This Brown Sugar & Garlic Barbecue Chicken adds a subtle sweet and savory flavor that is truly unique and so delicious.
When I mentioned this recipe to a friend, she was a little unsure of the brown sugar and garlic combo, but I’m here to tell you – and my kids will tell you as well – it is AMAZING! The savory garlic blends so well with the sweet molasses flavor of the brown sugar. It would make a fabulous chicken dinner all on it’s own, but adding your favorite barbecue sauce sends it over the top.
My daughter has become a picky eater. Like, crazy, “yesterday chocolate chip pancakes were my favorite and today I’d rather starve than eat them” kind of picky. (And yes, this really happened – who gives up chocolate chip pancakes??). But guess what? She LOVED this chicken. Even had seconds. That’s how good it is.
Please ignore the canned green beans. It’s the only vegetable my son will eat. He’s a little picky too.
I used chicken tenders because it’s what I had on hand, but sometimes I actually prefer that to the larger chicken breasts. There is a much quicker cooking time and no pounding required. I think my kids really like the more sauce, less chicken ratio!
It’s super easy to make, using just a few ingredients that you probably already have on hand. Our favorite Barbecue sauce is Sweet Baby Ray’s, but you can use any of your family’s favorites.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons minced garlic
- 10 chicken tenders or about 4 chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 9" x 12" baking dish with foil or lightly coat with cooking spray.
- Mix brown sugar and garlic in a small bowl.
- Place chicken in the baking dish and spread the brown sugar/garlic mixture evenly over the chicken.
- Bake chicken for about 10 minutes for tenders, 15-20 for chicken breasts, or until juices are clear.
- Turn on the broiler and brush barbecue sauce evenly over chicken. Broil for about 5 minutes, careful not to let it burn.
For more delicious chicken recipes, be sure to check these out:
One Pan Spicy Lemon Chicken Pasta
Ranch Parmesan Crusted Chicken
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Michelle says
October 10, 2019 at 1:27 pmGoing to be giving this recipe a try tonight. Took out chicken breasts and wanted to try something different. We are fans of Sweet Baby Rays and love garlic so this sounds like it should be a big hit! Thank you for a nice change in chicken recipes😁🐔
Kristin says
October 11, 2019 at 9:04 amYou are so welcome Michelle, thank you so much for for stopping by.
C says
May 15, 2019 at 1:18 pmI’m using boneless chicken thighs I let them marinate for 30 min. Do I need to turn it halfway?
Kristin says
May 15, 2019 at 3:20 pmIf one side isn’t covered at all you could turn it, but it probably isn’t necessary.
Stevieee says
May 11, 2019 at 7:43 amAmazing
Kristin says
May 12, 2019 at 1:54 pmThanks Stevieee!
Amber says
February 7, 2019 at 4:34 pmI loved this chicken! Ingredients on hand, baked according to recipe, and came out delicious!!! My 12 year old daughter (Miss Picky) loved it. The flavor was restaurant quality! I am definitely making this recipe again! I love finding simple recipes that taste sensational! 😀
Kristin says
February 11, 2019 at 11:52 amThank you Amber! So happy that you and your family loved this recipe!
Krista says
February 6, 2019 at 4:55 pmHas anyone cooked with frozen chicken tenderloins?? Curious on what the cook time would be ?
Kristin says
February 7, 2019 at 10:07 amYou would add about 10-15 minutes to the cooking time. Be aware that frozen chicken will render more liquid so it won’t be as thick.
MaryRasmussen says
January 16, 2019 at 1:59 pmKristin: Are you sure it’s four (4) tablespoons of minced garlic?!
Kristin says
January 17, 2019 at 9:37 amYes, it’s lots and lots of garlic! You can use less if you prefer, but it pretty much coats the chicken in this recipe.
Candace Slack says
September 3, 2018 at 3:33 pmThank you for this recipe! It was so incredibly easy!
Dorothy cations says
August 13, 2018 at 2:41 amMade chicken with garlic and brown sugar. Delicious.
Kristin says
August 13, 2018 at 1:55 pmGlad you enjoyed it!
Neysha says
July 21, 2018 at 6:07 pmI made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious. The garlic with brown sugar is an awesome mix. I seasoned up my chicken breast with adobo, all purpose seasoning, Cayenne, salt and galric salt the spice gave it a good kick. I also used hickory BBQ sauce. Over all this a great recipe. Keeper!!! 😉 Thanks.
Pamela says
May 29, 2018 at 6:07 pmshould I be Turning the chicken at any point during cooking?
Kristin says
May 30, 2018 at 12:53 pmNo need to turn the chicken, that would only be if you were browning it.
Dawn B says
April 30, 2018 at 3:49 pmExcellent recipe ! New family favorite for my clan . Thanks for sharing
Deana says
January 15, 2018 at 4:27 pmFixed tonight and was GREAT!!
Nashika says
December 26, 2017 at 3:42 pmHi….do u bake with top on or off in the recipe
Kristin says
December 27, 2017 at 9:15 amUncovered
Sara says
February 9, 2017 at 5:14 pmI just made this for my family, unfortunately none of us liked it. The flavors didn’t seem to pair together very well 🙁
Kristin says
February 9, 2017 at 7:03 pmSorry to hear that your family didn’t enjoy it. It’s been a really popular recipe, but I understand it might not be for everyone. Thanks for your feedback!
Diane says
January 26, 2017 at 7:32 pmMade this tonight. I too just mixed all the ingredients together, coated some chicken thighs, and popped them in the oven. So easy and delicious.
alyssa says
June 22, 2015 at 12:51 pmAny chance I can use this recipe but substitute pork chops? If so, any idea how long I would cook them?
Kristin says
June 22, 2015 at 1:27 pmHi Alyssa, Pork Chops have a completely different cook-time and it depends on their size and thickness. I think the marinade would be delicious though. If you try it, please come back and let us know how it worked!
Laura says
March 10, 2015 at 5:10 pmWe enjoyed this recipe tonight and my daughter ate it up without complaint! I went the lazy route and dumped the BBQ sauce in with the brown sugar/garlic and cooked it all together. Thanks for sharing an easy week night recipe 🙂
Gabrielle says
October 28, 2014 at 6:33 pmThis recipe was delicious! I also am a huge fan of Sweet Baby Rays, the taste is so wonderful, and the added brown sugar really makes everything work together. This was super easy to make, though I will say it took longer to bake the chicken (as I figured it would). I didn’t use exact measurements, I just added as I went along. I also used garlic powder instead, and it tasted just as good to my family and I. As a side I cooked up asparagus in the skillet, and had a spinach salad with added pine nuts, dried cranberries, goat cheese, and a balsamic vinaigrette dressing (too add a healthy side dish). Overall, thank you for this recipe, and I will definitely be making this again!!
Kristin says
October 28, 2014 at 10:02 pmSounds like a delicious meal! If you use chicken breasts versus tenders, it will definitely take longer to cook.
Stephanie says
July 27, 2014 at 2:07 pmI took chicken out of the freezer this morning unsure what I would make with it and I am so glad I found this! Can’t wait to try it!!
Kristin says
July 27, 2014 at 11:46 pmThanks Stephanie – I hope you enjoyed it!
Janet says
July 27, 2014 at 11:43 amThis looks good to me. We were just having bbq chicken tonight and my son was not into it but maybe the added flavors will help. I like mixing onion soup, french dressing and apricot jam together and pour that on chicken. Yummy!! Thanks for sharing this recipe.