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Grilled Kansas City BBQ Chicken Recipe

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4.5 from 126 reviews

This Grilled Kansas City BBQ Chicken recipe features juicy boneless skinless chicken breasts coated with a flavorful dry rub of brown sugar, paprika, and spices, then grilled to perfection and finished with a tangy BBQ sauce glaze. Perfect for summer cookouts or a weeknight dinner, the chicken turns out tender, smoky, and irresistibly delicious.

Ingredients

Chicken and Marinade

  • 4 to 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 6 Tbsp packed brown sugar
  • 3 Tbsp paprika
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp black pepper

Finishing Sauce

  • ⅓ cup BBQ sauce

Instructions

  1. Prepare the spice rub: In a bowl, combine brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper until evenly mixed to create a flavorful dry rub.
  2. Marinate the chicken: Place the chicken breasts in a large ziplock bag, add the spice rub mixture, seal the bag tightly, and shake well to coat the chicken evenly. Refrigerate the chicken for at least 2 hours and up to overnight to allow the flavors to penetrate.
  3. Grill the chicken: Remove the chicken breasts from the bag and preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF, turning as needed to cook evenly on both sides, about 6-8 minutes per side depending on thickness.
  4. Apply BBQ sauce: While grilling, brush the chicken breasts with BBQ sauce on each side before removing from the grill to add a tangy, sticky glaze.
  5. Rest and serve: Once cooked through, remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving to retain juiciness and allow the flavors to meld.

Notes

  • For best flavor, marinate the chicken overnight.
  • If you don’t have a grill, you can use a grill pan or broiler to achieve similar char marks.
  • Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches the safe internal temperature of 165ºF.
  • Adjust the amount of chili powder for spiciness to your preference.
  • Leftover grilled chicken is great for sandwiches or salads.