Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs

These oven Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs are made with bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, spices and basted with your favorite barbecue sauce. This is a quick and easy recipe to make and the baked barbecue chicken thighs turn out tender, juicy and flavorful every time!

Our oven baked barbecue chicken thighs are an easy weeknight dinner that you can pull together any night of the week. 

Why You’ll Love These Baked Barbecue Chicken Thighs

• Quick and Easy. These baked bbq chicken thighs are super quick and so easy to make.  All we do is toss the thighs in a little olive oil, bbq seasoning and bbq sauce, and then bake them in the oven for a bit. 
• Family Friendly. This is a recipe that my family has made for years. 
• Delicious. These baked bbq chicken thighs are tender and juicy and full of flavor.  
• Budget Friendly. We use chicken thighs for this recipe which are less expensive than chicken breasts. 
• User Friendly. This recipe is user friendly and pretty straightforward.

Oven Baked Barbecue Chicken Thighs Ingredients

This recipe is so simple to make and you’ll only need a few basic ingredients to make it. 

• Chicken. We like to use bone-in skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe, but you could use boneless thighs or chicken breasts if you prefer. If you use boneless thighs or chicken breasts, the cooking time will vary. Larger chicken breasts will take longer to cook, while boneless chicken thighs or chicken breast cutlets will cook in a shorter amount of time. If you’re using frozen chicken thighs, they will need to be completely thawed before using.
• Olive Oil.  We use a little extra-virgin olive oil for this recipe.
• Seasoning.  We use a simple mix of  onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, brown sugar and black pepper. We don’t add extra salt because barbecue sauce is already salty. 
• BBQ Sauce. Use your favorite brand. We like to use Sweet Baby Ray’s original.

Find printable recipe with the measurements below.

How To Make Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs

1. Preheat Oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Pat Chicken Thighs Dry. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels to eliminate some of the moisture on the thighs. This will help the dry rub and sauce stick to the thighs better. 
3. Toss Thighs With Seasoning. Prepare the dry rub by mixing together the brown sugar and seasoning, then toss the chicken thighs in a bowl with a little olive oil and the seasonings. Rub the oil and seasoning all over the chicken and under the skin. Add some barbecue sauce to the bowl and rub all over the thighs and under the skin. 
4. Bake Chicken Thighs. Put the chicken thighs in an oven-proof baking dish with the skin side facing up. Brush more barbecue sauce on top of the thighs and place the baking dish in the oven uncovered. Cook the chicken thighs for 30-40 minutes. 
5. Baste Chicken.  Cook the chicken for 15 minutes, then remove the baking dish from the oven, and give the thighs another basting on top with more barbecue sauce. Then return the dish back to the oven to finish cooking, another 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches between 165°F and 185°F with a meat thermometer. If you want a crispy skin, then move the baking dish to the top rack and broil the chicken for 1-2 minutes. Make sure to keep a close watch on the chicken so it doesn’t burn quickly.
6. Rest Chicken. When the chicken is cooked through, remove from the oven and let the chicken rest in the pan for 3-5 minutes before serving.
7. Serve. Spoon some of the delicious juices over the chicken when serving.

How Long To Bake Bone In Chicken Thighs 

When cooked in the oven at 400°F, bone-in chicken thighs take 30-40 minutes to cook, depending on the size of the thighs and the actual temperature of your oven.

Should I Turn Chicken Thighs Over When Cooking In The Oven?

No! You don’t need to turn the chicken thighs over while they cook in the oven.

Can I Use Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs?

Yes! You can easily swap out the bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs for boneless skinless chicken thighs. Prepare them exactly the same, but you’ll cook them in the oven for about 10 minutes less, depending on the size of the thighs.

What Is The Best Internal Chicken Thigh Temperature?

For best results, cook chicken thighs until the internal temperature registers between 165°F and 185°F on a meat thermometer.

Should I Cover Chicken Thighs With Foil In The Oven?

No. There is no need to cover chicken thighs with foil when cooking them in the oven. 

Tips For Making The Best BBQ Chicken Thighs

1. Make sure to pat the chicken good and dry before adding the seasoning and sauce.
2. Baste the chicken thighs another 1-2 times while it cooks. 

What To Serve With Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs

If you’re looking for side dishes to serve with these baked barbecue chicken thighs, here are a few for you to try:

• Vegetables. Steamed Broccoli, Corn on the Cob, Sauteed Zucchi or Oven Roasted Vegetables.
• Mashed Potatoes. Boursin Mashed Potatoes or Mashed Sweet Potatoes.
• Salad. Serve with our Garden Salad, Simple Kale Salad or our Romaine Salad.

More Chicken Recipes

• Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs
• One Pan Italian Chicken
• Greek Chicken Bowl
• Marinated Greek Chicken 
• Pan Seared Chicken Breast
• Chicken Milanese
  Continue to Content

  Print

  Yield: 6 servings

  Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs

  Prep Time 10 minutes

  Cook Time 40 minutes

  Total Time 50 minutes

  These oven Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs are made with simple bbq dry rub spices and basted with your favorite barbecue sauce. This is a quick and easy recipe to make and the baked barbecue chicken thighs turn out tender, juicy and flavorful every time!

  Ingredients

  • 5-6 Chicken thighs, bone-in skin-on
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup barbecue sauce, Sweet Baby Ray's Original

  Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels to eliminate some of the moisture on the thighs. This will help the dry rub and sauce stick to the thighs better. 
  3. Prepare the dry rub by mixing together the brown sugar and seasoning, then toss the chicken thighs in a bowl with a little olive oil and the seasonings. Rub the oil and seasoning all over the chicken and under the skin. Add some barbecue sauce to the bowl and rub all over the thighs and under the skin. 
  4. Put the chicken thighs in an oven-proof baking dish with the skin side facing up. Brush more barbecue sauce on top of the thighs and place the baking dish in the oven uncovered. Cook the chicken thighs for 30-40 minutes. 
  5. Cook the chicken for 15 minutes, then remove the baking dish from the oven, and give the thighs another basting on top with more barbecue sauce. Then return the dish back to the oven to finish cooking, another 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches between 165°F and 185°F with a meat thermometer. If you want a crispy skin, then move the baking dish to the top rack and broil the chicken for 1-2 minutes. Make sure to keep a close watch on the chicken so it doesn't burn quickly.
  6. When the chicken is cooked through, remove from the oven and let the chicken rest in the pan for 3-5 minutes before serving.

  Nutrition Information:

  Yield:

  6

  Serving Size:

  1
  Amount Per Serving: Calories: 91Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 479mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 2gSugar: 16gProtein: 1g

  theharvestkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate information, however, this nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. The nutritional information provided comes from online sources and calculations. See full disclaimer on About page.