Bbq Chicken Breast: Marinade Secrets For Succulent Meat

Chicken is a versatile dish that can be cooked in a variety of ways, but one of the most popular methods is to grill or bake chicken breasts marinated in BBQ sauce. This technique ensures that the chicken is juicy and flavourful, with a sticky, glazed exterior. The key to achieving this mouth-watering dish is in the marinade, which typically includes ingredients such as olive oil, lemon juice, smoked paprika, garlic, and soy sauce. The chicken is left to marinate for several hours or even overnight, allowing the flavours to infuse. The cooking method is just as important, with grilling and baking being the most common approaches. When grilled, the chicken develops tasty char marks and a smoky flavour, while baking results in a moist and juicy texture.

How to Cook Chicken Breast Marinated in BBQ Sauce

Choosing the right BBQ sauce

• Sweetness: If you prefer a sweeter BBQ sauce, look for those that have a higher sugar content, such as brown sugar, coconut sugar, or molasses. These sugars add a rich, caramelized flavour to the sauce.
• Tanginess: For a tangy twist, opt for a BBQ sauce with a higher vinegar content, such as apple cider vinegar or white vinegar. Vinegar adds a sharp, acidic kick to the sauce.
• Smokiness: To achieve that coveted smoky flavour, look for ingredients such as liquid smoke, smoked paprika, or chipotle in the sauce's ingredient list. These ingredients impart a subtle, smoky essence to the sauce.
• Spiciness: If you prefer your BBQ sauce with a kick, choose a sauce that includes spices like cayenne pepper, chili powder, or black pepper. These spices will add a nice punch of heat to your marinade.
• Thickness: The consistency of BBQ sauce varies, and you may prefer a thicker or thinner sauce depending on your desired application. Thicker sauces tend to have a higher sugar content and are ideal for coating chicken, while thinner sauces are better for drizzling or dipping.
• Natural Ingredients: When choosing a BBQ sauce, consider the ingredient list and opt for those with natural, recognisable ingredients. Making your own BBQ sauce from scratch is a great way to ensure the sauce is free of additives, preservatives, and allergens like soy and gluten, which are commonly found in store-bought varieties.
• Personal Preference: Ultimately, the "right" BBQ sauce comes down to your unique taste preferences. Experiment with different brands and flavours to find the one that suits your palate. You can also customise your sauce by adding more spices, sugar, or vinegar to create a truly personalised marinade.

Remember, the key to a successful chicken marinade is allowing the chicken to soak up the flavours. Be sure to give your chicken enough time to marinate, and don't be afraid to experiment with different ingredients and combinations to find your perfect BBQ sauce!

Preparing the chicken for marination

Firstly, you'll want to decide on the cut of chicken you want to use. Chicken breasts are a popular choice, but you can also use chicken thighs, drumsticks, tenders, or even a whole chicken cut into parts. If you're using chicken breasts, it's a good idea to pound the meat to an even thickness before marinating. This helps the meat cook more evenly and prevents the thinner parts from drying out.

Once you've prepared your chicken, it's time to make the marinade. In a large bowl or resealable plastic bag, combine your chosen BBQ sauce with a neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil. Stay away from olive oil for this recipe. You'll also want to add some flavour enhancers like garlic, soy sauce, and smoked paprika. For a little kick, you can add some ground black pepper. Whisk or shake all the ingredients together until they are well combined.

Now it's time to add the chicken to the marinade. Fully coat the chicken in the sauce, making sure it gets into all the crevices. If using a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, or if using a bag, squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing. Place the chicken in the fridge to marinate for at least two hours or, even better, overnight. The longer it sits, the more time the flavours have to develop and infuse into the meat.

And that's it! Your chicken is now ready to be cooked. You can grill, bake, or smoke it, and don't forget to baste with any remaining marinade for an extra flavour boost.

Making the marinade

Ingredients

You can use any BBQ sauce you like in this recipe, whether you prefer sweet, tangy, or spicy. You will also need a neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil, garlic, low-sodium soy sauce, and smoked paprika.

Method

In a large bowl, whisk together the BBQ sauce, oil, garlic, soy sauce, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. You can adjust the amount of garlic and smoked paprika to taste. Reserve a small amount of the marinade in a separate bowl and place it in the fridge until you're ready to grill.

Marinating the chicken

Place the chicken in the large bowl with the marinade and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours, or even overnight for maximum flavour. The longer the chicken sits in the marinade, the more tender and flavourful it will be.

Grilling

Before grilling, preheat your grill to medium-high heat and clean and grease the grates with oil. Place the chicken on the grill, skin-side down, and grill, flipping and basting with the reserved BBQ sauce. Cook until an instant-read thermometer reads 165ºF in the thickest part of the chicken.

Serving

Once the chicken is ready, baste it with any remaining BBQ sauce and serve.

Marinating the chicken

The key to the most flavorful BBQ chicken is the marinade. Marinating the chicken in BBQ sauce infuses every bite with flavor. You can use any BBQ sauce you like in this recipe, whether you prefer it sweet, tangy, or spicy. You can also make your own sauce from scratch.

To make the marinade, you will need:

• BBQ sauce
• Oil (a neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil is best)
• Garlic (2 cloves, grated or finely minced)
• Soy sauce (low-sodium is preferable)
• Smoked paprika

Optional ingredients include:

• Lemon juice
• Brown sugar
• Dried rosemary
• Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper
• Garlic powder

Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. You can also put them straight into a large ziploc bag, which will be used for marinating the chicken.

Remove about a quarter to half a cup of the marinade and reserve it for basting the chicken later.

Place the chicken in a large resealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over it. Close the bag securely and gently massage the marinade into the chicken. Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours. The longer the chicken sits in the marinade, the more flavor it will absorb. However, do not marinate for more than 24 hours, as this can affect the texture of the chicken.

If you're short on time, you can poke holes in the chicken with a fork to allow the marinade to penetrate quickly.

You can also freeze marinated chicken for later use. After adding the marinade to the chicken in a freezer-safe resealable bag, freeze for up to 6 months. Be sure to thaw it overnight in the fridge before cooking.

Cooking the chicken

There are several ways to cook your chicken breasts after they have been marinated in BBQ sauce. You can cook them in the oven, on the stove, or on a grill.

If you are using a grill, make sure to preheat it to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates. If you are using an oven, preheat it to 400°F. For cooking on the stove, preheat a skillet over medium-high heat and lightly grease it.

When cooking, the chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F. This usually takes 5-6 minutes on each side when grilling, 8-10 minutes on each side when cooking on the stove, and 18-22 minutes (or 450°F for 15-18 minutes) when cooking in the oven.

While cooking, baste the chicken with the reserved marinade. After cooking, let the chicken rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Frequently asked questions