Get ready to fire up your tastebuds with this finger-lickin’ good oven-baked BBQ chicken. It’s the perfect dish for when you’re craving that smoky, sweet, and tangy barbecue flavor.
This recipe is a game-changer. It has all the smoky, tangy, and sweet flavors you love in a good BBQ chicken without the hassle of firing up the grill.
Plus, it’s made with an out-of-this-world delicious homemade BBQ sauce.
Grab your apron, crank up the oven, and let’s get cooking!
Why You’ll Love This Oven Baked BBQ Chicken
One-Pan: Baking the chicken in the oven makes this a fuss-free, one-pan meal. minimizes cleanup and maximizes convenience.
Tender and Crispy: The combination of baking and broiling gives you juicy, tender chicken with delightfully crispy, caramelized skin.
Easy Preparation: This recipe involves simple steps like marinating the chicken in a Ziploc bag and simmering the BBQ sauce.
Year-Round Enjoyment: Oven baking means you can enjoy delicious BBQ chicken regardless of the weather, making it perfect for any season.
Ingredients
- Chicken Thighs and/or Drumsticks: Bone-in and skin-on. Juicy dark meat chicken pieces with crispy, flavorful skin lock in moisture during baking.
- Avocado Oil: Heart-healthy oil helps the spice rub adhere to the chicken.
- Seasonings: A savory, smoky, and slightly spicy blend including smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and white pepper.
- Homemade BBQ Sauce: A tangy, sweet, and spicy mixture of pantry staples like ketchup, vinegar, sugar, and spices.
How to Make Oven-Baked BBQ Chicken
This chicken is truly a fix-it-and-forget-it meal!
1. Preheat and grease. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a baking dish with oil.
2. Season the chicken. Place the chicken in a bag with oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Shake to coat.
3. Make the BBQ sauce. Whisk the sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until thickened.
4. Brush with the sauce. Place the seasoned chicken in the baking dish. Brush generously with half the BBQ sauce.
5. Bake the chicken. Bake for 25 minutes, flip, brush with more sauce, and bake for 20-25 more minutes until cooked through.
6. Broil and caramelize. Switch to broil, brush with the remaining sauce, and broil for 2-3 minutes until caramelized.
7. Rest and serve. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving warm with extra sauce on the side. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Oven-Baked BBQ Chicken
These are my tried-and-true tips for the very best chicken.
- Get it nice and dry. Use paper towels to pat the chicken pieces dry before seasoning to help the skin crisp up better.
- Take a temp check. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Take a sauce shortcut. In a pinch, use a store-bought BBQ sauce like Sweet Baby Ray’s or Stubb’s instead of homemade.
- Make it a feast. Serve the BBQ chicken with traditional sides like coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans, and cornbread.
- Have fun with leftovers. Shred any leftover chicken and use it for BBQ chicken sandwiches, pizza, or nachos.
How to Store
To Store: Place the oven-baked BBQ chicken in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
To Freeze: Store the chicken in an air-tight container or resealable plastic bag for up to 4-6 months. Defrost in the refrigerator before reheating.
To Reheat: Preheat the oven to 325°F, cover the chicken with foil, and heat for 10-15 minutes until warmed through. Or, microwave on high in 15-30 second increments until hot.
Oven-Baked BBQ Chicken
4
servings25
minutes50
minutes444
kcalThis oven-baked BBQ chicken is the next best thing to the grill! The smoky, sweet, and delicious sauce is enough to make anyone come back for more.
Ingredients
4 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and/or drumsticks
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- For the Homemade BBQ Sauce:
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a baking dish with a bit of oil.
- Place the chicken pieces in a large Ziploc bag. Add the avocado oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Seal the bag and shake well to coat the chicken fully in the oil and spices.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together all of the BBQ sauce ingredients. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
- Place the seasoned chicken pieces into the prepared baking dish. Brush generously with about half of the homemade BBQ sauce.
- Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces over, brush with more BBQ sauce, and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F).
- Switch the oven to broil on high. Brush the chicken once more with the remaining BBQ sauce and broil for 2-3 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and caramelized in spots. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm with extra BBQ sauce on the side, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or drumsticks for the juiciest, most flavorful results.
- Homemade BBQ sauce tastes best, but you can substitute your favorite store-bought sauce if short on time.
- Leftover baked BBQ chicken will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven before serving.
