This 5-ingredient BBQ Chicken recipe is juicy, beautifully charred, and easy to make using your favorite BBQ sauce. Perfect for your summer cookout!
Easy BBQ Chicken
If you’re craving easy BBQ chicken that’s juicy, flavorful, and perfect for grilling season, this recipe is for you! Whether you cook it on the grill, bake it in the oven, or use your air fryer, you’ll get tender chicken coated in a smoky-sweet barbecue sauce every time. For this recipe, I use drumsticks because they stay juicy and are hard to overcook, but the same method also works with bone-in thighs or a cut-up chicken. Boneless breasts work too, but the cook time will be shorter. It’s a summertime classic that’s simple enough for busy weeknights, too! Serve this with corn on the cob and coleslaw for an easy summer meal.
Why This BBQ Chicken Recipe Works
As the weather gets warmer, I primarily use my outdoor grill for making dinner. Drumsticks on the grill are my favorite, and it’s a family favorite. Here I used drumsticks, but you can also use chicken thighs or a whole cut-up chicken, adjusting the time as needed. Also, I left the skin on the drumsticks, but you can omit it if you want to reduce the calories.
- 5 Ingredients: Made with easy-to find ingredients you probably already have on hand
- Easy: Make it on the grill, air fryer or oven
- Kid-friendly: A family friendly recipe everyone will enjoy
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy BBQ chicken. See recipe card below for exact measurements.
- BBQ Chicken Rub: For the spices start with seasoning salt, like Lawry’s or adobo, and garlic powder
- BBQ Sauce: All you need is your favorite homemade or store bought BBQ sauce, yellow mustard, and a little water to thin out.
- Chicken: I used chicken drumsticks, but thighs or breasts will also work.
How to Make BBQ Chicken
Here’s the easy step-by-step directions. See recipe card below for printable directions.
- Season the Drumsticks: Sprinkle the chicken with the seasoning salt and garlic powder. If you’re keeping the skin on the drumsticks, rub some of the seasoning underneath the skin. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or as long as overnight for maximum flavor.
- Make the Barbecue Sauce: Combine the BBQ sauce (homemade or store bought), mustard, and two tablespoons of water to thin it.
- Prep the Grill: Starting with a clean grill, preheat it to medium. Once hot, oil the grates and reduce the heat to low.
- Grill the Chicken: Place the drumsticks on the grill, cover, and turn them often to ensure they don’t burn. It’ll take about 18 to 20 minutes for the chicken to become golden brown, tender and cooked through. Check that it’s ready with a thermometer – it should read 165°F.
- BBQ Sauce: Brush the sauce mixture evenly over the chicken and cook for about two more minutes, turning a few times.
Serving Suggestions to Make It A Meal
There are so many ways to eat this easy barbecue chicken. Below are some ideas.
- Classic Sides: Make some traditional barbecue side dishes, like baked beans, macaroni and cheese or potato salad.
- Summer Salads: Watermelon Feta Salad, Creamy Cucumber Salad, Corn Tomato Avocado Salad,
- More Summer Vegetables: Pair the drumsticks with some summer vegetables like this Grilled Asparagus, or Grilled Veggie Kabobs.
Variations
- BBQ Sauce: When purchasing a barbeque sauce, look for one that’s lower in sugar. If you don’t have a store-bought one you love, you can make homemade sauce.
- Chicken: Use chicken breasts or chicken thighs (buy bone-in chicken pieces) or cut up a whole chicken and use all the parts. The cooking time will vary, but check that it’s ready with a thermometer.
- No outdoor grill? Bake the chicken in the oven at 400°F for 35 to 45 minutes or air fry 22 minutes, turning halfway. Then brush it with the BBQ sauce and cook two more minutes.
Do you put BBQ sauce on chicken before cooking?
No. The best time to put the BBQ sauce on is when the chicken is almost ready. If you do it when the chicken is raw, the sugar in the sauce will cause it to brown faster than the meat, and the outside of the chicken can burn. I brush the sauce on the chicken during the last few minutes of cooking.
BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks, skin on, or off*
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt, such as Lawry’s, or adobo seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 tablespoons BBQ sauce, homemade or store bought
- 3 teaspoons yellow mustard
Instructions
- Season chicken with seasoning salt and garlic powder. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or as long as overnight.
- In a small bowl combine the BBQ sauce, mustard and about 2 tablespoons water to thin it out.
- Preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat.
- Oil the grates and reduce heat to low. Grill the chicken, covered, turning often so they don’t burn, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through in the center, about 18 to 20 minutes.
- Brush the BBQ sauce mixture evenly over the chicken and cook, turning a few times until golden, careful not to burn, about 2 more minutes.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Video
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ
Drumsticks are my go-to because they stay juicy, are budget-friendly, and are hard to overcook on the grill. Bone-in, skin-on thighs are another great option with even more flavor. You can also use a whole cut-up chicken for a mix of white and dark meat. If you prefer boneless chicken breasts, they’ll work too—just reduce the cook time so they don’t dry out.
At the end—so it caramelizes without burning.
Depends on method, but drumsticks take ~25–30 minutes on the grill.
You’ll know it’s done when the chicken has an internal temp of 165°F.
I personally think it tastes best the day you make it. But yes you can, store up to 4 days and reheat.
More Grilled Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
For more of my favorite grilled chicken recipes, try these Barbeque Chicken Foil Packets, BBQ Chicken Salad, and Barbeque Chicken Quesadilla. Or try these five chicken ideas:
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich (obsessed)
- Grilled Chicken Breast (perfect for meal prep)
- Grilled Chicken Chickpea Salad
- Grilled Chicken Kabobs with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
- Grilled Chicken Bruschetta
