This Baked BBQ Chicken recipe is easy to make in the oven with homemade or store bought BBQ Sauce! Make it with chicken thighs, legs, or breast and serve it with a variety of sides!

BBQ Chicken Chicken on a white plate with green beans in the background.

Baked BBQ Chicken

You can’t go wrong with a big ol’ platter of sticky, saucy, Baked BBQ Chicken! This recipe takes every measure to ensure the crispiest skin and juiciest, most flavorful chicken. 

When it comes to making the best BBQ Chicken, be sure to dry brine the chicken for best results. We’ll also cook down the chicken a bit before adding the BBQ sauce. The results are incredible. Get ready to transform ordinary chicken thighs or drumsticks into finger-licking deliciousness! 

Don’t miss my pro tips below, along with some great pairing options.

How to Make It

Note: This is an overview. See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Dry brine the chicken for 2-20 hours. This will season them nicely and give you crispier skin. Transfer to a baking sheet and season with paprika and pepper. Brush each side with olive oil and bake skin-side-down at 400°F for 26 minutes.

Chicken Drumsticks being dry brined on cooling racks next to a baking sheet of uncooked drumsticks.

Remove from the oven and baste with BBQ Sauce. Flip so that it’s skin-side-up. Baste with more BBQ sauce. Bake for 8 minutes. 

Two baking sheets of BBQ Chicken during stages of being baked and brushed with sauce.

Repeat this 2 more times. (Bake 8 minutes, baste. Bake 8 more minutes, baste.) Broil at 425°F  for few minutes to crisp the top more if desired. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes prior to serving.

BBQ Chicken on a baking sheet before and after they're done baking.

Pro Tips

  • BBQ Sauce: My homemade recipe in the notes section of the recipe card is delicious. Otherwise use any sauce that you like, Sweet Baby Rays is a great choice.
  • Bone-in Chicken Legs or Thighs are best for this recipe as they yield the juiciest results. Dark meat is best at an internal temperature around 180°F, while white meat is best at 165°F.
  • If using Chicken Breast: Bake for 10 minutes. Brush with sauce and bake for 5 more minutes. Repeat two more times every 5 minutes, for a total baking time of 25 minutes. Ensure the internal temp is 165° prior to serving.
  • Dry Brining makes a huge difference in the flavor and texture. Not only does it flavor the meat inside and out, but it helps achieve much crispier skin. Dry brine for 12-20 hours, the longer the better. (But no longer than 20 hours as the chicken will start to break down.)
  • High Quality Meat makes a big difference here since it’s such a basic/simple recipe.
  • A Silicone Baking Mat makes cleanup easier and prevents the chicken from sticking to the baking sheet. It also helps prevent any drippings from burning.

What to Serve With BBQ Chicken

Storage

  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Overhead view of BBQ Chicken on a white plate with parsley on the side.

Tools For This Recipe

(Amazon affiliate links*)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.

  • Baking Sheet– This is the one I use for this recipe, it has rims around the edges which prevents any spillage in the oven.
  • Cooling Racks– 2 of these fit perfectly on top of the baking sheet above for easy dry brining.
  • Silicone Baking Mat– Makes cleanup easier and prevents the chicken from sticking to the baking sheet. It also helps prevent any drippings from burning.
  • Pastry Brush– For brushing the BBQ sauce onto the chicken.
  • Meat Thermometer
  • Spice Rack– This is the one I have, it’s a snap to measure out your seasonings quickly and easily. (Big time saver.)

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Baked BBQ Chicken

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Dry Brine: 12 hours
Total Time: 12 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 8 drumsticks
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This Baked BBQ Chicken recipe is easy to make in the oven with homemade or store bought BBQ Sauce! It pairs with so many sides for an easy dinner idea!

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • 8 chicken drumsticks, (about 1 ¾ lbs.)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt/Pepper, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 ¼ cups barbeque sauce, see notes for homemade recipe

Instructions

Dry Brine

  • This step is optional, but makes a big difference in the flavor and texture of the chicken. Pat the chicken completely dry and sprinkle with salt on all sides. Line a baking sheet with 2 cooling racks and place the chicken on top. Refrigerate uncovered for 2 to 20 hours, the longer the better. This will make it juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and will season it inside and out.

Bake

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Pat the chicken completely dry. Season all sides with salt (if you haven’t already), along with pepper and paprika. Brush skin-side-up with olive oil. Flip, then brush with more oil.
  • Bake skin-side-down on a rimmed, light colored baking sheet for 26 minutes.
  • Remove the chicken from the oven and wipe away excess oil/drippings. Baste with BBQ sauce (I use a “dabbing” motion which helps me apply more sauce.) Flip the chicken so it’s skin-side-up. Baste with more BBQ sauce.
  • Bake for 8 minutes.
  • Remove the chicken and baste the tops with BBQ sauce a second time. Bake for 8 more minutes.
  • Remove and baste with BBQ sauce for a third time. Bake for 8 more minutes.
  • Optional: Broil at 425°F for a few minutes to crisp up the skin a little more. Watch it carefully during this time.
  • Remove and let rest for 5-10 minutes prior to serving. See blog post for pairing suggestions.

Notes

Pro Tips:
  • BBQ Sauce: My homemade recipe in the notes section of the recipe card is delicious. Otherwise use any sauce that you like, Sweet Baby Rays is a great choice.
  • Bone-in Chicken Legs or Thighs are best for this recipe as they yield the juiciest results. Dark meat is best at an internal temperature around 180°F, while white meat is best at 165°F.
  • If using Chicken Breast: Bake for 10 minutes. Brush with sauce and bake for 5 more minutes. Repeat two more times every 5 minutes, for a total baking time of 25 minutes. Ensure the internal temp is 165° prior to serving.
  • Dry Brining makes a huge difference in the flavor and texture. Not only does it flavor the meat inside and out, but it helps achieve much crispier skin. Dry brine for 12-20 hours, the longer the better. (But no longer than 20 hours as the chicken will start to break down.)
  • High Quality Meat makes a big difference here since it's such a basic/simple recipe.
  • A Silicone Baking Mat makes cleanup easier and prevents the chicken from sticking to the baking sheet. It also helps prevent any drippings from burning.
Homemade BBQ Sauce: (Yields 2 cups)
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¾ teaspoon EACH: onion powder, garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon EACH: black pepper
Combine all of the BBQ sauce ingredients in a large bowl. Transfer to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 25 minutes or until your desired thickness is obtained. Note that it will thicken a little more after it’s removed from the heat. Let it cool. The flavors will meld even more once cooled. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per drumstick. This recipe makes 8 drumsticks.

Nutrition

Calories: 244kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 830mg, Potassium: 278mg, Fiber: 0.5g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 258IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 23mg, Iron: 1mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Stephanie