Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs
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Who needs a grill when you can make incredibly tender and juicy baked BBQ chicken thighs?! They’re full of smoky barbecue flavor, but you don’t have to cook outside in the scorching heat. Even better, you can meal prep this chicken thighs recipe!
These bone-in baked bbq chicken thighs are absolutely out of this world delicious! The dark meat is tender and juicy, covered with deliciously crispy skin and sticky barbecue sauce.
To season the thighs, we use a flavor-packed, homemade BBQ seasoning blend. It just takes a few minutes of hands-on time to prep and bake the best BBQ chicken.
Best of all, the recipe can be easily adapted to dietary restrictions like low carb, Paleo, and gluten free, simply by using a compatible sauce and seasoning.
Why This Recipe is a Family-Friendly Favorite
One great thing about baked chicken thigh recipes like this is, there are so many ways to enjoy it!
- Super simple to make – no grilling necessary. Of course, grilled chicken has its place, but after a long day, it’s so much easier to cook dinner on a sheet pan in the oven.
- Barbecue chicken is the perfect meal prep recipe. It stores well and reheats perfectly, so you can have delicious leftover chicken that tastes as good as the first day it was cooked.
- The easiest way to create tender and juicy BBQ chicken. If you are tired of dry and flavorless chicken, you will love this recipe! Because it’s easier to monitor and control the heat of an oven, the meal is perfectly cooked, every time!
Instant download of our tips to cook the best chicken!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Making this baked chicken thighs recipe is easy! You need 4 ingredients:
- chicken: I recommend using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for the best flavor, but you can use boneless. The preparation will be the same, but the cooking time will be a bit less than what the recipe card indicates.
- spices: The BBQ seasoning blend includes smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, pepper, and if you like a little heat, cayenne pepper. Feel free to make your own rub, or use a store-bought blend if it’s easier for you.
- sauce: Use any barbecue sauce that you enjoy, or you can make my sugar-free BBQ sauce recipe. Or, for a tropical twist, make some pineapple BBQ sauce..
- olive oil: Brushing the thighs with olive oil gives the BBQ spices something to stick to. Honestly, any neutral- flavored cooking oil or a non-stick cooking spray will work.
Recipe Variations
You can make this a complete sheet pan dinner by adding diced potatoes tossed in a little oil and salt and pepper to the baking pan before cooking. Turn the potatoes halfway through cooking so they crisp on all sides. The chicken and potatoes will be ready at the same time!
How to Make BBQ Chicken Thighs
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full step by step instructions! ⬇️
- Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels, then coat with oil and seasoning.
- Optional MEAL PREP STEP: If you don’t want to bake the BBQ chicken thighs right away, set them in a dish and refrigerate for up to 12 hours.
- Bake BBQ chicken thighs at 400°F. (204°C).
Bake the bone-in chicken thighs uncovered for 25 minutes. Then, remove the pan from the oven and use a basting brush to generously brush each piece with bbq sauce. Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.
The total cook time will vary, depending on the size of the bone-in chicken pieces. Use an instant-read cooking thermometer to determine doneness.
Per Food Safety standards, chicken is safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. However, to prevent overcooking, you can remove it when the internal temperature reaches 163°F. Due to carryover cooking, food continues to cook for a few minutes as it rests.
- Optional: For extra crispy skin, place the pan under the oven broiler with the pieces skin side up. Broil for 3-4 minutes, but watch closely to prevent the skin from burning.
Tips for Success
Here are some helpful tips to ensure that your baked BBQ chicken thighs turn out juicy and delicious:
- Use a baking dish or sheet pan big enough to fit all the pieces of chicken side-by-side. It's okay if they touch a little bit, but to ensure even cooking, don't have them laying on top of each other.
- When checking the internal temperature, be sure the probe of the thermometer is not touching any bones.
- Brush the bbq sauce onto the chicken during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking. This ensures the sauce will be ultra sticky and not dried out.
- If you are using boneless chicken thighs, then just subtract 10 minutes from the total cook time.
- Be sure to let the meat rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to settle inside of the meat and not spill out onto your plate.
Alternate Cooking Methods for BBQ Chicken
Want to make this chicken thighs recipe, but not in the oven? Follow along to learn how to do it with these simple method adaptations:
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs
On a gas grill: Preheat a grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F). Oil the grates well, then add the chicken thighs, skin side down. Grill for about 5-8 minutes, or until they release easily from the grill grates and the skin is beginning to get golden brown. Reduce the heat to about 300°F and flip the chicken. Close the grill cover and cook for about 25 minutes, turning again halfway through if needed. Pull the grilled chicken off the grill, allow to sit for a few minutes, then serve!
How to Store Leftovers
Transfer any baked chicken thighs to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
I think the leftover chicken tastes best the next day, but it will still be good for a few days after that. You can also freeze your leftovers! Place cooled chicken into an airtight container or freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Allow to thaw before reheating.
For best results, reheat BBQ chicken thighs in the oven at 350°F. until they reach a safe internal temperature of 165°F.
Serving Suggestions
This easy protein tastes fantastic with just about any side dishes!
It tastes fantastic with carrot and cabbage slaw or broccoli & bacon salad! But you can also pair it with your favorite cookout sides like corn on the cob, coleslaw, and potato salad. I bet it would be a fantastic main dish with this Wingstop corn recipe, too!
As for starchy sides, the chicken tastes great with creamy mashed potatoes, or make some rice in the Instant Pot.
Parsnips fries or air fryer French fries would also be a great side dish. Or go with a low carb option and make Instant Pot cauliflower mash.
Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs Recipe FAQs
If the chicken is dry, it was more than likely overcooked. Next time, reduce the cook time by a few minutes, and remove them from the oven as soon as the internal temperature reaches 163°F. As the meat rests, it continues to cook, causing the temperature to increase 2 or 3 degrees.
Baking chicken thighs at 400°F (204°C) is recommended because it allows the skin to crisp while still maintaining moisture in the meat. Using this temperature helps to to prevent dry, tough chicken.
Sure! For the best results, use bone-in chicken breasts. Keep in mind that chicken breasts are larger than thighs, so they will likely need to cook longer to reach a safe internal temperature of 165°F.
If you make this recipe, please give it a star rating and leave a comment below to let me know how it went!
Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. bone-in skin-on chicken thighs about 8 chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
BBQ Spice Blend
- 2 ¼ tablespoons chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
Video
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Use paper towels to pat the pieces of chicken dry on all sides. Drizzle the chicken with oil, then sprinkle with the BBQ seasonings. Use your hands or tongs to turn the chicken pieces so they’re evenly coated with the oil and spices on all sides.
- Lay the seasoned chicken thighs side by side inside a large rimmed baking dish. Place uncovered in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes.
- Return the baking pan to the oven to finish cooking for another 10-15 minutes, until the internal temperature is 165°F (~74°C), per USDA.
- For extra crispy skin, set the baking pan under the broiler for about 3 extra minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
2025 Update: We updated this family favorite recipe to simplify the cooking instructions and add extra cooking tips for our readers. We hope you love it as much as we do!
