This oven BBQ chicken is the best way to make BBQ chicken without a grill! It’s juicy and flavorful, coated with sticky-sweet barbecue sauce.
By now you may know that chicken thighs are one of my favorite proteins to cook. Whether you grill them, bake them or air fry them, they always turn out exceptionally flavorful and juicy, especially if you use bone-in thighs as I do in this recipe.
This oven BBQ chicken is what I make when I’m craving BBQ chicken but don’t want to turn on the grill. My family loves this for dinner in the cooler months, and I like to serve it with a few of our favorite comfort food side dishes like Potato Salad or Mashed Potatoes and Homemade Biscuits.
Why You’ll Love this Oven BBQ Chicken
- Juicy, flavorful chicken! A flavorful spice rub + BBQ sauce bring loads of flavor to this easy chicken recipe. Using bone-in chicken thighs ensures juicy chicken, every time.
- Year-Round Favorite. When you’re craving BBQ chicken and it’s not grilling weather, this oven barbecue chicken is the perfect solution. It’s also a great easy dinner for summertime!
- It’s so easy to make. This recipe takes just 10 minutes to prep and then your oven does the rest. Dinner doesn’t get much easier than that!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Bone-In Skin-On Chicken Thighs: These make the best BBQ chicken in the oven!
- Spice Rub: I use a mixture of smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to season the chicken. The smoky, spicy flavors go well with the BBQ sauce.
- BBQ Sauce: Use your favorite store-bought brand – my favorites are Kinder’s and Stubb’s; Sweet Baby Ray’s is also a popular choice. Or make my easy homemade BBQ Sauce recipe.
Find the printable recipe with ingredient amounts below.
Can I use Boneless Thighs or Chicken Breasts?
I also tested this recipe with boneless chicken thighs and boneless, skinless chicken breasts and we didn’t like it nearly as much. The bone-in thighs had much better flavor and texture.
Chicken legs/drumsticks would also work well, and may take 5-10 minutes longer to cook. (See my Baked Chicken Legs recipe.)
How to Make Oven BBQ Chicken
Plus, my best tips for making BBQ chicken in the oven!
Season chicken. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Mix together the spices and rub them over all sides of the chicken thighs. For added flavor, rub some of the seasonings under the skin. Place the chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet, skin side down.
Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes.
Brush BBQ sauce over the chicken, then use tongs to flip over the chicken pieces and brush the other side with sauce. Bake for 5 more minutes, brush the tops of the thighs with BBQ sauce once more, then return to the oven and bake for 5-10 more minutes, or until chicken is cooked through to at least 165°F. Thighs are forgiving, so I often cook them to 175°F and they are still juicy and tender.
Broil for 1-2 minutes, just until the BBQ sauce starts to caramelize. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes and then serve with additional BBQ sauce.
What to Serve with BBQ Chicken
Here are a few of my favorite side dishes to serve with this recipe:
More Chicken Thigh Recipes
- Baked Chicken Thighs – Crispy and juicy, a family favorite!
- Grilled Chicken Thighs – We make these almost once a week in the summer!
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs – This recipe is so easy.
- Air Fryer Fried Chicken – You can’t beat the crispy, craggly coating!
- Tuscan Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs – A delicious make-ahead meal with chicken thighs, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach in a creamy sauce.
Made this recipe? I’d truly appreciate if you leave a comment and star rating below! Your review will help others who want to try this recipe. Thank you! 💛
Oven BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 cup BBQ sauce, plus more for serving, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil (for easy clean up; do not use parchment since it isn't broiler-safe).
- Combine the seasonings in a small bowl: smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Whisk or stir to mix.
- Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the seasoning blend over the chicken and rub over all sides of the chicken thighs (for added flavor on the meat, try to get some seasonings under the skin). Place on the prepared baking sheet, skin side down.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Then take the pan out of the oven and brush thighs with BBQ sauce. Use tongs to flip them over and brush the other side with BBQ sauce. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 5 more minutes. Brush the tops of the thighs with BBQ sauce once more, then return to the oven and bake for 5-10 more minutes, or until chicken is cooked through to at least 165°F. (Thighs are forgiving, so I often cook them to 175°F and they are still juicy and tender.)
- Optional: Broil chicken thighs for 1-2 minutes, just until the BBQ sauce starts to caramelize.
- Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with additional BBQ sauce.(Discard any leftover sauce that you used to brush on the uncooked chicken.)
