Grilled BBQ Chicken Breast Sandwich Recipe

a grilled bbq chicken sandwich on a plate with pickle slices and extra bbq sauce.

5 from 4 votes

Grilled BBQ Chicken Breast Sandwich Recipe

Juicy grilled BBQ chicken sandwiches with a smoky spice rub and tangy sauce. Ready in 20 minutes, perfect for quick family dinners or summer grilling.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Dinner, lunch, Sandwiches

Cuisine: American

Servings: sandwiches

Calories: 542kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

Grill or Indoor Grill Pan

Ingredients

For the Chicken

1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika *
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts **
½ cup BBQ sauce plus more for serving

For Serving

4 burger buns
4 pieces lettuce
4 rings sliced red onion
8 slices sweet pickles

Instructions

In a small bowl, stir the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and oil together.
1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons olive oil
Pat the chicken dry and rub all sides with the spice and oil mixture.
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Heat a grill pan or barbecue on medium high heat (375-450°F).
Grill the chicken until it has nice grill marks, about 3-5 minutes.
Flip and baste with BBQ sauce. Cook until the second side has grill marks, another 2-3 minutes.
½ cup BBQ sauce
Flip, baste with sauce and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through, flipping and basting as needed. Remove from the pan and set aside to rest.
While the chicken is resting, grill the bottom side of the buns until golden, about 10-30 seconds.
4 burger buns
Assemble sandwiches with lettuce, red onions, pickles, and extra barbecue sauce.
4 pieces lettuce, 4 rings sliced red onion, 8 slices sweet pickles

Video

Notes

*If you don't have smoked paprika, you can use regular paprika or mix 2 parts paprika to 1 part cumin to approximate the flavor.

**Thighs also work well here, but may take a bit longer to cook through.

Tips:

If your chicken breasts are uneven thicknesses, pound them out to an even thickness to ensure they all cook through at the same rate.
You can brine the chicken in salt water for 20-30 minutes before seasoning and cooking to add extra moisture.
Olive oil helps the seasoning blend stick to the chicken and encourages even browning.
Oil the pan or grill grates with a soaked paper towel to prevent the chicken from sticking.
I basted and flipped often on a grill pan, but BBQ sauce can burn quickly, so only flip once to prevent burning.
Chicken is cooked when it reaches 165°F on an instant read thermometer.
Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes after cooking to redistribute the juices.
When assembling the sandwiches, place the lettuce on the bottom to prevent a soggy bun.
Reheat the chicken in a 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes, or until warmed through.

Baking Instructions: Place the seasoned chicken in in a 9x13-inch baking pan, brush all over with barbecue sauce, and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes, or until 165°F internally. Halfway through baking, flip the chicken breasts and baste with more barbecue sauce to keep them moist.

Make-Ahead: The spice-rubbed chicken can be prepped the night before to save time.

Storage: Store BBQ chicken breast sandwich components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze the chicken breasts for up to 3 months.

Nutrition