Marinating chicken in barbecue sauce is a great way to infuse flavor and moisture into your chicken before cooking. With just a few simple ingredients and steps, you can have juicy, flavorful chicken ready for the grill or oven. Here is a complete guide to marinating chicken with barbecue sauce.
Benefits of Marinating Chicken in BBQ Sauce
Marinating chicken in barbecue sauce provides several advantages:
- Infuses flavor – The sauce permeates the chicken, giving it great barbecue flavor throughout. This saves you from having to constantly brush on sauce while grilling.
- Keeps chicken moist – The sauce helps retain moisture in the chicken meat, preventing it from drying out during cooking.
- Tenderizes the meat – Marinades help break down tough collagen fibers in the chicken through enzymatic action, resulting in more tender meat.
- Adds color and caramelization – Browning reactions occur between the sugars and proteins in the sauce, leading to better color and searing.
- It’s easy – Just pour on the sauce, seal, and refrigerate. Much easier than dry rubs or complicated marinades.
What You’ll Need
- 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 cup barbecue sauce (your favorite brand and flavor)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar (optional)
- 1⁄4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
- Resealable plastic bag or baking dish for marinating
How Long to Marinate Chicken in BBQ Sauce
- For best results, marinate the chicken for 2 to 24 hours.
- Marinating for at least 2 hours allows the flavors to soak in.
- Going up to 24 hours gives the most intense barbecue flavor.
- Don’t marinate for longer than 24 hours or the texture may become mushy.
Simple Steps for Marinating
- Trim and pound the chicken – Remove any fat or sinew. Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness so they cook evenly.
- Prepare the sauce – In a small bowl, stir together the barbecue sauce, olive oil, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt, and pepper.
- Put chicken in the marinade – Place chicken in a resealable plastic bag or baking dish. Pour sauce over the chicken, turning to coat all over.
- Seal and refrigerate – Seal the bag or cover the dish, removing as much air as possible. Refrigerate for 2-24 hours, flipping bag or stirring chicken halfway through.
- Remove from marinade – Take chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Discard excess marinade. Pat chicken dry with paper towels.
- Cook as desired – Grill, bake, sauté or air fry. Brush with reserved marinade as it cooks. Cook to an internal temperature of 165°F.
And that’s it! With these simple steps, you’ll have juicy, barbecue-sauced chicken ready for any meal. The sauce flavors really penetrate deep into the meat for maximum taste.
Cooking Your Marinated Chicken
You can cook marinated chicken in various ways, including:
- Grilling – This is a popular option in summer. Get your grill nice and hot, lightly oil the grates, and grill the chicken over direct medium heat for 4-6 minutes per side. Brush with leftover marinade during the last few minutes.
- Baking – Preheat your oven to 375°F. Place chicken on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 25-35 minutes until cooked through. Broil for 2-3 minutes at the end to caramelize.
- Pan searing – Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 3-5 minutes per side until well browned. Finish in a 375°F oven for 10 minutes.
- Air frying – Mist chicken with oil and air fry at 380°F for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway, until it reaches 165°F.
The chicken is ready when the juices run clear and it registers 165°F on a meat thermometer. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Variations
There are lots of ways to customize your barbecue chicken marinade:
- Use different sauces like honey barbecue, hickory smoked, sweet and spicy, or bourbon barbecue sauce.
- Add extra flavorings like minced garlic, onion powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, cumin, or chipotle chili flakes.
- For tang, use pineapple juice, lime juice, red wine vinegar, rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar.
- To balance sweetness, add 2 Tbsp mustard, soy sauce or steak sauce.
- For heat, incorporate hot sauce, sriracha, crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper.
- For aromatics, steep thyme sprigs, bay leaves, sliced ginger or crushed lemongrass in the sauce.
- To tenderize, use yogurt, kiwifruit juice or pureed kiwi, papaya or pineapple.
- For color and flavor, add turmeric, saffron or tandoori seasoning blends.
Get creative with your own signature barbecue chicken marinade!
Common Questions
How long does BBQ chicken last in the fridge?
BBQ chicken will last 3-4 days in the fridge when stored in an airtight container. Discard if you see any signs of spoilage.
Can you freeze BBQ chicken?
Yes, freeze marinated raw chicken for 2-3 months. Freeze cooked BBQ chicken for 1-2 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
What wood is best for BBQ chicken?
Hickory, mesquite and oak give great classic barbecue flavor. Fruit woods like apple, cherry and pecan are milder. Avoid resinous woods like pine.
Is boneless or bone-in better for BBQ?
Boneless cooks faster and more evenly. Bone-in has more flavor. Choose based on your preferences and timing.
What is the best BBQ chicken temp?
Cook to an internal temperature of 165°F for juicy, safe chicken. The juices will run clear at this point.
Conclusion
Marinating chicken in your favorite barbecue sauce is one of the easiest ways to end up with finger-lickin’ good barbecue chicken every time. The sauce penetrates the meat for incredible depth of flavor. Feel free to experiment with sauce flavors and extra ingredients to make a signature marinade. In just a few hours in the fridge, you can have juicy, flavorful chicken ready to grill, bake, or pan sear for amazing meals.