Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs

close up shot of BBQ Chicken Thighs on a plate

Baked BBQ chicken thighs is an easy yet impressive dish of smoky, sweet, and spicy flavors, a comfort food classic that can be personalized to suit your taste!

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs Recipe

Servings:

Calories: 304kcal

Ingredients

8 pieces bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs (approximately 4 pounds)
¼ cup spice rub, see recipe below
1½ cups prepared barbecue sauce, I used Sweet Baby Ray’s brand

Spice Rub

3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Spray or brush with olive oil to prevent the chicken from sticking. Set aside.
In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, cumin, salt, and black pepper to make the spice rub mixture. Set aside ¼ cup of this spice rub for the recipe and transfer the remaining amount into a covered container for later use.
Remove the chicken thigh pieces from their packaging and pat them dry before placing them skin side down onto the prepared baking sheet.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the reserved ¼ cup spice rub mixture evenly over all the pieces of chicken thighs.
Flip the chicken thighs over, skin side up, and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of the spice rub onto all the chicken thigh pieces. Be sure that you are evenly coating the entire surface of each piece of chicken.
Bake for 15 minutes.
After the first 15 minutes, remove the tray of chicken thighs. Using a pastry brush, and ⅓ of the sauce, brush on your first coating of prepared barbecue sauce to both sides of the chicken pieces. Be sure that you return the chicken pieces to the skin side up position once all the pieces have been coated with sauce.
Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Repeat step 7 with the second ⅓ amount of barbecue sauce. Return the chicken to the oven and bake for a final 15 minutes.
Once your barbecue chicken thighs have baked for 45 minutes, you will add the final ⅓ of the sauce to the chicken thigh pieces. You will need to check your chicken for doneness (165°F internal temperature), and if it still needs a couple more minutes to cook, you can place it back into the oven. You will need to check it every 5 minutes at this point to avoid overcooking it.
At this point, you can turn on the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes to crisp up the skin of your chicken if desired. Be very careful to watch it carefully, as the sugars in the sauce will burn very quickly under the broiler.
Remove the chicken thighs from the oven and allow them to rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to settle before serving.

Notes

The foil will make cleanup easier and prevent the chicken from sticking to the baking sheet.
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your chicken as the suggested baking time approaches.
This second baking step allows the sauce to caramelize and meld with the spices, creating a luscious glaze.
Letting the chicken rest allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring moist and flavorful meat. Consider garnishing the dish with fresh herbs like chopped parsley or cilantro for a pop of color.

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