Today’s share is a super simple, absolutely tasty chicken that will knock your socks off – Italian Barbecue Chicken!
Italian BBQ Chicken (3-Ingredients)
This super easy recipe requires just three ingredients, Italian dressing, BBQ sauce and chicken – that’s it! This AWESOME SAUCE has become one of our go-to marinades for grilling. Perfect for chicken breasts, thighs, kabobs and more. This simple sauce packs so much wonderful flavor, sure to become a family favorite!
Read great reviews from people who tried this recipe on Pinterest!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE ITALIAN BBQ CHICKEN
For this recipe, I use Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce and Kraft Viva Italian (Zesty Italian is great too) for the marinade.
PLEASE NOTE: This is NOT a sponsored post. I have no affiliation with Sweet Baby Ray’s or Kraft. This recipe can be found on Sweet Baby Ray’s website – Three Ingredient Italian BBQ Chicken.
HOW TO MAKE ITALIAN BBQ CHICKEN MARINADE
Add 1 cup of Italian dressing and 1 cup of barbecue sauce to a ziplock bag or dish for marinating, mix well. Add chicken, coating well and allow to marinate in fridge for 4 hours. When ready, remove chicken, discarding remaining marinade. Grill chicken until it reaches a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Tip: I make an additional small batch of sauce for basting the chicken while grilling – 1/3 cup of Italian dressing and 1/3 cup BBQ sauce.
RECIPES TO CHECK OUT
Another family favorite to check out – Kickin’ Chicken Marinade! Only FOUR fabulous ingredients. If you like Buffalo style wings, chicken and dip…you will love this recipe!
If you like this Italian BBQ Chicken marinade, be sure to check out this awesome slow cooker recipe – Slow Cooker Zesty BBQ Chicken!
PINNABLE IMAGE
Italian BBQ Chicken
Recipe from Sweet Baby Ray’s
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 cup Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce
- 1 cup Viva Italian Dressing (or Zesty Italian)
- 1 1/2 – 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (works great with bone-in chicken, thighs and more)
Additional Sauce for Basting (optional)
- 1/3 cup Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce
- 1/3 cup Viva Italian Dressing (or Zesty Italian)
Directions
Add 1 cup of Italian dressing and 1 cup of barbecue sauce to a ziplock bag or dish for marinating, mix well. Add chicken, coating well and allow to marinate in fridge for 4 hours. When ready, remove chicken, discarding remaining marinade. Grill chicken until it reaches a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Check out Rachel Ray’s great tips on How To Grill Chicken.
Tips:
- I make an additional batch of sauce for basting the chicken while grilling – 1/3 cup of Italian dressing and 1/3 cup BBQ sauce.
- I’ve only used Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce and Kraft Viva Italian Dressing or Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing for this marinade, and highly recommend sticking with them for the recipe.
Thanks for stopping by!
Cheers!
Virginia Keehan
If anyone is prone to gout as I am, please know that Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce has high fructose corn syrup in it. However, their other BBQ sauce, Ray’s, does not and tastes exactly the same.
DeDe
Thank you!
Harold
What vegetables and side dishes do you recommend serving with the chicken using this recipe?
Amy Hinton
How long would you cook this in the crockpot? On high or low?
Bethany
What temp and how long would you put this in the oven for?
Tam
I used Diana’s original gourmet BBQ sauce and the zesty dressing and a splash of lemon. I will post the outcome.. smelled amazing!
Bea
Why do you throw away the left over marinade instead of using that for basting?
Mary Neumann
To avoid bacterial contamination.
https://whatscookingamerica.net/marinatingsafely.htm
Susie Gerlach
Could you do this in the crock pot?
Mary Neumann
Yes, Susie!
Peggy Schaffner
It’s been in contact with raw chicken. You don’t want that…
Christina Marando
You don’t throw it out you can put it in a pot on the stove and heat it and it cooks the raw chicken out of it. I have done this a bunch of times and never gotten sick from doing this. I hate throwing things out.
Anna
Can this be cooked in an air fryer and if so, how long and temp. Thank you
Linda
50+ years ago, I would put 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts in a casserole dish pour on bbq sauce and Italian dressing and bake at 350 for 45 or so minutes — delish’
Mary Neumann
Thanks for sharing, Linda! 50+ years…you know it’s good!
Jodi
I find it interesting no body says how it taste.
Mary Neumann
It tastes a little zingy…it’s delicious!
Terri Jones
I do this too, Christina and we’ve never gotten sick from it either. I don’t like to waste food.
June Dewhurst
I would like to know too!…
How long would you bake in the oven and at what temperature?
Mary Neumann
This is a great resource to bookmark:
https://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/packages/food-network-essentials/what-temp-to-bake-chicken
Ret Yeager
I recommend using this marinade for shishkabob, adding your veggies to the marinade, then skewering and grilling. Yummm!
barbara williamson
Could you do this in Crock Pot!
Cheryl
I guess this is just two ingredients then?
Mary Neumann
For the sauce yes,there’s two, but you need chicken so technically it’s three.
Monica Helsper
Can the remaining marinade be simmered to be used as a baste? It would then not have any raw chicken in it.
Mary Neumann
I think you have a typo, Cindy, there is no egg in this recipe – just bbq sauce, Italian dressing and chicken. Simply mix the BBQ sauce and Italian dressing and add chicken (use bag or bowl) coating/covering chicken. Allow to marinate for about 4 hours. Hope that helps!
Mary Neumann
Sure! I always make a little extra or pour some aside for basting BEFORE adding raw chicken..
Tammy Morgart
I don’t have a grill. How would you adapt this to a skillet or baking in the oven? I would prefer baking in the oven as I don’t really have the time to stand at the stove and cook it.
Mary Neumann
I make this sauce a lot for chicken thighs in the oven, Tammy. I just mix, pour over/coat and bake in the oven.
Elizabeth
How long do you cook the thighs in the oven and at what temp?
Rochelle
Someone else wrote, to bake in the oven set to 350° for about 45 or so until the internal temperature reaches 165°.
Phil Clark
Way back Fannie Farmer created a recipe very similar to this, we have to put all the ingredients together rather than 2 bottles. My family has used it for 50+ years, it is great. 1 thing you may want to add is 1 raw egg. Raw eggs are sticky and it glues/holds the marinate to the meat. Cooking the meat, the egg gets cooked so no issue with bacteria. 1 egg does not change the flavor.
Cindy
Do you stir/mix the egg before adding it to the bottled ingredients or do you add it to the bottle ingredients and then mix them all or does it matter?