BBQ Chicken with Maple Bourbon BBQ Sauce

maple bourbon bbq chicken meal prep
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Smokey, sweet, a little bit boozy; this Maple Bourbon BBQ Chicken recipe has everything you want in a summer meal. The chicken is cooked until perfectly juicy and stays moist with regular basting from the delicious BBQ sauce.

You can always use your own BBQ sauce recipe, adapt this one, or use a store bought product. Another tip is to take a store bought BBQ sauce and doctor it up with some of the ingredients below.

This chicken can be cooked in the oven or on the grill. It works spectacularly either way. 

Another option is to use your Instant Pot. Check this post for instructions: Protein Meal Prep: How To Prep Anything in the Instant Pot

Or try making a whole chicken with this prep: Rotisserie Chicken in the Instant Pot

For more meal prep ideas, check out this list of Healthy Crockpot Freezer Meals.

How to Make Maple Bourbon BBQ Sauce

ingredients for maple bourbon bbq sauce

Homemade BBQ sauce is not tricky at all. You literally only have to dump everything in a pot and simmer for a great sauce. 

You can also saute garlic and onions for your sauce but I don’t find it all that necessary as the other ingredients are so potent, I don’t notice a huge difference between that and just using powdered. I like the smooth finish that powered garlic gives to the sauce as well.

Here are the ingredients for maple bourbon bbq sauce:

Liquids

  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 oz. bourbon
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, minced
  • 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Seasonings and Spices

  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp onion powder optional
  • 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder optional
  • 1/4 tsp celery salt optional
  • 1 Tbsp liquid smoke recommended but optional
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or more, to taste, optional

Just chuck all ingredients in a pot and let it simmer away over medium high heat for 10 minutes or more. The longer you simmer means a more flavourful, concentrated sauce. However, watch closely that you don’t burn it or reduce it to a thick goopy mess. Balance is key!

ingredients for maple bourbon bbq sauce top view
maple bourbon bbq sauce in the pot

After you’ve simmered it for a while, do a taste test to see if you would like to add anything. Taste for sweet/acidic balance and saltiness. Adjust as desired.

maple bourbon bbq sauce on stove

Maple Bourbon BBQ Chicken

chicken breasts seasoned

Next, season your chicken breasts with garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper to taste. Baste with 1/2 cup of maple bourbon BBQ sauce. You can roast them in the oven at 425F for 18-22 minutes, basting at the 10 minute mark.

To grill, heat the grill to medium and grill 5-7 minutes per side, basting as desired. A meat thermometer should read 165F when the chicken is cooked through.

basted maple bourbon bbq chicken

This chicken is perfect paired with lighter potato salad and asparagus, tomato, and feta salad with balsamic vinaigrette reduction. Or make any salad with these healthy salad dressing recipes.

Any summery side dishes, salad, sheet pan sweet potatoes and green beans, Instant Pot Broccoli with Garlic Sauce, or baked potato would be perfect here.

For my other meal prep recipes see here.

Some delicious chicken recipes to try:

maple bourbon bbq chicken with asparagus salad
bbq chicken and potato salad with asparagus salad
Apple Cider Vinegar
Portable Charcoal 17.5inch Barbecue Grill and Smoker
Stubb’s Chicken Rub, 5.04 oz (Pack of 6)
Cuisinart Sauce Pot and Basting Brush Set, Stainless Steel
Stubb’s Moppin’ Sauce Bar-B-Q Baste, 12 oz (Pack of 4)
Stubb’s Mesquite Liquid Smoke, 5 fl oz (Pack – 6)
Cuisinart Petit Gourmet Portable Tabletop Gas Grill
Stubb’s BBQ Rub
Char-Broil Classic Propane Gas Grill
Stubb’s Original BBQ Sauce
Primal Kitchen Ranch Dressing and BBQ Sauce 3 Pack
12 Inch BBQ Basting Mops
Bill’s Best Organic BBQ Sauce 3 Pack
Stubb’s Sticky Sweet BBQ Sauce

For a Fit Food Grocery List, healthy habit trackers and calendars and much more, check out my Free Resource Library!

maple bourbon bbq chicken meal prep container
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5 from 6 votes

Maple Bourbon BBQ Chicken

A summery, sticky sweet, savory and delicious BBQ chicken you can pack for lunch on a park bench or for a picnic with the family! A versatile and delicious smokey BBQ sauce included. Instructions for oven roasted and the grill.
Course lunch, Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword bbq, chicken, healthy, high protein, lunch prep, meal prep, summer recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 365kcal
Author Rach

Ingredients

Maple Bourbon BBQ Sauce

  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 oz. bourbon
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, minced
  • 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp onion powder optional
  • 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder optional
  • 1/4 tsp celery salt optional
  • 1 Tbsp liquid smoke recommended but optional
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or more, to taste, optional

Chicken

  • 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup Maple Bourbon BBQ Sauce or other homemade or store bought
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Maple Bourbon BBQ Sauce

  • Add all ingredients in a pot over medium high heat
  • Simmer for 10 minutes at least to allow flavours to meld

BBQ Chicken in the Oven

  • Preheat oven to 220C / 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment
  • Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper
  • Baste with half a cup of BBQ sauce
  • Bake for 18-22 minutes, basting every 10 minutes or as desired

BBQ Chicken on the Grill

  • Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness
  • Grease and heat grill to medium heat. Season, baste, and add chicken to grill
  • Grill for 5-7 minutes per side, basting frequently as desired
  • An inserted meat thermometer should read 165°F when done

Nutrition

Calories: 365kcal
USA Pan Bakeware Extra Large Sheet Pan, Warp Resistant Nonstick Baking Pan
Nutribullet
2 Compartment Glass Meal Prep Containers
Cuisinart Food Processor
Real Salt
Meal Prep Containers
Glass Meal Prep Containers
USA Pan Bakeware Extra Large Sheet Pan, Warp Resistant Nonstick Baking Pan
Nutribullet
2 Compartment Glass Meal Prep Containers
Cuisinart Food Processor
Real Salt
Meal Prep Containers
Glass Meal Prep Containers
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14 Comments
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Stephanie

5 stars
I’ve never been a big fan of BBQ – but bourbon maple BBQ? Sign me up! This recipe is fantastic!

Amberly

5 stars
This looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it!

kileen

This looks so delicious! Great for a Summer barbecue! Will need to try this recipe out, thanks for sharing!

Kileen
cute & little

Beth

5 stars
I don’t usually make my own barbeque sauce, but I have to try this one. It looks so good!

Lina Melo

This recipe looks soo good and yummy! I’ll try this one since it seems very easy to follow

Hina Siddiqui

5 stars
It looks sooooo tempting. I never thought that BBQ sauce can be this simple.

Tawni Sattler

5 stars
Ooooooh my gosh that looks SO SO GOOD. I cannot wait to try this recipe!

Wendy Tomlinson

5 stars
I love this sauce, so delicious and perfect to start the BBQ season off.

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