Description

This Oven Baked BBQ Chicken recipe features tender, juicy chicken thighs coated in a quick and flavorful homemade barbecue sauce. Baked to perfection and finished under the broiler to caramelize the sauce, this dish delivers classic BBQ taste with minimal fuss, perfect for a family dinner or casual gathering.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Sauce

1 cup ketchup or Australian/UK tomato sauce
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
4 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp mustard powder
2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
1 cup water

Chicken

1.5 kg / 3 lb chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on), drumsticks or wings
Fresh parsley, chives or finely chopped green onions, for garnish

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F) to prepare for baking the chicken.
Prepare Sauce: In a ceramic or glass baking dish, mix together the ketchup, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, mustard powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and water until well combined.
Coat Chicken: Add the chicken pieces to the sauce in the baking dish and turn them to coat thoroughly with the sauce. Arrange the chicken skin side down.
Bake Initial: Bake the chicken in the oven for 20 minutes.
Turn and Baste: Remove the baking dish from the oven, turn the chicken pieces over, and spoon some more sauce over them to keep them moist and flavorful.
Bake Further: Return the dish to the oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes.
Skim Fat: Optional step: tilt the pan and spoon or drain off any excess fat that has accumulated.
Broil to Caramelize: Switch your oven setting to broiler/grill on high. Generously spoon sauce over the chicken and place the dish under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes to caramelize the sauce and crisp the skin. Watch closely to avoid burning.
Garnish and Serve: Remove the chicken from the oven and garnish with fresh parsley, chives, or green onions before serving.

Notes

Sauce substitutions: Use tomato sauce instead of ketchup if desired. Substitute cider vinegar with white wine, sherry, champagne vinegar, or 2 tbsp white vinegar. Onion powder can be replaced with garlic powder or 1 finely minced garlic clove.
Chicken options: Bone-in, skin-on pieces like thighs, drumsticks, and wings are best for this recipe. Boneless breasts or thighs can be used but may require adjustments in sauce amount and baking time.
Use a ceramic or glass baking dish, or line metal pans with foil and parchment to prevent sticking and facilitate cleaning.
Sauce thickness may vary depending on chicken fat content and oven accuracy; add water to thin or briefly return to oven to thicken if needed.
Nutrition reflects spooning off 3 tbsp excess fat and consuming all the sauce.
Recipe adapted from a Food Network barbecue sauce by the Neelys.