Oven Baked BBQ Chicken is an easy way to make barbecued chicken without turning on the grill.
In this recipe, the chicken is brushed with the most amazing and easy-to-make barbecue sauce. It will have all the feels of a great grilled BBQ chicken, but it’s made in the oven instead. It’s a favorite chicken recipe in our house. My family will tell you that it’s finger-licking delicious!
How to make Oven Baked BBQ Chicken:
The first thing you’ll do is make the barbecue sauce. It’s a mix of ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, mustard, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper. All you have to do is heat those together and stir for a few minutes, and your homemade BBQ sauce is done.
Next, you’ll rub the chicken with a simple mix of brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Then you’ll sear it in a skillet briefly. This will help seal in all of the juices and give you a perfect texture to the exterior of the chicken.
Skin or No-Skin?
You can leave the skin on the chicken, or you can pull some or all of the skin off the chicken before rubbing. If you leave the skin on, the outside of the chicken pieces will be so delicious to eat. That’s just a fact. If you prefer to remove the skin, it’s okay to do that. It just won’t have quite the same effect as a full-fat, skin-on chicken. But it will still be good.
And finally, the seared chicken pieces are transferred to a baking sheet and brushed with some of the BBQ sauce. They are baked for about 30 minutes. When they come out of the oven, they’re brushed with more BBQ sauce. And you can serve the remaining barbecue sauce on the side.
The results:
Let me just say this – I asked my husband what would be his very favorite chicken that I’ve ever made. He started thinking about it, but never really answered me. The next day, he said – “do you remember when you asked me what my favorite chicken was that you’ve made? That chicken you made the other day ranks right at the top!” I think that pretty much sums up how we feel about this recipe.
The Picky Palate Cookbook:
I have been a long time reader and fan of Jenny Flake’s blog – Picky Palate. I love that her food is easy and family friendly, and that it doesn’t require any crazy ingredients. When her book – The Picky Palate Cookbook – was released several years back, I was super excited to have a copy of it in my hands. And I’ve been making recipes from it ever since. This Oven Baked BBQ Chicken recipe is just one of the excellent recipes featured in her book. I hope you will try it- enjoy!
Here are a few more chicken recipes you might like to try:
- Apricot Balsamic Chicken
- Baked Chicken Breast
- Cranberry Chicken
- Swiss Chicken Casserole
- Lemon Chicken
- Apple Thyme Chicken
- Chili Lime Chicken
- Easy Chicken Santa Fe
Oven Baked BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
SAUCE:
- 1½ cups ketchup
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
RUB AND CHICKEN:
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 pounds chicken pieces (breasts, drumsticks, thighs)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
PREPARE THE SAUCE:
- Combine the sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, for 5 minutes. Set aside.
PREPARE THE CHICKEN:
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Rub the mix on the chicken pieces
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pan. In batches, add the chicken to the hot pan and cook until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the browned chicken pieces to the prepared baking sheet. Add ½ cup of the prepared BBQ sauce to a small bowl and brush over both sides of the chicken.
- Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and brush with additional sauce and serve the remaining sauce for dipping.
Notes
- NOTE: If you have any food allergies, please make sure you double check that the brands you are using are free from anything you are not able to consume (dairy, egg, gluten, etc).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi! If I don’t have apple cider, what else can I use or do I need it at all? I don’t use that ingredient in anything else I make, so I’m trying to avoid buying it. Thank you.
It’s apple cider vinegar. You could try using white wine vinegar instead?
How many pieces of chicken will this sauce and rub do?
There are probably 2 to 3 pieces per pound, depending on the pieces.