Keto BBQ Chicken (Oven or Grill with Sugar-Free Sauce)
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This keto BBQ chicken is the perfect way to enjoy classic barbecue flavor without the sugar. Made with a simple low-carb BBQ sauce, it can be cooked in the oven or on the grill for an easy, family-friendly dinner.
When I developed this recipe, it was in the middle of winter. For some reason I really wanted BBQ chicken, but it for sure wasn't grilling weather. So I thought, why couldn't I “grill” chicken in the oven?
And so I did and it turned out great.
And now you and your family can have delicious low-carb BBQ chicken any time of year, whether you have access to a grill or not.
Is BBQ Chicken Keto?
Traditional BBQ chicken is usually not keto because most sauces are high in sugar. This recipe uses a sugar-free, low-carb BBQ sauce, making it completely keto-friendly.
Being a busy mom, easy meals are a must.
We love these one-pot dishes for that reason: Keema Curry, Paleo Shepherd's Pie, Healthy Hamburger Helper, and Healthy Chili Mac. And of course this Keto BBQ Chicken is about as easy as it gets too.
Why You’ll Love This Keto BBQ Chicken
This sugar-free BBQ chicken recipe is going to be a fast favorite in your home because it's:
- family-friendly
- low carb and sugar-free
- has both and oven and grill option
- made with only simple ingredients
Recipe Notes
- Substituting soy sauce for the tamari works fine, or you can use coconut aminos if avoiding soy.
- Here's how to make your own chili powder.
- Substitute lemon juice for apple cider vinegar if not tolerated.
- 1/4 teaspoon organic garlic powder can be used instead of a clove of garlic.
- You can substitute 1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion for the fresh onion.
- 1/8 teaspoon organic ground ginger can be substituted for a small chunk of ginger.
- You can substitute any healthy sweetener for the xylitol, but you may need to use a different amount if using a liquid sweetener so read this post on substituting sweeteners. If using stevia as your sweetener, use 1/16 teaspoon.
More Easy Healthy Meals
Here are some other favorite meals of ours:
– Pakistani Beef Curry (with vegan option)
– Chili Mac with other fast dinners
– Kid-Friendly Indian Lentils
So go fire up your grill or your oven and have some great barbecue chicken anytime of year!
Keto BBQ Chicken (Oven or Grill with Sugar-Free Sauce)
Ingredients
BBQ Sauce
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 tablespoons tamari
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoons onion (finely chopped)
- 1 small chunk ginger
- 2 tablespoons low-carb sweetener
Chicken
- 1 whole chicken weighing approximately 4 pounds
- olive oil for coating optional
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, whisk the water into the tomato paste.
- Add other BBQ sauce ingredients and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes.
- If desired, divide the chicken into parts. Coat either the whole chicken or the parts with olive oil.
- Spoon and spread the BBQ sauce evenly over chicken.
- Grill or bake at 350 degrees (375 if you prefer more of a "grilled" effect) for 50 minutes or until internal temperature reaches at least 180 degrees. My family prefers the chicken more well-done so I cook it a bit longer.
Notes
- Soy-free option: You can substitute coconut aminos for tamari or soy sauce if needed.
- Chili powder: Use your favorite blend or try a homemade chili powder for the best flavor.
- Acid swap: Lemon juice can be used in place of apple cider vinegar if preferred.
- Garlic substitute: Use 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder instead of fresh garlic.
- Onion substitute: Replace fresh onion with 1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion.
- Ginger substitute: Use 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger instead of fresh.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may vary depending on ingredient brands, substitutions, and preparation methods. Optional ingredients are not included. Net carbs are typically calculated by subtracting fiber and sugar alcohols (such as erythritol) from total carbohydrates. This information should not be relied upon for medical or nutritional purposes.
Do you have a favorite chicken recipe to share?
jars and canned products do not agree well with me and i avoid.
i realllllyyy miss chicken with bbq sauce!!!
What can i do to sub the tomato paste in this recipe?
Do you have any recommended homemade bbq sauce recipes for chicken (without jars/cans, and without sugar/sweets/fruit [i avoid that too])
do you mean you can’t have tomatoes?
thanks for the recipe! Any suggestions for a replacement to the mustard powder? My daughter is allergic. Thanks!
Hmmm. That’s a tough one. You would try wasabi powder or horseradish powder. I am not sure that either would be easy to find or that they would work. She is allergic to mustard seeds? You may just wish to leave it out. If you think the dish needs a little “kick” you could add some hot peppers or black pepper. My guess is you’ll be fine without it.
Congratulations Adrienne,
Your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week, enjoy!
Miz Helen
Hi Adrienne,
I just love having an Oven Barbecued Chicken recipe. There is always that rainy day when we can’t get out to the grill. Your recipe looks great! Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and hope to see you next week!
Way to go – cutting up a whole chicken in such an adventure the first few times :o)!! I often bbq in the oven – my family prefers it that way. Thanks for sharing this with us at the Hearth and Soul Hop!
Unfortunately…I can’t remember the last time I had barbecued chicken! Great recipe!
Thanks for sharing at the hearth and soul hop.
Just stopping by from HearthNSoul and I can’t wait for warmer weather so we can grill out again. Looks like a tasty BBQ. While I am here I want to invite you to my Iron Chef Challenge which starts tomorrow and the themed ingredient is canned tomatoes. Link up a recipe and you’ll have a chance to win a prize. Hope you can join in the fun!!!
Stopped by from Monday Mania! Chicken looks wonderful! Excited to start following your blog! We are a grain-free, dairy-free house. Love finding healthy blogs!
Hi Lindsey! Keep in touch! If you noticed, we are not grain free, but gluten free and mainly dairy free. It’s so nice to meet others with similar issues and share ideas. Thanks for stopping by!
This is making my mouth water. I can’t wait to make it.
Just subscribed to your RSS feed so I can keep up with your blog!! Let me know if you join Twitter. I’m also a homeschool mom. We have 3 girls (ages 12, 8 and 3) & live in South Florida. Nice to meet you!
Hi Denise,
Nice to meet you as well!
If you are open to helping a newbie blogger get up and running on Twitter I suppose that I am game! 🙂 I just got on facebook and that was an event in and of itself. I checked out your blog. Very nice. I am off sugar but I can adjust almost any recipe to work. Stay in touch!