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.
Laura
OMG….so easy and delish….made it with my homemade spicy bbq sauce and hubby LOVED it. He’s picky about his bbq and he was amazed that it came from the oven!!
HINT: I added a couple of drops of liquid smoke to the sauce before I basted the chicken
Elizabeth
SO happy you and your husband liked it! Awesome idea with liquid smoke… I’ll have to try that!
Andrea
Tried this recipe for dinner tonight and it was perfect. My boyfriend made his own BBQ sauce and it was a great mix with the recipe. Thank you!!
Elizabeth
You’re welcome! Glad you liked it!
Celline
I’ll make it for my child!
Ronnie
I took the advise from another post with 4 skinless boneless chickenbreasts and after 17 minutes or so I turned over the chicken and basted cooked 7 minutes and then basted again and cooked another 7minutes. Your remark on 30to35 minutes for boneless breast meat was rights on. The whole family loved it. I will make this again for sure. I was impressed that you took the time to answer all questions.
Elizabeth
Glad it worked so well with the chicken breasts, and that the timing was right! I’ll definitely have to give it a try sometime. And thanks for noticing my answers to all the questions- I make a big effort to respond to all comments on my blog :-)
Debbie
Excellent Recipe!! My family loved it. I did cook also extra 7 min just to make sure. It was perfect. Thanks for sharing
Elizabeth
Yay! Glad you and your family liked it! I sometimes give it a bit more time as well- luckily it’s hard to overlook bone in skin on chicken so it still comes out perfect :)
Richard Coleman
TODAY IS THE THIRD FRIDAY I HAVE BAKED THIS CHICKEN. IT IS TOOOOOOO GOOD! IT IS NOW MY REGULAR FRIDAY NITE MEAL.
Elizabeth
I’m so happy you like the recipe!!
K
They didn’t come out too bad :D although because buffalo sauce is a lot thinner than BBQ it took a lot more for it to stick/baste/etc. so a few adjustments had to be made. And of course our oven seems to cook everything quite quickly; everything was pretty much ready after the first initial 25 minutes! But again, all in all I think everything came out pretty good. Don’t expect a crispy skin though. I think that will only happen with the BBQ sauce ;)
Elizabeth
I want to try this but I think I’ll add some honey to the buffalo sauce- the sugars in BBQ sauce are what make it thick and easy to baste. Yummmm I can’t wait! Thanks for the update on how it came out!
K
It’s getting down to the nitty gritty and me and the gf are gonna try this tomorrow for supper using a semi-homemade buffalo sauce :) wish us luck!
Elizabeth
I really want to try this with buffalo sauce- hope it came out great for you!!
Helen
Second time making and first time commenting. This is an awesome recipe. I hate a lot of ingredients and this was as simple as I think it can get.The first time I made it was just boneless chicken breasts, and it was awesome. This time I’m doing wings and drumsticks and it was totally awesome again. Love simple cooking!
Elizabeth
Simple recipes are the best!! Glad you liked it :)
JANICE MOLLICE
THIS TURNED OUT DELICIOUS. I ADDED ONION POWDER, GARLIC POWDER AND LITTLE LIQUID SMOKE. MY FAMILY LOVED IT. WILL FIX AGAIN.
Elizabeth
So glad you and your family liked it!! Love the suggestions- I bet the liquid smoke gave it amazing flavor.
Joanne
Hi Elizabeth
This looks like a great recipe and I’d like to use it for a party I’m having on Sunday. I’ll have about 15 people and was hoping I could at least partially prepare this ahead of time. I wondered if you had ever tried this. We are eating around 6:00 so I thought around 3:30 or so I would do the first step with the oil, salt and pepper and baking for 25 or 30 minutes. Then I thought I would baste it two times for the 10 minute intervals on the higher temperature, remove it from the oven and cover with foil loosely and let it sit on top of the stove for about an hour and then put it back in for the last 10 minute basting round and then under the broiler for a few minutes. What do you think? Will it ruin it or not have it crispy? It would just be easier to do all the basting before all the guests arrive.
Elizabeth
With poultry, you never want to undercook it, let it sit, and finish it off. I recommend cooking it according to the directions (or until it’s fully cooked- you can double check with a meat thermometer) and covering it with foil like you suggested for no more than about an hour, and just before serving stick it under the broiler for a few minutes to warm it up and crisp it up. Hope that helps! Have fun tomorrow :-)
Karin
This chicken is soooo delicious!! My son told me on a scale of 1 to 10, he would give it a 10000 :)
Elizabeth
A 10,000!!! He is so generous :-) Glad you and your family liked it!
Henley
I made this tonight and it was a disaster. I knew from the get go for crispy skin I shouldn’t have used olive oil, but the mention of Pioneer Woman got me. In retrospect I realized you were only using her basting method.
Not only was the chicken undercooked, even after the 400 degrees plus the 425 cooking time, but the skin refused to get crispy, no matter what. Eventually had to finish the legs off in the microwave.
AWFUL METHOD. Never use olive oil for crispy skin! Will not try again.
Elizabeth
Hi Henley- How odd that it didn’t work for you- this is the first time I’ve heard something like this! There are a few suggestions I have that may help, if you decide to make it (or another oven BBQ chicken recipe) again:
First of all, I guarantee the olive oil was not the issue with the crispiness (although a simple switch to canola or vegetable oil would have been fine!). The Pioneer Woman even uses it in her recipe that I linked to. I make traditional roast chicken thighs all the time with olive oil and the skin comes out so crispy, it crunches like a cracker! The culprit here is the BBQ sauce, and I admit: this recipe, even at its best, does not come out as crispy as traditional roast chicken. The BBQ sauce adds a lot of moisture to it, which is why it’s added later in the roasting process. There are three things you can try here:
1) try adding it later in the roasting process, to give the skin underneath time to crisp up a bit more,
2) try roasting it on a rack on a baking sheet, rather than directly on the baking sheet, which will help air circulate better and allow the chicken to not sit in the drippings (and thus absorb the moisture) with the skin side up the whole time, and
3) during the last few minutes of cooking, switch to the broiler (this was suggested in many comments above, and I’m going to edit the post to reflect this as well).
As for the chicken being undercooked- this surprised me too! The difference at the grocery store in sizes of chicken pieces can be amazing- maybe yours were quite large. In addition, based on the fact that the chicken was undercooked and that it came out without an ounce of crispiness makes me think that your oven runs a bit colder than most. You may want to use a meat thermometer as a backup next time: the temp for poultry should read 165 degrees. Also, maybe experiment with upping the temperature when you bake things by 25 degrees or so to see if things cook a bit better.
Hope that helps give some understanding as to potentially why this didn’t work for you! It may also be helpful to look at some of the other comments for more information :-)
Matt
I just made this! I used chicken thighs and kraft sweet honey sauce. They came out delicious but not that crispy. If I wanted them crispier should I go hotter than 425?
Elizabeth
Try using the broiler for the last few minutes next time- that should do the trick! Everyone’s ovens are different so sometimes this recipe doesn’t come out as crispy for some people :)
Janette
This chicken is awesome! I cut up two fryer chickens and cooked as in the instructions except the initial cooking I did longer because of the amount of meat on the tray. It tastes even better than barbecued chicken! So tasty and juicy! All of my guests loved it and wanted the recipe. This makes me feel like I can cook…….and I am not a good cook! Thank you for the boost of confidence.
Elizabeth
Thanks so much Jeanette! Comments like this make my day :) glad it came out great and your guests liked it!
Deborah D
Made this today. YUMMY!! Definitely making this again!
Elizabeth
Glad you liked it!!
Megan
Oh my!! I made this tonight! SOOOO GOOD! They taste just like they’ve been grilled! Charred and everything!
Elizabeth
Yay! So glad you liked it!!
Becka
These were delicious! My 4 year old loved them, so this recipe will become a staple in my home. Thanks for sharing
Elizabeth
Thank you, and so happy you and your family liked it!
Alexis
Can this work with boneless chicken breast? Do you think it will come out the same ?
Elizabeth
You can do this, but it won’t come out quite the same. Bone-in, skin on chicken comes out much juicier, and you won’t have the crispy skin factor. That said, it will still be delicious! Bake for about 30 minutes total- it will cook faster, and you don’t want it to dry out by overcooking (you can check the doneness with a meat thermometer- it should read 165 degrees F). Hope that helps!
Susan
As everyone has said, this is a great recipe for BBQ chicken. The chicken was moist, cooked through to the bone and there was no need to put extra sauce on the table. Thanks for this simple trick.
Elizabeth
Thank you, and so glad you liked it! I always put extra sauce on the table and no one ever uses it :-)
Holly
I would use it! LOL. I’m a bbq sauce FIEND :D