How to cook bbq chicken thighs in the oven

Savory, smoky, and juicy Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs are ready in just 25 minutes! Marinating the chicken in a flavorful dry rub before it’s baked and broiled with your favorite barbecue sauce gives you perfect results every time.

Grilling is one of my favorite summer hobbies. The smoky char on a piece of chicken or grilled vegetables is completely irresistible! Even when it’s too cold to grill, I’m always searching for new ways to recreate those special savory flavors and caramelization using my oven.

You’d never know these Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs aren’t grilled! Every bite is perfectly seasoned, smoky, and covered in a sticky barbecue sauce. Setting them under the broiler for a few minutes gives you beautifully caramelized and savory chicken every time.

Just like my Instant Pot BBQ Chicken and Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs, these easy oven baked BBQ chicken thighs are a year-round weeknight dinner staple. Serve them up with Potato Wedges and Sautéed Asparagus for the best meal ever!

Recipe features

• Each bite is layered with flavor thanks to the mix of herbs, seasonings, and BBQ sauce.
• The chicken is baked, then broiled to ensure it’s juicy on the inside and caramelized on the outside.
• Make it year-round for the best weeknight dinner!

Ingredient notes:

• Chicken thighs - I prefer to use boneless skinless chicken thighs because they don’t take as long to cook. If you want, you can use bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs instead. Just know that they’ll need to cook a bit longer.

• Seasonings - The wide variety of dried herbs and seasonings will give the finished baked barbecue chicken thighs a lot of savoriness and hints of spice.

• BBQ sauce - Use your favorite kind or make it yourself!

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Marinate the chicken. Place the chicken thighs in a large plastic bag along with the olive oil. Shake until the chicken is coated. Next, add all of the herbs and spices into the bag and shake again. Place the bag in the fridge so the chicken can marinate for at least 10 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Step 2: Bake the chicken. Place a baking rack on top of a baking sheet. Add the marinated chicken to the rack and bake.

Step 3: Brush on the BBQ sauce. Take the chicken out of the oven and brush the BBQ sauce on all sides of each piece. 

Step 4: Broil, then serve. Add the barbecue chicken thighs back into the oven on BROIL. This will help the sauce stay on the chicken and maintain its flavor. When it’s done, take the chicken out and serve!

Expert tips and FAQs

• Four hours is more than enough time when marinating the chicken.
• If you aren’t sure if the thighs are ready or not, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. You’ll know they’re ready when the inside reaches 165ºF.
• Seal in the juices by letting the finished chicken thighs rest for 5 or 10 minutes after they come out of the oven.
• Serve the baked chicken next to savory side dishes, like harissa roasted carrots, fingerling potatoes, zucchini fritters, sweet potato salad, green beans, or a kale salad.

Does the BBQ sauce go on before or after baking the chicken?

I like to brush the BBQ sauce on after the chicken is done baking, but before I put it under the broiler. Broiling the chicken gives the sauce time to thicken and stick to the meat. If you were to brush it on the chicken before serving, the sauce is more likely to be too thin or fall off.

What oven temperature do you need for BBQ chicken thighs?

The chicken thighs need to be baked at 425°F.

How long do they take to bake?

The chicken thighs need 20 minutes to bake in the oven before adding the barbecue sauce. From there, they’re broiled for just 3 to 5 minutes.

Can I grill the chicken thighs instead?

Like I said, these BBQ chicken thighs are a year-round recipe! Fire up the grill during summer and grill the marinated chicken for 5 to 7 minutes per side on a 400º-450ºF grill. Brush the barbecue sauce on right before they’re done.

Storage

• Refrigerator: The baked chicken thighs keep nicely in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To reheat, place the chicken thighs on a baking sheet and warm in a 350ºF oven until they’re heated through.

More savory chicken recipes

• BBQ Chipotle Wings
• Chicken Meatloaf
• Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!

• 2 lb. chicken thighs boneless, skinless
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoon paprika
• 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon cayenne
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup barbecue sauce

• Place chicken in a large plastic bag, drizzle with olive oil, seal it shut, and shake until the chicken is coated in oil (or use your hands).

• Combine all of the spices (everything EXCEPT the bbq sauce) in a small bowl. Then, pour the spices over the chicken, seal the bag and shake until the chicken is coated. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 10 minutes in the refrigerator, or up to 4 hours.

• Next, heat the oven to 425° and place a wire rack on top of a large baking sheet. Place the chicken on top of the rack and bake it for 20 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°.

• Remove the chicken, then brush the bbq sauce over top of each piece of chicken, making sure they're completely coated. Switch the oven to BROIL, place the chicken back into the oven and broil it for 3-5 minutes. Enjoy!

*Calories are per serving and are an estimation

*Storage: store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; to reheat: reheat chicken in the oven at 350°. 

*To make these paleo/whole30: simply make sure you're using an approved bbq sauce (I like Primal Kitchen!)

Calories: 461kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 995mg | Potassium: 448mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 359IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg

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