Baked BBQ Chicken – this is how I make Barbecue Chicken in the oven when I want to satisfy my craving for sticky, juicy chicken but I don’t want to fire up the BBQ. This recipe uses my quick homemade BBQ sauce – off the charts good for something so simple!
This is a one pan, quick and easy dinner. 5 minute prep, dump and bake!
Oven Baked BBQ Chicken
This recipe used to have the most generic of names – “Sticky Baked Chicken”. Nobody ever understood what it actually was, so I’d have to describe it. “It’s kinda sweet, it’s savoury, and it has this awesome glaze!”, I’d animatedly tell my friends, in a bid to convince them that had to try it.
(And well, well, well, what do you know? Convincing people they have to try a recipe is now what I do for a full time job! 😂)
It wasn’t until I started this website and I actually started cataloging my recipes properly that it dawned on me that the sauce is really just a simplified version of barbecue sauce, full length iterations of which you see in recipes like Barbecue Pork Ribs, Beef Ribs and BBQ Pulled Pork.
Half the ingredients delivers 90% of the flavour.
For a midweek meal, I’ll take that!
↑↑↑ PS Up close and personal view so you can see STICKY outside and JUICY inside!
What you need for Baked BBQ Chicken
Here’s what you need. I don’t use – nor do we need – a rub for this recipe because the chicken cooks in the BBQ Sauce so it sucks up plenty of flavour. You’ll see the process steps below!
Best chicken cuts for BBQ Chicken cooked in the oven – use bone in, skin on chicken pieces like thighs (pictured, and shown in video), legs and wings. Bone in breast / Maryland will also work here.
We need skin to get a really lovely glaze, and we need bone in pieces so they can be baked for 50 minutes so they absorb the flavour from the barbecue sauce without drying out.
How to make Baked BBQ Chicken in the oven
And here’s how to make it. See? Dump-and-bake!
OK OK, I simplified it slightly. It’s actually Dump -> Bake -> Baste -> Broil. The 3 minute broil is how we get the surface really nicely caramelised!
This oven baked BBQ Chicken is deliberately made with a barbecue sauce that is thinned out with water so:
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it won’t dry out in the oven; and
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to create enough sauce so the chicken absorbs the flavour as it bakes. We bake the chicken upside for the first half, then flip it for the second half so both sides get the benefit of the flavour, This is why we don’t need a rub for this recipe.
And you are going to LOVE the barbecue sauce you end up with in the baking dish! All the juices from the chicken mixes in as you bake it, so you basically end up with a world-class barbecue sauce that’s got the benefit of the ultimate home-made chicken stock!
What to serve with Baked BBQ Chicken
In the spirit of all things BBQ, I’m going to suggest classic sides for a BBQ cook out – and also some lighter alternatives just in case you’re counting your calories!
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Classic creamy Coleslaw – or try our No Mayo Coleslaw (it’s excellent!) or this Cabbage Salad
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Potato Salad – or this Lemon Potato Salad, or use a Yogurt Potato Salad Dressing
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Corn slathered in butter
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Cornbread or Dinner Rolls – for mopping
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Creamy Mashed Potato – or Creamy Cauliflower Mash (for drowning in sauce)
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Big leafy salad with a salad dressing
Though having suggested all those sides, it’s actually pictured above with this Green Bean Salad 😂. – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Oven Baked BBQ Chicken - with quick homemade barbecue sauce
Ingredients
Sauce (Note 1)
- 1 cup ketchup or Australian/UK tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp mustard powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
- 1 cup water
Chicken
- 1.5 kg / 3 lb chicken thighs (bone in skin on), drumsticks or wings (Note 2)
- Fresh parsley, chives or finely chopped green onions , for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F.
- Sauce: Mix all Sauce ingredients in a ceramic/glass baking dish (Note 3), then mix in water.
- Add chicken and turn to coat. Place chicken skin side down.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, turn chicken, spoon over Sauce.
- Bake for a further 30 minutes, then remove and spoon over Sauce.
- Skim off fat (optional): Tilt pan and spoon or drain off excess fat.
- Broil/grill - Change to broiler/grill on high. Spoon sauce over chicken generously, then place under grill / broiler for 2 to 3 minutes to caramelise the chicken and the sauce to thicken more. Do not walk away - this can happen quickly!
- Serve chicken, garnished with parsley or green onions, if using. Pictured in post with Mashed Potato and Green Bean Salad (minus feta).
Classic Side Dishes for BBQ Chicken
- Cornbread, Coleslaw, Potato Salad (or try this no mayo Lemon Potato Salad), Southern Baked Beans, big leafy salad with classic Vinaigrette, steamed corn with butter, bread rolls, creamy mashed potato (or Creamy Cauliflower Mash for low carb emergency!), or Potato & Gravy.
Recipe Notes:
- Ketchup - sub with Tomato Sauce (ie Aussie/UK tomato sauce, not what US calls "tomato sauce")
- Cider vinegar - can sub with white wine, sherry or champagne vinegar, OR 2 tbsp normal white vinegar
- Onion powder - sub garlic powder or 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- Mix sauce WITHOUT water
- Use 1 kg / 2 lb breast or boneless thighs
- Follow the cooking directions in this recipe - Sticky Baked Chicken Thighs. ie coat with 2/3 sauce, bake on high, baste with remaining sauce & broil/grill to finish.
- Pan - light scrubbing will be required to clean! So either use glass/ceramic OR metal pan lined with foil then parchment/baking paper.
- Sauce thickness at end depends one many factors eg - how snug the chicken is in the baking dish, how juicy / fatty the chicken is, oven accuracy. But very easy to adjust - too thick, add splash of water, too thin, return just the pan to the oven for a minute or two (thickens super quickly)
Nutrition Information:
Originally published October 2016. Given a much needed spruce up with new photos and new video, as well as an update on Life of Dozer!
Life of Dozer
When my brother took Dozer out for a walk. This is why I trained Dozer NOT to give slobbery kisses!!! 🤢
And from the original publication date:
Dashing inside when he heard / smelled / his sixth sense told him there was FOOD ready to be photographed.
Hi Nagi,
This recipe tasted delicious! It was super easy to make and very economical.
Thanks so much!
Simply Delicious 🤤
Thanks, Nagi!
Made this tonight. Added celery seed and used Lawry’s Seasoning salt. Outstanding once again Nagi! Thanks!
Hi Nagi.I really want to make this as it looks delicious can I please ask what type of mustard powder would I need as in the UK we have English Mustard powder,and how is Dozer he is gorgeous
Substituted Maple syrup for brown sugar. It was wonderful! Unexpected company as well, turned out perfectly!!
Made it and it was so delicious whole family loved it.
Hi, I am making this tonight for a party. I am using boneless, skinless thighs and breasts. How would the cooking time change? Thanks so much.
Hi Jeri – I mention this in the recipe notes. N x
Thank you Nagi for the recipe, made this yesterday the sauce is amazing. I got a bit too much liquid to reduce, so next time I would cut down the water a little bit other than that Love love love!!! Thank you!!!
Hi Nagi.
I made this the other night and it was officially rated as “Yum!” by my fussy 15 year old son who seems to expect chicken as nuggets. It had great flavour and very juicy. I added 1 tsp of Sriracha – couldn’t help myself!
Made this last night, I made a mistake, forgot to broil it at the end, but it was still super ymmi, I want to make it again soon and not forget to broil it at the end so I´ll get the crispy skin on them, but the sauce was thick and nice and the chicken super tender, already know what I´m making next from your website 🙂 Good luck with all the changes in your house, so excited to see pictures of it when it´s ready and hope Dozer doesn´t get too confused 🙂 x
I tried to scale up for a big bbq tomorrow and would up with two pans of chicken in a sauce bath! 😕 If I reduce the liquid on reheat and slather with sauce, do you think I can get that sticky goodness?
Oh no Bronwen, sounds like you’ve overcrowded the pan and the sauce couldn’t reduce. Easy fix – just pop it on the stove to reduce a little then baste the chicken. N x
Nagi, I just received an e-mail copy of your cook book. What a wonderful gift! I will get a lot of use from it as I cook Asian food quite frequently. Thank you so much. Jack!
Hi I have 4 lbs of chicken pieces, can I make the recipe as is with that much or do I need to alter it?
Hi Kt, if you click the servings – you can scale up until you reach 4lb. All the other ingredients will adjust for you 🙂 N x
LOVE this recipe! SO easy and SO quick to throw in the oven when I am in a hurry!
I come to your site often now, to look for quick, easy family recipes! Haven’t been disappointed yet!
Made this tonight…delicious!
Can’t wait to try this tomorrow. I’ve go a whole chicken in the freezer getting ready to thaw now, and the only ingredient I need is the mustard powder. Yummy in my tummy for the week.
Hi Nagi,
Can I cook these on the BBQ?
Another of your wonderful recipes. We loved the sauce on the chicken and put fresh pineapple chunks to cook in the sauce left in the dish. Delicious. Thank you, Nagi
PS: Dozer’s interview was revealing- I had no idea dogs knew about karma. 🙂
This was amazing!! Made this last night for a few families… so easy, and so good. Will be adding to rotation for sure
I just love your recipes everyone a winner its made want to cook and enjoy the product thankyou.