Smoked BBQ Chicken Breasts
A super quick and easy smoked bbq chicken breast recipe that you can make in the smoker, air fryer, or oven! We love to serve these on buns for a BBQ chicken sandwich or over salads.
Ingredients
- 6 chicken breasts sliced in half horizontally to create 12 thinner pieces
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika heaping
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 3 tsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar optional, for a tangy kick
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken
- Start by butterflying your chicken breasts — slice them in half horizontally to create thinner pieces. Lay them flat between layers of plastic wrap and pound to about 1/4 inch thick. This helps them cook quickly and evenly, and makes them perfect for sandwiches.
Mix the Marinade
- In a large bowl, mix together all the spices, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil. This isn’t a wet marinade—it’s more of a thick rub, and the olive oil helps it coat the chicken nicely.
Marinate
- Toss the chicken pieces in the spice rub until well coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour. This gives the flavors time to soak in.
Cook Your Chicken
- Smoked on the Traeger at 400 until fully cooked and slightly caramelized around the edges. If you're using an air fryer, cook at 400°F for 10–15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through and slightly crisp. For the oven, cook at 400 on upper rack for 15-20 minutes until slightly crisp.
Serve
- We like to serve these as BBQ chicken sandwiches on buns with a sauce of 1:1 mayo and bbq sauce.
