The 3-Ingredient Chicken I Make When I’m Short on Time

For a super flavorful chicken dish that comes together in less than 15 minutes, make my 3-ingredient baked barbecue chicken. This recipe is so easy you’ll soon know it by heart.

Overhead view of a baking sheet of four bbq baked chicken breasts topped with cheese and green onions on parchment paper — Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

One of my very first jobs was working the carryout counter at a local pizza restaurant. It was a “high-end” pizza place that sold pizzas with unique topping combinations, like roasted potato and rosemary and shrimp and pesto.

One of our most popular pizzas was the BBQ chicken made with barbecue sauce, chicken, gouda cheese, and red onions. It was one of my favorites, too. Something about the combination of the sweet-tangy BBQ sauce paired with the smoky creaminess of the gouda cheese made it undeniably delicious.

I loved those flavors so much that I wanted to recreate them, but using chicken as the main component instead of pizza dough. I start with boneless, skinless chicken breasts and pound them to an even thickness. Next, I used my favorite BBQ sauce; since it’s a big flavor contributor, choose a good one.

Smoked gouda adds smoky, melty, cheesiness, just like the pizza. Instead of red onions, I opted for thinly sliced green onions, which provide amazing onion flavor but with less bitterness and pungency. I knew I had a winning dish.

Tips for Making 3-Ingredient Baked BBQ Chicken

I know it’s hard to see what’s inside those chicken packages, but look for a pack with 3 or 4 breasts that weigh around 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds. You can use the bigger chicken breasts, but you’ll need a larger baking sheet or dish to hold them.
It’s important to use only the most delicious barbecue sauce and cheese. They’ll be adding the flavor to your dish, so go for the good stuff.
The good thing about this recipe is that it’s easy to double it and feed a crowd. Use two baking sheets and rotate them from the top to the middle rack (and vice versa) halfway through cooking time.

Overhead view of a yellow plate of bbq baked chicken topped with cheese and green onions next to white rice and a fork and knife — Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

How To Make My 3-Ingredient Baked BBQ Chicken

To make four servings, you’ll need:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, roughly the same size (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
4 ounces smoked gouda cheese, shredded
2 green onions, thinly sliced, optional

Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness, about 1/3 an inch. Place in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Cover each chicken breast with barbecue sauce, then top with the shredded cheese.

Bake until the internal temperature reaches 160°F, 8 to 10 minutes, then cover with foil and rest for 5 minutes, ensuring that the temperature rises to 165°F before serving.

Garnish with green onions and serve.