally classic and has the added benefit of naturally tenderizing the chicken. Pro Tip! ⇢ If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can DIY it by adding a splash of vinegar or lemon juice to regular ol’ milk.
Build Bold Flavor with Homemade BBQ Dry Rub
My go-to BBQ chicken rub is so simple to make with pantry spices, and it’s filled with flavor.
Chili powder, paprika, and cumin add rich, smokiness, while garlic powder, onion powder, and mustard powder provide nice aromatics. To finish, the littlest bit of brown sugar adds the perfect kiss of sweetness.
It takes less than 5 minutes to mix up and you’ll want to grill with it all summer long!
Meal Prep Tip
I always suggest making a double or triple batch of homemade BBQ dry rub. It’s great on grilled chicken, of course, but it’s also awesome on pork, steaks, or sprinkled on burgers. It’s an all-purpose dry rub that you’ll turn to time and time again!
Shop This Post
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → How To Grill BBQ Chicken
Now for the fun part – grilling up your chicken! The secret to perfectly cooked, juicy, and tender grilled BBQ chicken lies in zone grilling.
By creating 2 distinct zones of heat on your grill, you can first cook your chicken with really gentle, steady indirect heat before finishing it over strong direct heat.
The result? Grilled BBQ chicken that’s perfectly juicy and tender through the middle, with the best crispy and charred exterior every single time!
Cook first with indirect heat. Place the seasoned chicken on the indirect side of the grill (skin side up, if using skin-on chicken), as close to the fire as possible without being over the direct heat. Pro Tip! ⇢ Be sure to close the lid while indirect grilling to keep the grill temperature within the desired range. Rotate the chicken 180 degrees every 15 minutes, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken (without hitting the bone) registers a temperature of 150 degrees F.
Finish over direct heat. Move the chicken over direct heat to finish cooking then baste the chicken with your BBQ sauce of choice, allowing it to cook for 2 minutes. Next, flip the chicken using tongs, baste it with more sauce, and cook for 2 minutes more.* Repeat this process 2-3 times, until chicken is as charred and saucy as desired, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken (without hitting the bone) registers a temperature of 160 degrees F.
Allow the chicken to rest. Carryover heat will cause the internal temperature to continue to rise. Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes until it has reached a safe 165 degrees F. Serve immediately and enjoy!
*Important Note: If using skin-on chicken be sure to check the Recipe Notes for my tips on how to avoid soggy skin!
Learn more! ⇢ Be sure to check out our comprehensive guide to 2-zone grilling for tips on how to use zone grilling on a gas or charcoal grill.
Understanding Grill Time and Doneness
Grill cooking times can vary based on the temperature of your grill or the size of your chicken pieces.
The best way to ensure your chicken is cooked through is to use an instant-read thermometer but if you are looking for some general guidelines for how long to grill BBQ chicken we’ve laid them out below.
BBQ Chicken Grill Time Guidelines:
- Chicken Breasts: For boneless, skinless chicken breasts, begin checking for doneness after 10-15 minutes. For bone-in chicken breasts, begin checking for doneness after 20-25 minutes.
- Thighs: For boneless, skinless chicken thighs, begin checking for doneness after 10-12 minutes. For bone-in chicken thighs, begin checking for doneness after 15-20 minutes.
- Drumsticks: Begin checking for doneness after 15-20 minutes.
- Leg Quarters: Begin checking for doneness after 15-20 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
When it comes to side dishes for grilled barbecue chicken, I like to keep things super classic. A few of my faves…
- Classic Potato Salad, Coleslaw, Broccoli Salad, and Macaroni Salad make for the ultimate summertime meal!
- Grilled veggies – No summer plate is complete without some grilled veggies. Grill up some corn on the cob, peppers and onions, or sweet potatoes!
- My ideal plate? A Grilled BBQ Chicken Bowl! Dice up your chicken and serve it over greens and quinoa, with grilled veggies, a little sharp cheddar, and some guacamole for good measure. Weeknight dinner perfection!
I can’t wait for you to try this Grilled Barbecue Chicken recipe. It’s so classic, totally easy, and I’m certain that it’ll be a staple at your house once you master it this summer!
If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! Happy grilling! ♡
Print
Extra-Juicy Grilled BBQ Chicken (Barbecue Chicken Recipe)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 12 hours (includes inactive time)
- Yield: serves 6-8 1x
- Category: Main Dishes, Chicken Recipes
- Method: Grilling & Smoking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Say hello to your newest go-to summer staple, the best Grilled BBQ Chicken recipe! This easy recipe utilizes a quick BBQ chicken marinade, a flavorful BBQ chicken dry rub, and indirect grilling, yielding perfectly tender, juicy, and flavorful BBQ chicken every time. The only grilled barbecue chicken recipe you’ll need from now on!
Ingredients
- one 4–5-pound package bone-in chicken thighs (see Recipe Notes)
- kosher salt, to season
- 2 cups BBQ sauce of choice
- for serving, as desired: extra BBQ sauce of choice, freshly snipped chives, grilled corn, potato salad, macaroni salad, coleslaw, cornbread, etc.
for the grilled BBQ chicken marinade/brine:
- one 16-ounce beer of choice (see Recipe Notes)
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
for the grilled BBQ chicken dry rub:
- 3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons mustard powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- optional: ⅛-¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
PREP:
- Chicken: If you’d like to make BBQ chicken without the skin, tear the skin off of each chicken thigh. If you’d like to make skin-on BBQ chicken, simply trim off any excess skin or fat.
- Dry rub: Add all listed ingredients to a small bowl or jar. Stir to combine. Set aside, or store on your spice rack in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Grilled BBQ Chicken:
- Brine the chicken: Add the beer (or buttermilk) to a large bowl or ziptop bag. Add in the kosher salt and stir to combine. Add the chicken, submerging all the parts in the beer mixture. Set aside to brine for at least 20 minutes or up to 2 days. If brining longer than 1 hour, be sure to store the chicken in the brine in an airtight container or ziptop bag in the refrigerator. If I have the time, I usually try to brine for at least 12 hours.
- Preheat the grill: Prepare your grill for indirect cooking, creating a zone of direct high heat and a second zone of indirect heat. If using a gas grill, begin preheating at least 15 minutes before grilling. If using charcoal, light the charcoal at least 30 minutes prior to grilling. (To learn more about zone grilling, be sure to check out this post.)
- Season the chicken: Once the grill is hot, remove the chicken from the brine, patting off any excess moisture with a paper towel. Season generously with salt and the BBQ chicken dry rub. If using skin-on chicken, work your fingers under the skin to season both sides of the skin.
- Grill the barbecue chicken: Place the seasoned chicken on the indirect side of the grill (skin side up, if using skin-on chicken), as close to the fire as possible without being over the direct heat. Cook the chicken, rotating the pieces 180 degrees every 15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken (without hitting the bone) registers a temperature of 150 degrees F. Depending on the size of your chicken and the temperature of your grill, this could take as little as 15 minutes or up to 40 minutes.
- Baste the chicken: Move the chicken over direct heat. If using skin-on pieces, flip the chicken so the skin-side is down. Use a pastry brush to baste the BBQ chicken with BBQ sauce and cook for 2 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for 2 minutes more. If using skinless chicken, baste the second side with BBQ sauce; if using skin-on chicken, I suggest not applying BBQ sauce to the skin to keep it nice and crispy. Repeat 2-3 times, until your chicken is as charred and saucy as desired and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken (without hitting the bone) registers a temperature of 160 degrees F. Remove from the grill and set aside to rest for 5-10 minutes. Carryover heat will cause the internal temperature to continue to rise as it rests. The chicken will be ready to serve once an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken (without hitting the bone) registers a temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Serve your grilled BBQ chicken with extra BBQ sauce and your favorite summer side dishes. Enjoy!
Notes
- Best chicken to use for grilled BBQ chicken: Use whatever you love most – seriously. This recipe will work great with chicken breasts, chicken thighs, chicken wings, drumsticks – whatever you love! I prefer chicken thighs, which is what you see pictured in this blog post.
- Bone-in vs boneless: If possible, I strongly suggest using bone-in chicken parts, as they tend to be more flavorful and juicy than boneless parts.
- Skin-on vs skinless: Whether or not you leave the skin on the chicken is up to you. Removing the skin from your chicken will help you create what you likely think of when you think of grilled BBQ chicken – a chicken piece coated in layers of BBQ sauce. Because this recipe involves a dry rub and the chicken skin gets perfectly crispy on the grill, I also like making some pieces with the skin still on. The chicken skin will soak up the sauce pretty quickly, so it’s best to only add BBQ sauce to the skin-on side just as you serve it. (Soggy, saucy chicken skin is no good!). It just depends on what you’re craving!
- Brining liquid: Beer-brined chicken is simply the best! Even if you don’t love the flavor of beer or you’re not typically a beer drinker, a beer brine adds rich, earthy flavor to chicken that’s pretty hard to beat. For the best flavor, use a big, hoppy beer such as an IPA. If you’d prefer not to use beer, buttermilk is an awesome option – it makes the chicken extra juicy and tender. If you do not have buttermilk on hand, you can quickly DIY it by adding 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. You’ll need 1 ½ cups of buttermilk for the chicken brine.
- Barbeque sauce: Homemade is always an option, but there are so many incredible store-bought BBQ sauces these days! My all-time favorites are Lillie’s Q & the Burman’s BBQ sauces at ALDI. Both offer a variety for each major BBQ region (Kansas City, Memphis, Texas, & Carolina), so it’s fun to be able to pick & choose whatever you’re in the mood for.
- 10-minute meal prep: To prep your grilled barbecue chicken ahead of time, I suggest brining the chicken according to Step 1 of Recipe Directions and preparing the dry rub according to the Prep notes. At dinnertime, all you have to do is fire up the grill, season the chicken, and grill. Easy!
Follow along with Plays Well With Butter on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest for more unfussy recipes that pack a big punch of flavor!
I am always seeking new interesting recipes/ideas about cooking in and Outdoors… I liked this info.
I followed the directions and brined the chicken thighs for 24 hours. This was the best grilled chicken I have ever made. It was delicious and juicy. The spice rub was excellent.
That’s such high praise, thank you so much, Kathy!! This BBQ chicken is one of our favorites, too 🙂
I didn’t have time to brine my bone-in chicken thighs but used your seasoning mix–wow! what a great combination of flavors. I had intended to baste with BBQ sauce at the end, but my husband grilled the chicken and didn’t do so. The chicken was still surprisingly flavorful, just yummy. I will definitely keep this recipe to make again. Thank you.
Hi Danni, so glad to hear the BBQ chicken turned out great, even without the brining and basting!! Thanks so much for the kind review, and we’re happy to hear it’ll be on your regular rotation!
I brined bone-in, skin-on thighs in beer for 24 hours. Cooking time was 45 on indirect gas grill. Temp was about 300 throughout. They turned out just ok. Nothing phenomenal. Skin did not get crispy. Rub was pretty good. Don’t think I did anything wrong. Was excited for this based on the reviews and it let me down.
Hi Ryan, so sorry to hear that this recipe didn’t turn out quite right for you! Did you finish the thighs over direct heat? Charring the chicken over the direct flame is what gives it the crispy skin that we love so much! We’d love to help problem solve in case you’d like to try again!
Made this for the first time tonight. This is definitely going into the permanent rotation! Everyone loved it. I think the core rub is the key here (I have plenty for at least two more dinners), and then you can have fun and experiment with different homemade and/or store bought bbq sauces.
Hi Julia! Thank you so much for leaving a comment – we couldn’t agree more! It’s so great to have extra BBQ dry rub on hand for easy weeknight dinner (Try these BBQ Chicken bowls next!) & then mix & match with your fave BBQ sauces. So glad the chicken was a hit!
I will try making this using lava stones in the grill! Already bookmarked plenty of recipes for this weekend bbq party!
Hi Dawn! We’ve never tested it using lava stones but let us know how it goes! Thanks so much for bookmarking & hope you had a delicious BBQ!
Best chicken ever – just wondering if anyone has tried cooking this in an oven
Hi Denise! So glad you loved it! We’ve never tested this recipe in the oven as it was really developed for grilling – if you love these flavors though you should check out our Quick & Easy Shredded BBQ Chicken recipe! It uses the same homemade BBQ dry rub but cooks using a stovetop sear then oven bake for juicy, fall-apart tender pulled BBQ chicken!
This site makes me hungry; What’s your number one tip for bbq? Regards
Hi Elliot! Thanks for checking out our recipes – when it comes to grilling chicken our #1 tip would be to use the 2-zone grilling method (utilizing both indirect & direct heat grilling) for perfectly juicy chicken with a smoky char-grilled finish. If interested, you can read more about this method HERE!
Do you close the grill while doing the off direct heat part?
Hi Terri – YES, please close the lid as the chicken cooks with indirect heat. Indirect heat cooks kind of like an oven, so the lid needs to be closed in order for the air to circulate. Cook times included in the recipe reflect a closed grill lid during that portion. Let me know if you have any other questions…happy grilling! Jess
Best bbq chicken ever!! I did the buttermilk and removed skin, was soooo juicy and flavourful did not even need bbq sauce
Hi Kristel! Thank you so much!! The buttermilk makes such a difference & we’re so glad you enjoyed!
When our chicken breasts finally cooked it was so juicy and delicious. We did brine in water and Himalayan salt (4 quarts water and 1/4 cup salt). I must’ve not had my burners on right for indirect heating because the chicken took almost 40 minutes with 15 minutes of turning intervals.
Hi Sheila! So glad to hear that you loved this recipe! At times 2-zone grilling can be tricky, be sure to leave enough time to preheat the grill (that can help!) & if you want some more tips on Indirect Grilling, check out our post HERE!
I made bone i breast and thighs vey good Loved the seasoning, didnt think I would/ will try more from your web Thank You
Hi Denise! So glad you loved it & hope you check out more recipes! You can find all of our grilling recipes HERE!
Wow! Looks so delicious, my entire loved chicken, especially grilled chicken. Can’t wait anymore, I will definitely try it your way, looks seem easy to make :D. Thanks so much for this guide. Looking forward to seeing more.
Hey Monica! Thanks for leaving a comment – we hope you give the recipe a try soon!
You really need to speak to the closing of the grill lid. I was very skeptical after first reading of recipe. Went back and read a second and third time. There were no instructions about the lid. After 15 minutes with your instructions I realized they were terribly wrong, and went with instinct. Closing the lid and following other instructions worked. Please fix this for others.
Kristene – Apologies for the frustration. Yes, closing the grill lid is implied with indirect grilling as we rely on the lid to help contain the heat & circulate around the chicken as it cooks.
This was an instant hit! Definitely the best BBQ chicken we’ve ever had. Thank you for sharing!
Yay Sarah! We are SO happy you loved this BBQ chicken. Thank you for sharing your thoughts & kind words – it means so much!
This chicken was so tender and juicy! This will be my go-to for grilling.
So glad you loved this BBQ chicken, Michelle! That is totally the beauty of the 2-zone grilling method – no chance at dry chicken!!
This was by far the best bbq chicken we have ever made. We used the beer brine and some bone in thighs along with some boneless chicken breasts. Absolutely amazing and tender. The rub was so tasty and we made a homemade bbq sauce. This recipe is a keeper!!! Thanks
Hi Karen! Homemade BBQ sauce sounds fabulous – what an awesome addition!! Thank you so much for sharing!
This was an absolute winner! Super juicy and flavorful, we tried some without the sauce and we’re completely satisfied. Will definitely make this recipe again
Hi Hilary! We are so glad to hear that you loved this BBQ chicken – it is a favorite on our team as well! Hope you have an amazing long holiday weekend & are able to do some grilling!
Another great go-to recipe from PWWB. Easy and really tasty. Definitely recommend brining your chicken for the maximum time- I’ve done it the quicker way and while good, it was better with the longer brine time.
Just had a question I live in an apartment that doesn’t allow grills so can I make it on the stove or will that change the flavor to much
Hi Sam! The BBQ Chicken is really intended for the grill as the grill allows you to achieve those craveable char marks! While we haven’t tested a stovetop method for this recipe, we’d recommend trying a cast iron grill pan or skillet! Let us know how it goes if you give it try!
I knew i had to make these immediately when I saw this recipe! They are so good!
Hi Dustin! So glad you enjoyed, nothing better than classic Grilled BBQ Chicken!
I’m a lvl 1 cook and this recipe lets me make fantastic BBQ chicken.
So glad to hear it, Matt! Thanks for the comment.
The best grilled chicken. Thanks for this easy to follow recipe. So delicious.
So, so glad you enjoyed it, Tiffany!!
Will be trying more of your recipes in the future! By any chance you’re interested in doing collabs, you can check out the offers in our Collaboration section at Phlanx! https://phlanx.com/collaborations You can also check us out at Instagram @phlanxglobal
So extremely delicious! I’m new to grilling and your instructions were super helpful. I was going to just make chicken breast but your pictures looked so good I went out and bought chicken thighs so I could get in on that crispy skin action! I will definitely be coming back and making this again this summer
Kim, I’m SO glad to hear that the recipe went well for you!!! The crispy skin action is where it’s at – so glad you love it! Thanks so much for commenting! xx
Am I missing it- grill closed or open?
Hi Lori! You want to close the grill lid, especially while you’re grilling with indirect heat (Step 4). It’s less important when you’re basting over direct heat (Step 5), but whenever I’m not actively turning/basting, I close the lid to help the grill stay within the desired temperature range. Hope this helps!