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.
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
to make this oven baked BBQ chicken, and to roast literally anything you want. I have two and they are the ONLY baking sheets I will EVER use. They’re super sturdy, so they don’t buckle when the temperature changes (it’s the scariest thing ever when hot oil splatters when your pan buckles!). And they conduct heat well to make sure that your food is well cooked on the top and bottom, and they are really good at being non-stick, even though they don’t have any non-stick coating (it’s all natural!).
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).
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!
Did you make this oven BBQ chicken recipe? Please comment and rate it below!
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
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.
Video
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.
- 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and 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.
David Sather
Very tasty and easy to make, I turned the broiler on for a few minutes at the end to give it a more chard look, we really enjoyed this recipe. Thanks!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Angela M Kappauf
I have tried your recipe many, many times and we absolutely love it! It’s like summer time grilling in the winter. Scrumptious! 😋 😋 😋
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
LeAnn Bjaanes
I am making large quantities for a crowd? Could this be made ahead of time and reheated? I am using 9 pc chickens. I’m thinking I should cook the different pieces separately as they will take different times to cook?
Elizabeth Lindemann
Good question. When reheating chicken, there is a risk of it overcooking and becoming dry. So for 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! So, I’ve never personally done this so I can’t guarantee the outcome, but here’s what I would do. I would cook the recipe as directed, then you can store the cooked chicken in the fridge for 1-2 days. When you are ready to reheat. place in a baking dish 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. With this 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!). Hope that helps, and if you try this I’d love to know how it turns out for you!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Oh – and as for cooking the different pieces separately as they will take different times to cook – I think if you do use all dark meat pieces, you won’t need to worry about this. But if you decide to do breasts as well, this might be a good idea!
Sandy
Oh my gosh…so easy and delicious…love putting BBQ sauce on 3times…made chicken legs so yummy!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Davis Rowley
Have made this many times!! Great for a crowd! serving during the Masters this afternoon! Also I always leave a couple of pieces naked because some do not like BBQ sauce. Yummy!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Bonnie
I made this recipe and it was perfectly delicious!!
So simple, also. Thank you so much for allowing us to access it!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
ron
i did it! thank you for the tips and recipe. i think i will venture into some other sauces than the Stubbs I tried with skinless boneless thighs. my family loved it.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Bonnie
Followed the recipe and this chicken turned out perfect!! Very tasty and so juicy! It was excellent! Thanks for posting!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Ellen
Amazing! Comes out perfect every time – Thank you for sharing this wonderful dish
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Nick
Where’s the review I left? It’s no wonder this recipe has so many stars if you just delete the negative ones.
After following your recipe exactly the internal temperature of the chicken thighs was barely 140F. The far too frequent addition of bbq sauce was apparently acting as a heat sink, stalling the cooking process. I ended up having to cook them for an added 30 minutes just to reach 165. I prefer my dark meat closer to 180, but by that time the rest of my meal was getting cold. I decided to
suffer through the safely but barely cooked chicken. Not good.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Hi, Nick! Oh, boy 😆 😅 I’m happy to help you troubleshoot these concerns.
To answer your question: “Where’s the review I left?” – I’ve been on vacation with my family for the past week. It’s just me that responds to these comments – it’s important to me that readers have their questions answered straight from the recipe creator! – so I am sometimes not available for hours, days, or even a week or so to respond. But I’ll always circle back around to respond in most cases, with the exception of rude, unrelated, or spam comments. Which brings me to the next point…
To address your concern about deleting negative reviews – I don’t delete negative reviews. Feel free to scroll through the comments to confirm that negative reviews do exist. I do, however, delete reviews if they are extremely rude and/or do not provide any substance in terms of what actually went wrong – lack of specificity with only disparaging remarks does not allow me to help troubleshoot what went wrong with the recipe and therefore provides no benefit to the readers of my recipes. You can see my comment policy here: https://www.bowlofdelicious.com/faqs/
Now, your original comment absolutely fit the category of being deleted due to rudeness and not adding anything beneficial or specific to the recipe community. I am going to delete it, since we are addressing your concerns here. But I’ll copy and paste it here for anyone reading this who may be wondering “what does a rude, non-specific, disparaging comment actually look like?” Here you go!
“I was tempted to bring these chicken thighs straight to the outside trashcan just so I wouldn’t have to share a space with the abomination that resulted from following this recipe.”
Phew! Now that that’s done, let’s get to troubleshooting the issue of the temperature of the chicken thighs, shall we? I can actually help with that concern, since you were specific about the issue that happened. Though- good use of the word “abomination” 😂
This chicken shouldn’t be undercooked after the total of 46 minutes cooking time at 400-425 degrees F (25 minutes + 3×7 minute increments). If you are using whole chicken legs rather than drumsticks/thighs, or HUGE thighs, they may take a little longer. A quick search for other chicken thigh, drumstick, or leg recipes will verify this – it actually takes more like 35 minutes, so the taking in and out of the oven, shouldn’t matter due to the increased (though that’s a good point – the chicken itself won’t cool off enough to effect this, but I would recommend closing the oven door in between basting to keep the heat in the oven – I’ll add a recipe note for this! If you kept it open, it’s possible much of the heat escaped which would potentially cause an issue here). The potential of giving meat more time to come to temperature than a recipe indicates can apply with really any meat recipe ever. Meat varies so much in size, type (organic vs. non, young vs, old, etc.) that it’s really the only sure way to make sure it’s done.
A super common way undercooking happens if your chicken was previously frozen. It’s possible it was still frozen on the inside but seemed defrosted on the outside – in this case, it would need longer to cook, or ideally be defrosted fully before cooking. I like to defrost frozen chicken pieces for at least TWO days in the fridge – overnight never is enough time for me!
The only safe way to check for temperature doneness is to use a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the muscle (be careful not to measure temperature on a bone, as this will give an inaccurate, cooler reading – this may have happened in your case). And I agree – dark meat is best at 180 – that’s usually closer to the reading I get with this recipe unless I’m using giant chicken thighs or something!
If your chicken pieces TRULY are not cooked to temperature after 46 minutes at 400-425 degrees F, you may want to double check that the temperature of your oven is correct and your meat thermometer works properly, and that the chicken is truly defrosted as mentioned above, and then adjust course on the recipe if needed by adding more time.
Hope that helps!
AdaGirl
For those that are finding their chicken undercooked, I would add one more thing…
When basting anything, it’s best to open the oven door, take the pan out of the stove, close the oven door, baste, and THEN put it back in the oven. I see a lot of people basting with the oven door wide open the whole time and this is why it takes your Grandma ALL DAY to cook a Turkey!!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Thanks! I added this suggestion to the recipe as well :-) You can lose SO much heat by leaving the oven open!
R
I used chicken legs and found they needed much longer initial cooking time than 25 minutes before starting the bbq sauce application process. I came from an era that didn’t find rare cooked chicken particularly appetizing.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Interesting! I also come from that “era!” 😆 Sarcasm aside, this chicken shouldn’t be “rare” after the total of 46 minutes cooking time at 400-425 degrees F (25 minutes + 3×7 minute increments). If you are using whole chicken legs rather than drumsticks/thighs (which is what the recipe calls for), they may take a little longer (and deviating from the recipe may require you to adjust course on your own), but that time should still be sufficient for whole legs. A quick search for other chicken thigh, drumstick, or leg recipes will verify this.
Now. Was your problem that the meat seemed pink, and didn’t LOOK fully cooked? This can sometimes happen depending on what meat you use. Dark meat can have a pinkish hue to it, sometimes even reddish, even when fully cooked. Sometimes using organic chicken, or depending on how the chicken was raised or its age can affect this as well. Pigment in the bone marrow can sometimes make the meat look reddish, especially in young chickens whose bones are still permeable. The hemoglobin in the muscles can also react with air to give it a pinkish hue even after it’s fully cooked. Please see this source from the USDA.
The ONLY safe way to check for temperature doneness is to use a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the muscle (be careful not to measure temperature on a bone, as this will give an inaccurate reading). Chicken is fully cooked at 165 degrees F, though dark meat can be cooked to a higher temperature of 180-190 with a more juicy, fall-off-the-bone result. I love using the (affiliate link) Thermoworks Thermapen for a super accurate and fast reading.
If your chicken legs TRULY are not cooked to temperature after 46 minutes at 400-425 degrees F, you may want to double check that the temperature of your oven is correct and your meat thermometer works properly, and then, as mentioned above, adjust course on the recipe if needed by adding more time.
Hope that helps!
D
Excellent, I added a bit of ginger and allspice to the sauce as well.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! Love those spice additions!
Barb M.
I bought a grill that could have a rotisserie put on it because that’s the only way I thought I’d be able to replicate our local market’s chicken. After I bought it, all the reviews for the rotisserie have been bad, so I go too often to buy baked chicken :) .
No need to anymore. It was perfect. I don’t use that phrase…
1. I’m the only one eating it, so I halved the number of thighs without doing a recalculation of the ingredients.
2. 0 prep time and I really, really appreciate that.
3. I wondered how cooking on racks was going to do and it was amazing. I had no idea. I really like this much better.
4. We usually have problems with temperature of our oven not being accurate. No problem with this recipe.
I did raise the oven grate to broil it for the last couple of minutes and it again, was perfect. No one paid me for this review and I am picky as can be. Thanks!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! You did such a good job summarizing why this recipe is great – thank you!! I love it for all the same reasons.
Barb M.
I lived in NC for some years and fell in love with 12 Bones (barbecue joint where Pres. Obama went when he was there) blueberry chipotle sauce. I actually found the real recipe, if I follow it correctly, I’ve already sent a friend this recipe and will let her fall in love with it. I just have to find some odd components. But, I expect spectacular.
I love other dishes that I no longer make because they’re time consuming (eggplant parm, cioppino, etc.) but this is just perfect and fast. Many thanks.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Oh that blueberry chipotle sauce sounds wonderful!!
Kristen
I came across this recipe a while ago, it was so delicious it has become a regular on our dinner rotation, we just had it for dinner last night! The chicken is always delicious event my picky 5 year old loves it! Since i came across it again I wanted to leave a review since our family loves it so much!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Julie Bevacqua
Tastes delicious…the thighs were still bleeding…lady, you have NO IDEA what you’re talking about…take it out, BBQ sauce, 7 minutes more, take it out, BBQ sauce, 7 minutes again…take it out! WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?????????
Elizabeth Lindemann
This comment is quite confusing… am I to understand that you cooked the chicken thighs for only 14 minutes?? That’s definitely not enough time! I think you missed the part of the directions where it says to bake for 25 minutes initially, then take out and baste every 7 minutes three more times for a total of 25 minutes + 21 minutes (46 minutes). That should be enough time for the chicken thighs to cook but you also want to make sure to use a meat thermometer to be certain. Goodness, 14 minutes isn’t enough. The repeated basting results in a thick BBQ sauce glaze by allowing each layer to caramelize and thicken as it bakes before adding more.
I so admire your courage though, amidst the literal hundreds of successful reviews here, to call me a “lady who has no idea what she’s talking about.” Really, it takes chutzpah to leave a comment like this, lol!
Better luck next time 😉
Amanda
Excellent! Followed directions exactly. I used two large bone-in chicken breasts. The chicken was moist and very flavourful
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
AdaGirl
This is an AWESOME recipe/cooking technique!!! I’m a really good cook (if I do say so myself) and often make very complex recipes… whatever it takes to get the perfect texture and taste. This is so easy, but sacrifices nothing in the result. So simple… pick your favorite bbq sauce and follow this technique. It turns out delicious and also presents really beautifully. Thank you so much for sharing!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it! This is a great comment – I agree, it’s simple but so effective!
Debby Bell
I have never cooked chicken legs before, although my family loves them. I tried this tonight and it was a hit! I bought a huge package of legs, so I had to use two pans. I lined the pans with foil and used racks on both. I decided to broil one pan at the very end for two minutes to see if it made a difference. The difference was marginal and both pans were extremely tasty. I used Sweet Baby Ray’s Original Recipe. I will be making these again!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Katie
I also live down 1826 from the Salt lick
Elizabeth Lindemann
Such a small world! I’ve since moved from Texas to Rhode Island but boy do I miss BBQ! Have you checked out Crimson Creek BBQ yet? They’re over at Deep Eddy on 290, BEST BBQ EVER!
Robin
Really good BBQ chicken. I never have good results baking chicken in the oven but this recipe was so good. I used boneless skinless chicken and adjusted the cooking time. So easy and good!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Lauri
This was absolutely delicious! Will be making this again soon.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Angela Duga
This BBQ Chicken was easy and delicious! My elderly picky eaters cleared their plates! I will be making this again soon!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!