How To Make Bbq Chicken In The Oven
Roasting BBQ chicken thighs in the oven is such an easy process, and with some foil protecting your baking sheet, the clean-up is a breeze. A lot of people wonder if you put BBQ sauce on chicken before or after baking and we firmly believe that the correct answer is that you do BOTH! More BBQ sauce is always a good thing. Plus, start to finish our BBQ chicken recipe takes only about 25-30 minutes. Lots of that time is downtime, too, so while the chicken bakes, you can be tossing a salad or boiling some corn. In other words, dinner doesnt get much easier or more sure-to-please than this BBQ chicken! Heres how to make it:
Make the BBQ sauce! Simmer the BBQ sauce ingredients for a few minutes until the brown sugar has fully dissolved and the flavors have had a chance to meld.
Prep the chicken! Salt the chicken thighs and coat them with sauce.
Bake the chicken thighs! On a wire rack on a sheet pan in a 425°F degree oven for about 15 minutes. Half way through, flip the chicken and brush it with extra sauce and bake for another 15 minutes.
Broil the chicken thighs! This will get them nice and brown on the edges and will really make the sauce concentrated and a little stickyjust the way its supposed to be!
Eat the chicken thighs! With extra BBQ sauce on the side, because YUM!
Bbq Baked Chicken Thighs:
You guys, being the very best, most amazing readers that you are have told me time and time again how much you love chicken thighs! Well, we do too! You have made my Crispy Baked Chicken Thigh Recipes so very popular and it makes this blogger happy that you love them so much! We also really like BBQ around here so it was definitely time for a bbq chicken thigh. These are made with a super simple homemade rub, the same one that I put on my Crockpot Pulled Pork, because we just cant get enough of a good thing. As far as BBQ sauce, you can use your favorite, if you want a suggestion from me, Im a huge fan of Sweet Baby Rays!
What To Serve With Bbq Baked Chicken Thighs
Most times Ill throw together a big Garden Salad and some Best Ever Cheesy Garlic Bread to just keep it simple. We also love to have serve them with Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes or my Grandmas Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes. Of course some delicious 5-Minute Parmesan Ranch Broccoli is the perfect match and even simpler than a salad!
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What Kind Of Baking Sheet Should I Use
I cannot recommend enough using a Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Bakers Half Sheet to make this oven baked BBQ chicken, and to roast literally anything you want. I have two and they are the ONLY baking sheets I will EVER use. Theyre super sturdy, so they dont buckle when the temperature changes . And they conduct heat well to make sure that your food is well cooked on the top and bottom, and they are really good at being non-stick, even though they dont have any non-stick coating .
PLUS, they are only around $12! Go get one!
If you prefer to bake the chicken on a rack, so it doesnt sit in the juices the whole time and crisps up a bit better, this rack nestles in perfectly to the rimmed baking sheet .
Baked Bbq Chicken Thighs
Baked BBQ chicken thighs are sweet, juicy, delicious, and super easy to make. No need to wait for summer or light up a bbq to enjoy this chicken as it can be made and eaten any day of the year. A perfect weeknight chicken dinner your family would love.
This skin-on, bone-in chicken thigh is seasoned with pantry staples ingredients before being coated with barbeque sauce. The result is a sweet, caramelized, and delicious chicken that is full of flavor and super moist.
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Barbecue Boneless Chicken Thigh Recipe
Chicken thighs are just so much more juicy and tender than chicken breasts, am I right??? These BBQ Boneless Chicken Thighs are one of our favorite ways to meal prep or just for an easy, delicious dinner.
You can make this chicken thigh recipe in the oven or on the grill, whichever you prefer. Both ways are going to make the most tender, juicy chicken thighs youve ever tasted!
How To Bake Bbq Chicken
This recipe is so easy to make that it’s one of our go-to recipes for when we don’t feel like cooking. Here’s what to do:
That’s it! BBQ baked chicken in 4 simple steps!
Full recipe in the recipe card below.
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What Temperature Is Best To Bake Bbq Chicken Thighs
In order to cook quickly and achieve a nice glaze / caramelization on your chicken thighs, 425°F is an ideal temperature. And when theyre *just* about done they benefit from a quick blast under the broiler to finish cooking and add some nice caramelization.
Just make sure you keep a close eye on them so they dont get too dark.
How To Make The Best Baked Bbq Chicken Thighs
Making great tasting BBQ chicken thighs in the oven may seem like a simple thing, but its not. Just slapping some tasty BBQ sauce on some thighs and baking them wont do the trick. You really need to build the layers of flavor and texture to get those amazing BBQ chicken thighs. That said, once you know a few tricks, the process becomes as easy as pie.
First, you need to bake the thighs on convection at a very high heat. This will do two things the thighs will cook quickly, resulting in a very juicy meat, while the skin will be nicely browned and crisped up. Using a little bit of baking powder will help get an even crispier skin. According to Cooks Illustrated, tossing chicken thighs with baking powder and salt helps break down the proteins within the skin, as well as aiding in browning. So, do not skip that baking powder. Ive used it on chicken wings and chicken thighs before and it works like magic.
Second, once the skin is nice and crispy, you brush the thighs with the BBQ sauce and bake again for a short while. What this does is it thickens and caramelizes the sauce, making it more intensely flavored and tastier. Cooking on convection helps with caramelization of the sauce, creating some charred spots here and there. This makes chicken thighs taste almost like grilled ones.
Thats all there is to it. Its not exactly simple but it becomes very easy once you know the process.
Looking for more great chicken thigh recipes? Check these out:
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How To Grill Bbq Chicken Thighs
The grilling method is definitely a longer process to ensure you chicken is cooked through and thats why I MUCH prefer making BBQ chicken thighs in the oven. You can, literally, go take care of your side dishes or clean up the kitchen without worrying about grill flare ups or running out of propane.
How To Bake Chicken Thighs In The Oven
After the meat is marinated, it takes less then 30 minutes to cook.
Place the meat on a baking sheet with a wire rack and bake at 400F for about 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 170-175F.
When done, brush BBQ sauce on top.
Set the oven broil and broil for about 5 minutes or until the BBQ sauce is caramelized.
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The Best Oven Baked Bbq Chicken
I love a perfectly grilled piece of bbq chicken as much as the next gal, but sometimes its easier to turn on the oven than fire up the barbecue.
And with the help of this recipe its totally possible to enjoy the most delicious, juicy, perfectly crispy barbecue chicken thighs from the oven!
This is our go to recipe, and its the perfect thing to serve with some Whole30 Coleslaw, Dairy Free French Onion Dip, and Watermelon Arugula Salad at your next get together!
How To Make Bbq Chicken Thighs:
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Easy Baked Bbq Chicken Thighs
These baked BBQ chicken thighs are juicy, tangy, smoky, and can be made without ever having to step outside or fire up the grill. In the oven, the BBQ sauce thickens into a sweet, sticky glaze that makes these chicken thighs finger-licking good.
This recipe requires absolutely no marinating and only involves about 5 minutes of prep time! The next time you are looking for an easy chicken dinner, give these BBQ chicken thighs a try!
Angelas Tips & Recipe Notes
- You can put the chicken thighs under the broiler for 2-3 minutes at the end to blacken the BBQ sauce if desired, but the cooking time alone should result in delicious BBQ chicken as-is.
- My personal preference is to cook bone-in chicken to an internal temperature of 180°F .
- Storing: Keep leftover BBQ chicken thighs in a shallow airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 2 days. Alternatively, you could freeze your chicken in a heavy duty freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Reheating: Reheat BBQ chicken thighs in the oven. Place them in a baking dish with a few tablespoons of broth and bake at 325°F for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
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Can I Use Boneless/skinless Thighs
Yes you can. The main adjustment you will need to make is to the cook time. Since there is no bone, they will cook a little faster.
You can also use chicken breasts, and as with the other cuts of chicken, check the doneness with a digital meat thermometer. Overcooking dries out the meat, so you want to get the meat out of the oven when it gets to 165° F.
Reasons Youll Fall In Love With Baked Bbq Chicken
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What Cut Of Chicken Is Best For This Recipe
Chicken thighs! Specifically, bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs will give you tender, juicy chicken with a deliciously sticky glaze. Drumsticks work well, too.
Boneless chicken thighs cook very quickly so if you use them the BBQ sauce wont have a chance to get deeply caramelized. Theyll be good, but not as good.
Avoid using chicken breasts, except as a last resort. They tend to dry out with a long bake in the oven AND they release a lot of liquid so the BBQ sauce becomes watery rather than thick and sticky.
Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are best!
Baked Bbq Chicken Thighs Are An Easy Dinner That The Whole Family Will Love Done In Just 35 Minutes Its A Winner For Any Day Of The Week
Who says that you can only enjoy a Barbecue during sunny summer weather? Not me! We enjoy our BBQ chicken thighs baked in the oven when we cant get out to the grill. These baked BBQ chicken thighs are crispy, sweet, juicy and delicious.
With this 4 ingredient BBQ chicken thigh recipe you can have dinner on the table in no time and with the nice summer-time feel these BBQ chicken thighs will bring, youll almost forget about the gray skies and endless rain clouds passing by outside.
Serve your BBQ chicken thighs up with a side of potato salad or a nice fruit jello and you can make any rainy day feel like a great day for a picnic indoors.
Or throw a green bean casserole and homestyle macaroni and cheese on the table and enjoy your chicken thighs as a nice comfort meal.
Theres really no wrong way to serve BBQ chicken thighs! Just make sure that you have enough napkins or wipes for everyone when they finish eating because it can get pretty messy .
Note: you may want to take pictures of the messy kid faces because those are always fun to look at!
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What Kind Of Bbq Sauce Should I Use
You can use any kind you want! I live right down the street from Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood, TX, and Im obsessed with their Spicy BBQ Sauce.
A lot of readers have commented that theyve used Sweet Baby Rays with great results.
Something to keep in mind: a lot of store-bought BBQ sauces have a lot of added sugar. Frankly, its what makes it taste so good and sugar is vital for getting that thick caramelization. You can make your own homemade bbq sauce if you prefer.
Prepare yourself for finger-licking deliciousness.
How To Make It On The Grill
You certainly CAN make these BBQ Chicken Thighs on the grill using a low and slow grilling method. The same tips apply in that you want to start cooking the chicken thighs well before you baste with the barbecue sauceespecially on the grill.
The sugars in the barbecue sauce are what tend to char and burn to a crisp when grilled leaving you with black, crusty chicken thighs on the outside and raw, nasty, undercooked chicken on the inside.
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The Best Bbq Sauce For Chicken Is This One You Make Yourself
Nothing beats homemade BBQ sauce, and our recipe couldnt be easier. We built is around everyones favorite secret ingredientregular old ketchup! Ketchup is a magical pantry superpower, and if youre not in the habit of adding a little of ketchup to sauces and marinades, well, get in the habit! You see, ketchup isnt just puréed tomatoes and sugar. It is loaded with spices and cooked until the flavor is super concentrated. In other words, ketchup offers a major bang-for-buck in terms of flavor! Adding spices to it just enhances the existing deliciousness. Our BBQ sauce takes ketchup and makes is into the worlds best BBQ sauce by adding:
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Regular sweet paprika
How Long To Bake Bbq Chicken Thighs
This will depend on the size of your chicken thighs. Typically, chicken thighs should be baked in a hot oven at 200C/400F for about 25-30 minutes or until they are about 80% cooked and the skin crispy before coating with the bbq sauce. Then bake for additional 10-15 minutes until the sauce is caramelized.
For boneless chicken thighs, the cooking time will be shorter so do bear that in mind.
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How Do You Get Bbq Sauce To Stick To Chicken
Patting your chicken thighs dry before applying the barbecue sauce will help to keep the sauce from sliding off into a pool of mess on the baking sheet, but for skinless thighs adding salt and pepper is another great tip.
The texture of the salt and the pepper will help the BBQ sauce to have something to hold on to so that it stays in place better. So dont skip the steps in the recipe card, they each play a vital role in getting you well-coated thighs!
How To Get A Super Thick Bbq Glaze
First, the chicken is seasoned with oil, salt and pepper, placed skin side down on a rimmed baking sheet, and roasted for 25 minutes.
Then, the chicken is removed from the oven and basted with BBQ sauce THREE times.
Each time BBQ sauce is added, it thickens and caramelizes in the oven. By the time youve added that third layer, youve got a delicious thick, sweet, sticky layer of BBQ sauce on every inch of the chicken.
YUM.
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