These Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs are simple to make and the perfect balance of savory, sticky, and sweet. Baked chicken thighs are topped with a homemade barbecue sauce that's loaded with flavor to cover the juicy chicken. Pair it with your favorite sides for an easy dinner recipe.
If you're craving more simple and delicious chicken recipes, then be sure to try making some Cast Iron Chicken Thighs with Potatoes and Carrots, Honey Mustard Chicken, and Southern Fried Chicken.
Let's get started!
Why You'll Love This Easy Recipe
- Juicy - Baking chicken thighs instead of chicken breast in the oven ensures a tender and juicy piece of chicken with each bite.
- Flavorful - A delicious blend of spices coves the chicken before baking and is topped with a homemade sauce before finishing, the result is layers upon layers of flavor.
- Quick and Easy - The recipe comes together quickly in minutes with no need to stand over a grill for tasty barbecue chicken.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Chicken Thighs - I prefer to use skin-on bone-in chicken thighs, but boneless skinless chicken thighs will work as well. I do not recommend using chicken breast for this particular BBQ chicken recipe.
- Olive Oil - Adds oil to the chicken marinade, you could use avocado oil or coconut oil instead. This also helps the seasoning stick to the raw chicken and makes it slightly crispy on the outside as it bakes.
- Chili Powder - It adds a mild and moderately spicy flavor.
- Brown Sugar - Added to the spice blend to provide a slight sweetness that pairs well with the salty flavors in the dish.
- Garlic Powder - Adds intense dry garlic flavor to the chicken.
- Ground Cumin - Warm, nutty, and slightly sweet flavor that rounds out the chicken spice blend.
- Salt & Ground Black Pepper - Helps to season the chicken and bring out the other ingredient flavors in the recipe.
- Onion - Any onion will work to give the sauce an earthly and slightly sweet flavor. Any yellow onion, white onion, or red onion works. You may also omit this ingredient.
- Ketchup - Needed to form the base of the barbecue sauce, and adds a sweet and tangy tomato flavor.
- Molasses - Helps to thicken the sauce and provide a sweet sticky flavor.
- Worcestershire Sauce - Adds a savory umami flavor to the barbecue sauce.
- Dijon Mustard - Provides a tangy flavor to smooth out the BBQ sauce.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient quantities and instructions.
How to Make BBQ Baked Chicken Thighs
Begin the baked chicken thighs by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, add the olive oil, chili powder, brown sugar, garlic powder, ground cumin, salt, and ground black pepper. Whisk to combine. Add the raw chicken thighs to the marinade and toss to combine, until the thighs are fully coated and the marinate is almost completely gone.
Add the chicken to an oven-safe baking dish or cast iron skillet, chicken thighs skin side down. Place into the preheated oven and allow it to bake for 20 minutes.
Carefully remove the chicken thighs from the oven and flip each thigh to the opposite side. Return to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and add the homemade BBQ sauce or your favorite barbecue sauce from the grocery store. Toss the chicken thighs in the sauce. Place into the oven and allow it to warm for about 5 minutes. Carefully remove the barbecue chicken from the oven, serve warm, and enjoy!
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Homemade Barbecue Sauce
Make a quick and easy barbecue sauce by grabbing a medium saucepan and placing it on the stovetop over medium heat.
Add the chopped onion, allow it to soften, and release the water. Continuously stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the ketchup, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard. Stir to combine.
Adjust the heat, cover the saucepan with a lid, and allow the sauce to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. You can prepare the sauce while the chicken is in the oven.
Best Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Make sure your chicken is done by inserting a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the biggest piece of chicken and once the internal temperature reads 165 degrees F.
- Feel free to adjust the homemade sauce to your preference, you can omit the onion and add additional spices such as onion powder regular paprika, or cayenne pepper.
- For juicy chicken, allow the chicken to rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting to serve. This will allow the chicken to retain its juices.
- You can bake the chicken in a cast iron skillet, baking dish, or rimmed baking sheet.
Storage Tips
Storage. If you have any leftover chicken, allow it time to cool to room temperature before placing it into an airtight container to store in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Reheating. When you're ready to serve the chicken again, warm it in the oven at 300 degrees F. until heated. You can also reheat it in the microwave or air fryer for a quicker option.
Freezing. This chicken is best enjoyed shortly after it has been made and I don't recommend freezing it. You can freeze the raw marinated chicken for up to 2 months. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking.
Want More Barbecue Recipes? Try These:
- BBQ Chicken Sliders
- Barbecue Cornbread Muffins
- BBQ French Bread Pizza
- Sweet and Spicy Meatballs
- Old Fashioned Hamburger Recipe
- Warm Pasta Salad
- Potato Salad Recipe
- Oven Baked Ribs
- BBQ Pulled Chicken
Have any comments, questions, or other delicious ways to enjoy this Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe? Please share them in the comments below
📖 Recipe
BBQ Chicken Thighs
Video
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 cast iron skillet or baking dish
- 1 Medium Saucepan
Ingredients
- 3 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
- Chicken Marinade:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons brown sugar, light or dark
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- BBQ Sauce:
- ¾ cup onion, chopped
- ⅔ cup ketchup
- ⅓ cup water
- 3 tablespoons molasses
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Begin the baked chicken thighs by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, add the 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 ½ teaspoons chili powder, 1 ½ teaspoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Whisk to combine. Add the 3 pounds chicken thighs to the marinade and toss to combine, until the thighs are fully coated and the marinate is almost completely gone.
- Add the chicken to an oven-safe baking dish or cast iron skillet, chicken thighs skin side down. Place into the preheated oven and allow it to bake for 20 minutes.
- Carefully remove the chicken thighs from the oven and flip each thigh to the opposite side. Return to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and add the homemade BBQ sauce or your favorite barbecue sauce from the grocery store.
- Make a quick and easy barbecue sauce by grabbing a medium saucepan and placing it on the stovetop over medium heat.
- Add the ¾ cup chopped onion, allow it to soften, and release the water. Continuously stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the ⅔ cup ketchup, ⅓ cup water, 3 tablespoons molasses, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. Stir to combine.
- Adjust the heat, cover the saucepan with a lid, and allow the sauce to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. You can prepare the sauce while the chicken is in the oven.
- Toss the chicken thighs in the sauce. Place into the oven and allow it to warm for about 5 minutes. Carefully remove the barbecue chicken from the oven, serve warm, and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure your chicken is done by inserting a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the biggest piece of chicken and once the internal temperature reads 165 degrees F.
- Feel free to adjust the homemade sauce to your preference, you can omit the onion and add additional spices such as onion powder regular paprika, or cayenne pepper.
- For juicy chicken, allow the chicken to rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting to serve. This will allow the chicken to retain its juices.
- You can bake the chicken in a cast iron skillet, baking dish, or rimmed baking sheet.
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