This crispy oven bbq chicken recipe uses only TWO INGREDIENTS – barbecue sauce and chicken (plus a little olive oil, salt, and pepper) – to make the crispiest, most perfectly glazed, sweet, sticky, and juicy baked barbecue chicken you will ever have.
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That’s right- only TWO INGREDIENTS! Your favorite BBQ sauce, and some chicken, along with a little oil, salt, and pepper.
And the other great thing- this recipe doesn’t require any marinating! You can just dive right in and cook it quickly.
There are a few tricks to getting the BEST, crispiest, juiciest oven bbq chicken with a thick, sticky, sweet glaze of bbq sauce on top. In this post, I’ll go over exactly how to make the best oven bbq chicken ever. There’s a reason why this recipe has been rated 5 stars by over 70 people and has been pinned almost 400K times!
What cut of chicken is best to use for oven bbq chicken?
For the juiciest, most tender oven bbq chicken, you’re definitely going to want to use bone-in, skin on chicken pieces for this. I used a mix of thighs and drumsticks, and I do recommend using thighs and/or legs, since dark meat is harder to overcook and almost always tastes juicier than white.
Here’s a general run-down of which cuts are worst and best for oven bbq chicken:
- Worst: boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Not quite as bad: boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Better: bone-in, skin on chicken breasts
- Best: bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and/or legs
If you want to use chicken breasts, I recommend making sure you get bone-in, skin on breasts. Or at the very least, bone-in. The skin and the bone both help keep the chicken super juicy. And if you use dark meat as well, you’ve hit the trifecta! Using bone-in, skin on dark meat guarantees juicy, tender chicken every time. As a bonus: these pieces are generally a lot less expensive!
If you really want to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, make sure you cook them for less time. Check out the recipe notes for how to do it. For a recipe that uses bone-in, skin OFF chicken thighs, check out this Spiced Chicken and Rice with Apples and Raisins.
And if you’re looking for super high quality chicken at a reasonable price, check out ButcherBox!
How to get a super THICK BBQ glaze
First, the chicken is seasoned with oil, salt and pepper, placed skin side down on a rimmed baking sheet, and roasted for 25 minutes.
Then, the chicken is removed from the oven and basted with BBQ sauce THREE times.
Each time BBQ sauce is added, it thickens and caramelizes in the oven. By the time you’ve added that third layer, you’ve got a delicious thick, sweet, sticky layer of BBQ sauce on every inch of the chicken.
YUM.
How to get CRISPY, CHARRED SKIN.
Oh boy, do I love some good crispy chicken skin. Those dark, charred parts of oven bbq chicken are the best!
Something to note: these chicken pieces are smothered in sauce, so the skin won’t ever be quite as crispy as when you roast it when herbs and butter, for example.
Here are some tips for getting that dark, charred, crispy skin:
- Broil the chicken at the end. After you’re done cooking it, if the skin isn’t as crisp as you like, move the oven rack up and turn on your broiler. Keep an eye on it- just a few minutes should do the trick!
- Cook the chicken on a baking rack. Using a rack nestled into your rimmed baking sheet will elevate the chicken and cause air to circulate around the whole piece, rather than having it sit in the juices. If you do this, just keep it skin-side up the whole time- no need to flip!
What kind of BBQ sauce should I use?
You can use any kind you want! I live right down the street from Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood, TX, and I’m obsessed with their Spicy BBQ Sauce.
A lot of readers have commented that they’ve used Sweet Baby Ray’s with great results.
Something to keep in mind: a lot of store-bought BBQ sauces have a lot of added sugar. Frankly, it’s what makes it taste so good and sugar is vital for getting that thick caramelization. You can make your own homemade bbq sauce if you prefer.
Prepare yourself for finger-licking deliciousness.
What kind of baking sheet should I use?
I cannot recommend enough using a Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Baker’s Half Sheet
PLUS, they are only around $12! Go get one!
If you prefer to bake the chicken on a rack, so it doesn’t sit in the juices the whole time and crisps up a bit better, this rack nestles in perfectly to the rimmed baking sheet (see recipe notes for tips on getting the skin extra crispy).
Can I make this ahead of time and reheat?
While I’ve personally never done this, many readers have asked if this is possible so I wanted to make sure I answered this question! Here’s what I would do to make oven bbq chicken in advance and then reheat.
First of all, when reheating chicken, there is a risk of it overcooking and becoming dry. So if you are planning to do this, I would recommend making sure you only use dark meat (thighs/drumsticks) as white meat (breasts) tend to overcook easily. Dark meat can actually be more tender and delicious if it’s cooked to a higher temperature (around 180-190 degrees F, rather than the “safe” temperature of 165).
Cook the recipe as directed, then you can store the cooked chicken in the fridge for 1-2 days in an airtight container or covered in a baking dish with foil. When you are ready to reheat, place the chicken in a baking dish (if not done already) and cover tightly with foil. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 30 minutes. Check the temperature inside the chicken – it should be reheated to at least 165 degrees F (again, you can go a bit higher and should be fine).
With this reheating method, the skin will have lost any crispiness it had. Once it’s reheated, you can place on a broiler-safe baking sheet and broil for a little to re-crisp the skin a bit (though it will likely still be a little soggier than fresh after cooking – still delicious though!).
What to serve with oven baked BBQ Chicken
- Southern Style Green Beans
- Cold Potato Salad with Buttermilk Dill Dressing
- Mashed Cauliflower with Butter and Herbs
- 20-Minute Creamy Lemony Vegetable Pasta Salad
- Spicy Jalapeño Cilantro Slaw
Want a different take on the same recipe? This Oven BBQ Salmon uses a similar basting technique in only 10 minutes!
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Two Ingredient Crispy Oven Baked BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
- 8-10 chicken thighs and/or drumsticks bone-in, skin on
- 2 cups of your favorite bbq sauce
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Coat the chicken on all sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken skin side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove chicken from oven and turn the temperature of the oven up to 425 degrees.Tip: be sure to close the oven door every time you remove the chicken in this recipe, as you don't want the heat from the oven to escape!
- Coat the top of the chicken with barbecue sauce using a basting brush. Use a spatula to flip the chicken over, being careful not to tear the skin. Baste the other side of the chicken, and place back in the oven for 7 minutes.
- Remove from oven, baste top with barbecue sauce, and place back in oven for 7 more minutes.
- Remove from the oven again and baste again, for a total of three times, and place back in oven for 7 more minutes. The chicken will have cooked for a total of 46 minutes. This should be enough time for it to cook fully, but you should always double check temperature with a meat thermometer to make sure it's at least 165 degrees F.Tip: You should double check the temperature of the chicken at the thickest part of the meat using a high quality meat thermometer – it is fully cooked at 165 degrees F but dark meat is best at 180-190 degrees F, see notes for more on this). Give it more time in the oven to cook if it's not up to temperature. See notes for more troubleshooting.
- If the chicken hasn't crisped and browned to your liking, move the oven rack up and broil the chicken for 3-5 minutes, until it's more crispy.
- I recommend letting the chicken sit for 5 minutes or so after cooking before serving so the juices redistribute.
Notes
- Crispy skin tips: Pat the chicken dry before cooking. You can also place the chicken skin side up from the beginning (skip the first, skin side down step) on a baking rack nestled into a rimmed baking sheet, to elevate it so it’s not sitting in its juices, resulting in more crispiness all around (and less fat!). Bake for 25 minutes, then add BBQ sauce as directed, do not flip.
- Baking skin-side up the whole time is a bit easier and less work, so feel free to do this! The reason for baking skin side down first is to ensure more even cooking and allow the fat to render off the skin, which can allow for crispier overall skin. However, it sometimes sticks to the pan. I recommend a nice thin sturdy metal spatula, slid under the chicken quickly with a sharp motion, when it’s time to flip it. But feel free to just bake skin-side up the whole time if you want an easier, less fussy solution!
- Water chilled vs. Air Chilled chicken: Water chilled chicken is cheaper, but it contains a high water content and a diluted flavor. I recommend using air chilled chicken if you can afford it. But if you need to use water chilled chicken (this is the most common kind) – here are my tips for making sure it’s not too soggy or watery:
- Dry brine it. Place the chicken pieces on a wire baking rack on a rimmed baking sheet and rub them with salt, and leave it uncovered in the fridge for 2-12 hours. Some of the water will be drawn out by the salt, and will collect in the bottom of the baking sheet. Elevating the chicken on the rack will ensure it’s not reabsorbing the liquid. As a bonus, this will also flavor the meat and help it retain moisture when cooking. You can also follow the advice above for crispy skin, baking the chicken directly on the wire rack. Give the chicken a rinse to remove the majority of the salt, pat dry, and don’t add much or any additional salt to the chicken.
- Bone-in, skin on chicken thighs and drumsticks are the best for juicy chicken every time. If you use chicken breasts, I recommend bone-in, skin on.
- If you really want to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, I recommend baking them initially for only 10 minutes instead of 25, add some bbq sauce on the top, flip them, then continue to baste them in BBQ sauce every 7 minutes three times. This will result in a total cooking time slightly over 30 minutes. At this point they will probably be done cooking, but you should use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part to double check that they are 165 degrees F.
- Over-cooking the chicken – using thighs actually ensures you probably won’t overcook the chicken! Thighs are best when they are more around 185-195 degrees F, but safe to eat at 165 degrees F. But like other fattier cuts of meat, cooking it for longer can yield a more tender result.
- If you want to use wings, use the same timing and temp.
- Recipe and basting technique adapted from Ree Drummond’s Oven BBQ chicken recipe.
- Some users have commented that this recipe makes for a very messy oven. This has never happened to me, so I imagine it has to do with a specific oven and/or pan. But if you find that it is splattering a lot, you can tent it with foil to prevent a mess!
- Some users have had issues with the chicken being “fully cooked” in the given time. 46 minutes is MORE than enough time to cook chicken pieces, but here is some troubleshooting that might help:
- Make sure your chicken is fully defrosted if previously frozen.
- If using giant chicken thighs or larger pieces like legs, it may need more time.
- Measure the temperature in the thickest part of the meat, not the bone.
- Taking the temperature is the only safe way to gauge doneness. Chicken may look pink or even reddish depending on the type – if it’s organic, or a young chicken, this can happen with a chemical reaction with the hemoglobin. This is why the advice of looking for clear juices to indicate doneness is outdated and should not be used.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and reflects one serving of the recipe (total servings indicated at top of recipe card). It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
This oven bbq chicken recipe originally appeared on Bowl of Delicious in September 2015. It has been updated to include more detailed instructions, a video, tips and tricks, and process shots.
Amanda
This is now my go-to receipe when cooked backed chicken. Its comes out really juicy and tender, love it!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Michelle Bartusiak
I have skin on chicken breasts and legs. How long would you recommend baking?
Elizabeth Lindemann
Without the bone in? I’d say take the total cooking time down by about 5 minutes (you can always check the internal temperature) by cutting down that initial cooking time before basting. If the bone is in, keep the time the same. Hope that helps!
Penny
Perfect… 1st time to try this….soooo juicy and tender, we love it… thank you for the recipe😊❤️
Elizabeth Lindemann
Thanks- So glad you liked it!
Janet
I used the elevated rack in my pan- whole house filled with smoke! What a disaster- the oil on the chicken drip pen off with juices and smoked and smoked. Sorry, this was a FAIL for me.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Oh no! Sorry you had a frustrating experience. Ovens vary greatly- I’ve never had this issue. Next time, you may want to try a lower temperature- sounds like your oven runs pretty hot. Hope that helps!
Sarah
How long would you suggest cooking boneless skinless thighs like this?
Elizabeth Lindemann
Good question! They’ll only need about 20 minutes total. I recommend skipping the initial baking time of 25 minutes and instead going all in on the sauce. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and brush the sauce on all sides. Bake for 6 minutes, brush the tops with more sauce, bake for 6 more, brush with sauce, and bake for 6 more. This is a total of 18 minutes. At this point, brush with a little more sauce (if you have any left) and stick them under the broiler for a couple minutes to get some dark caramelization and charred parts on top. Hope that helps, and hope you like it! And as always, if you want to be extra sure they are cooked, use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature is 165 degrees F.
Carol
This recipe is a great start – I added fresh lemon zest and juice as well as onion powder to “brighten” it up a bit
Elizabeth Lindemann
Love that idea! Glad you liked it :-)
Alanii
I have been using this recipe for months now. With the weather changing I can’t grill as much. Most recipes show you a picture of the end result and it never turns out that way. This was NOT the case here. I soaked my chicken in some liquid smoke and threw some spices on top, followed the rest of the recipe and everyone swore I grilled it! This is such a timesaver. 10/10
Elizabeth Lindemann
SO happy this recipe worked out just how you wanted it to!
Lakeisha
I would definitely have to try that added step with liquid smoke! Thanks for that tip!
Kelsey
Could you use chicken breasts and just cut them into smaller pieces?
Elizabeth Lindemann
I wouldn’t recommend using cut up chicken breasts for this method. The BBQ glaze gets so thick and caramelized because of the longer baking time, but cut up chicken breasts don’t take long to cook at all so you’d either end up with very overcooked chicken or a thin coating of sauce. You could do whole chicken breasts- again, you run the risk of overcooking and you won’t get crispy skin (unless you use skin-on breasts)! I recommend baking them for about 30-35 minutes total (or until internal temp is 165 degrees)- skip the initial baking time and go right in with the sauce, taking them out every 7-10 minutes and basting, and broiling at the end for some charred parts. Hope that helps!
Moe
Thank you!!! Recipe was a hit !!! The extra broiler time really made the difference. ???
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! :-)
Jo
Wonder what happens if the chicken thighs are frozen???
Elizabeth Lindemann
I do not recommend cooking frozen chicken in the oven. The outside will cook fast, and the inside will take a while, which means you will risk undercooked chicken inside and overcooked on the outside! For this recipe, definitely defrost the chicken before making it. As an alternative, an instant pot/pressure cooker is a great way to cook frozen meat- you might want to check out this recipe! https://www.createkidsclub.com/instant-pot-frozen-chicken-thighs/
Stella
This was absolutely AMAZING!! My husband and kids loved it and asked for seconds! I also made black beans over white rice, a salad and sweet plantains! This was a HIT and a staple in my recipe book for years to come. Thanks so much!!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Aw, yay! Thanks, and so happy you and your family liked it! That sounds like an amazing meal.
Angel Johnson
Trying this tonight! My husband and I have recently taken in a homeless single mother with 5 children (ages 2 -18 years) and its IMPERATIVE that I find recipes that are quick, easy AND that will stretch to feed a crowd!(plus provide leftovers for hubby’s lunch the next day! Lol) So when I was reseraching what to do with the package of 20 drumsticks I picked up at Sam’s for a mere $7 and I always keep bottles of bbq sauce on hand I knew I had to give this a try! Will update when dinner is done however after the reviews I have read I am very optimistic!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Hope you and everyone else liked it!
Daisy Otto
Making this for a dinner at church tonight, will it still be good if it cools down? Should I reheat? Recommended way? ?
Elizabeth Lindemann
Personally I think it would be good if it cooled down ? If you are able to just keep it in the oven on warm until close to when you serve it, that would be great! Hope you like it!
Sara
Since I found this recipe a few weeks ago, I have made it 3 times and my family loves it! It’s so easy to make and so good!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Aw yay! So happy you and your family like it!
Rose Womac
I made this last night and it was OMG delicious. I used bone in skin on thighs and Sweet Baby Ray’s Hickory and Brown Sugar sauce. I did pat dry the chicken with paper towels before placing on the wire rack. I think that added to the crispy factor. So easy and so good. Thanks for sharing.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So happy you liked it!! LOVE that tip about patting the chicken dry- I’m going to add that to the recipe notes! Thanks!
michelle
I made these last night and they turned out AMAZING. Tasted just like they came off the grill.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Aw yay! So glad you liked it!
Connie
I made this skinless and my husband and I both loved it! The only problem I had was when I moved the oven rack higher and broiled for 5 minutes to get it more crispy and charred. The oven started smoking and set off the fire alarms! It was still how we like it…….charred!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Haha! Those dang fire alarms! So glad you liked it :-)
Laura
Delicious..just got done serving and it was great. Thank you for such an easy recipe that was delicious.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Thanks! So happy you liked it!
George K
I have been searching for an easy recipe for BBQ chicken. Your TWO INGREDIENT CRISPY OVEN BBQ CHICKEN is not only quick and easy it is delicious! When I placed the chicken under the broiler, that was the icing on the cake! It just finished the caramelization process and made it look awesome. My family loved it. My 17 year old even said it was good without any prompts… This recipe is going to be my a forever recipe!
Thank you so much,
Elizabeth Lindemann
Thanks so much! I’m so happy you and your family liked it :-)
Makiah
Looks and smells delicious ? A lot of water/fat/liquid filled the bottom of the pan. Should I drain that when I begin adding bbq sauce?
Elizabeth Lindemann
No need to drain the fat, but you can if you want to! This is why I sometimes cook it on a wire rack nestled into the baking sheet- so it doesn’t sit in the fat. It does make for extremely juicy chicken, though :-) Hope it worked out for you!