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    Home » Main Dish » Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs

    Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs

    Published: Apr 8, 2020 · Modified: Sep 16, 2021 by Jennie · This post may contain affiliate links

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    These Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs are made with a homemade rub and then baked and smothered in bbq sauce. Plus you probably have all these ingredients in your pantry already. 

    Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs in the casserole dish

    These Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs are on of my favorite recipes. They are so simple to make and have become a staple in our house. I love serving this chicken with a side salad, roasted vegetables, and loaded baked potato casserole.

    How to make Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs:

    These BBQ Chicken Thighs are so tasty and juicy. Start with mixing your dry rub them rubbing them on the thighs. Bake and then smother in BBQ sauce.

    Ingredients:

    • Chicken Thighs
    • BBQ Sauce (use your favorite brand)

    BBQ Dry Rub:

    For this recipe I like to keep it really simple with the rub. Since I use BBQ sauce we don't need to much and I don't want it to sweet. This is what I put in mine:

    • salt
    • garlic powder
    • chili powder
    • pepper
    • smoked paprika.

    dry rub ingredients for the BBQ chicken thighs

    Step one: Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees F. Then prepare a baking sheet with foil and pat chicken dry with a paper towel and set aside.

    • Tip: I sometimes use a baking rack to keep chicken out of the dripping. This will help you get a really crispy skin. 

    Step two: In a small bowl mix all seasonings together. Coat chicken thighs in your dry rub and place on a baking rack. Bake for 40 minutes turning once about half way through.

    chicken thighs rubbed with BBQ dry rub

    Step three: Remove chicken from the oven and brush with BBQ sauce.

    • Tip: For a crispy skin place the chicken baked into the oven on broil for a few minutes. Keep an eye on them they should not need more than 2-3 minutes. 

    baked chicken thighs covered in BBQ sauce

    Why use chicken thighs?

    Chicken thighs are a great juicy dark meat cut of the chicken. Unlike breasts they are typically all the same size and cook evenly throughout. The dark meat also has great flavor and they really hold in the juice. Sometimes chicken breasts have a tendency to get dry in baking, but with thighs they are smaller and do not dry out as fast even if you cook a little longer than planned.

    Should I marinade in the BBQ Sauce?

    Nope, there is no need to marinade in a sauce when you have the dry rub. You can rub these thighs down a day in advance if you want and the rub will do all the work for you! If you marinade in a sweet sauce like BBQ Sauce the sugar in it will cause the skin to burn quicker in the oven.

    Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs on a white plate

    If you tried any of my recipes I would love to hear from you, leave me a comment below. You can also connect with me on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST. I would love for you to follow along and discover more amazing recipes.

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    Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs

    Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs

    Jennie Duncan
    These Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs are made with a homemade rub and then baked and smothered in bbq sauce. Plus you probably have all these ingredients in your pantry already.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Total Time 1 hr
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 499 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 pounds chicken thighs
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
    • ¾ cup bbq sauce

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet with foil. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel and set aside.
    • In a small bowl mix all seasonings together. Coat chicken thighs in your dry rub and place on a baking rack. Bake for 40 minutes turning once about half way through.
    • Remove chicken from the oven and brush with BBQ sauce.

    Notes

    • Tip: For a crispy skin place the chicken baked into the oven on broil for a few minutes. Keep an eye on them they should not need more than 2-3 minutes. 
    • Tip: I sometimes use a baking rack to keep chicken out of the dripping. This will help you get really crispy skin. 

    Serving Options:

    I love serving this chicken with a side salad, roasted vegetables, and loaded baked potato casserole. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 499kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 37gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 222mgSodium: 470mgPotassium: 474mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 313IUCalcium: 18mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    picture and signature

    « Cinnamon Sugar Roasted Sweet Potatoes
    Slow Cooker Whole Chicken »
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    Comments

    1. Jen

      April 13, 2020 at 9:34 pm

      I have this in the oven right now. Smells delicious!!! I know my husband is going to love it. Quick question- do you bake it on the rack or directly on the foil (like in the picture)?

      Reply
      • Jennie

        April 16, 2020 at 3:03 pm

        Hi Jen, for a crispier skin I use the rack but it also baked great without. Should have made that clear that it is optional, sorry about that. I hope you enjoy the recipe!!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Jennie! I'm a busy mom of three and I love cooking and sharing easy recipes. From slow cooker meals to casseroles all my recipes are simple to make and ones the entire family will love.

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