A family favorite, this easy recipe for Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs features bone-in, skin-on n thighs slathered with a sweet, tangy homemade BBQ sauce. Then, they are baked in the oven until the thighs are tender, juicy, and delicious, and the savory BBQ sauce is caramelized with just a bit of crispy char.
4chicken thighs,bone-in, skin on, about four pounds
1cupketchup
4tablespoonsbutter
¼cupapple cider vinegar
2teaspoonsWorcestershire sauce
¼cuppacked brown sugar
2teaspoonsyellow mustard
1teaspoongarlic powder
1teaspoononion powder
1½teaspoonskosher salt, divided
1teaspoonground black pepper,divided
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400° F.
Add all the BBQ sauce ingredients, including a half cup of water, one teaspoon of kosher salt, and a half teaspoon of ground black pepper, to a small saucepan over low heat and stir to combine. Remove it from the heat when the butter is melted.
Season the chicken on both sides with half a teaspoon of kosher salt and half a teaspoon of pepper.
Cover a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Add the thighs skin side down.
Use a pastry brush to coat the meat liberally with the BBQ sauce, and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the oven, flip the chicken pieces over, add more BBQ sauce, and bake for 30 minutes. It's done when an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part, not touching bone, registers 175 °F.
Increase the oven temperature to broil. Slather the thighs with more BBQ sauce and broil for a minute or two or until the sauce sizzles and develops a bit of char on the skin. (Watch carefully; this happens pretty fast. )
Serve this dish while it is still hot. Be sure to have plenty of napkins available.
Notes
Cover your baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil for easy cleanup, and spray with a non-stick cooking spray before adding your thighs.Every oven bakes differently, so watch your chicken and bake it to the final temperature listed, not necessarily the time I have shown. Also, remember larger or smaller pieces will take longer or less time than listed.