This Cheesy BBQ Chicken Bake combines tender chicken breasts with smoky BBQ sauce, melted cheddar cheese, and a crunchy topping of French’s fried onions, creating a mouthwatering and easy-to-make dish perfect for any weeknight dinner. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a flavorful and crowd-pleasing meal that will quickly become a family favorite.
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Cheesy Baked BBQ Chicken Recipe
Welcome to a new favorite in your dinner rotation: Cheesy BBQ Chicken Bake! This dish is a perfect blend of smoky BBQ flavors, tender juicy chicken breasts, and melty cheese, topped with a satisfying crunch from French’s fried onions. It’s quick to prepare, delicious, and sure to become a family staple. Whether you’re a busy parent, a college student, or just someone who loves good food, this recipe is a great way to hit the spot every time.
Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s perfect for busy weeknights when you want something delicious without the hassle. Using our spice cabinet to our advantage a few regular ingredients become an amazing quick meal. The combination of smoked paprika, garlic, and onion powder with the rich BBQ sauce creates a taste sensation. Everything you want in an easy chicken dinner.
Not to mention the gooey cheese and crispy onions make this dish irresistible, perfect for an easy dinner.
Looking for more bbq the whole family will love? Check out How to Grill BBQ Chicken Breasts or Slow Cooker Healthy Pulled BBQ Chicken.
Ingredients
- Spices – Smoked Paprika, Kosher Salt (or Sea Salt), Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Dried Dill
- Sweet Onion – I like the sweet onion with this dish but you can use a white onion or red onions if that is what you have available to you.
- Chicken Breasts – You will want two larger boneless skinless chicken breasts, you will then cut these in half to make 4 chicken cutlets. This helps with portion size but also helps cook the chicken faster. If you use large breasts without cutting them in half the cooking time will almost double in time.
- Barbecue Sauce – Use your personal favorite barbecue sauce, for this recipe I use sweet baby ray original sauce but there are so many good sauces out there to choose from!
- Cheddar Cheese – I like a good medium cheddar but you can use almost any kind of shredded cheese you’d like.
- French’s Fried Onions – Not just for flavor but for texture too, the little bit of crunch on top of the cheesy chicken takes this to the next level.
Instructions
Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 400º F. Lightly grease a casserole dish with a spray oil or olive oil.
Prepare the Onions: Spread the thinly sliced onions around the bottom of the baking dish.
Season the Chicken: In a small bowl, mix together smoked paprika, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried dill. Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally to make four cutlets. Place the chicken over the sliced onions and sprinkle the seasoning mix over the chicken, rubbing it in if needed.
Add BBQ Sauce: Spread about two tablespoons of barbecue sauce over each chicken breast, making sure it covers the seasoning well.
Cheese Time: Sprinkle ¼ cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the barbecue sauce on each chicken breast.
Bake: Place the casserole dish in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Add the Crunch: Sprinkle the French’s fried onions on top of the chicken and bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165º F.
Rest and Serve: Let the chicken rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving your barbecue chicken breast. Enjoy!
tips, tricks and questions
Can I use boneless thighs instead of chicken breasts?
Yes! Boneless, skinless thighs are a great substitute. Adjust the cooking time slightly as thighs may cook faster than breasts.
Can I make this dish gluten-free?
Absolutely! Just use gluten-free BBQ sauce and ensure your fried onions are gluten-free as well.
How do I know when the chicken is done?
The chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165º F. Use a meat thermometer for the best accuracy. I like my Thermoworks Thermapen as a reliable instant-read thermometer or my Thermoworks Dot Alarm Thermometer.
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Dot – Simple Alarm Thermometer
Buy Now →Chicken Thickness: If your chicken breasts are particularly thick, you might want to pound them slightly to ensure even cooking.
Customizable Sauce: Feel free to adjust the amount of BBQ sauce according to your taste. You can also try different flavors of BBQ sauce for a twist.
Cheese Alternatives: If cheddar isn’t your thing, mozzarella cheese, pepper jack cheese, Monterey jack cheese, or a blend of cheeses work great too.
Make Ahead: You can prep the chicken and seasoning the night before, making the baking process even quicker on busy days.
Leftovers: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, any leftovers would make a delicious bbq chicken pizza.
if you like this cheesy bbq chicken bake recipe you might also like these other easy weeknight dinners:
Cheesy BBQ Chicken
This Cheesy BBQ Chicken Bake combines tender chicken breasts with smoky BBQ sauce, melted cheddar cheese, and a crunchy topping of French's fried onions, creating a mouthwatering and easy-to-make dish perfect for any weeknight dinner. Ready in just 30 minutes, it's a flavorful and crowd-pleasing meal that will quickly become a family favorite.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 2 large chicken breasts
- ¼ cup barbecue sauce (2 tablespoons each breast)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar
- ½ cup French's fried onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400º F. Lightly grease a casserole dish.
- Spread the sliced onions around the bottom on the casserole dish.
- In a small bowl mix together the smoked paprika (1 teaspoon), Kosher Salt (1 teaspoon), Garlic Powder (½ teaspoon), Onion Powder (½ teaspoon), and Dried Dill (¼ teaspoon).
- Cut the two chicken breasts in half horizontally making four chicken cutlets. Add the chicken over the sliced onions. Add the mixed spices overtop the chicken breasts rubbing in if needed.
- Divide the barbecue sauce on top of the chicken, about two tablespoons per piece and brush out over the top of the spices.
- Add ¼ cup of the cheese on top of the barbecue sauce on each piece of chicken. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
- Add the fried onions to the tops of the chicken and continue baking for 5 to 7 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165º F. Let the chicken rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1 chicken breastAmount Per Serving: Calories: 303Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 79mgSodium: 814mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 1gSugar: 8gProtein: 26g
Nutritional data is automated and might not be 100% accurate, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.
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