BBQ Chicken Thighs
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.
Servings: 6
Calories: 540kcal
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!
Video
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 540kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 189mg | Sodium: 862mg | Potassium: 701mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 542IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 2mg
