Baked BBQ Chicken
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!
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.
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.
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.
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
- Potatoes: Mashed, Smashed, Roasted, Grilled, Wedges, and more potato recipes.
- Vegetables: Roasted Green Beans, Carrots, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, and more roasted vegetable recipes.
- Other Sides: Corn Casserole, Stovetop Mac and Cheese, Cornbread, Baked Beans, Macaroni Salad, Greens and Beans, Green Bean Casserole, and more side dish recipes.
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links*)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- Baking Sheet– This is what 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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Try These Next
- Slow Cooker Short Ribs
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken
- Smothered Chicken
- Chicken Corn Chowder
- Roasted Pork Tenderloin
- Chicken Enchiladas
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Baked BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
- 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
- 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.
- 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
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per drumstick. This recipe makes 8 drumsticks.
Another favorite! Delicious and easy to make. I kept the timer going and rotated with the sauce – perfect. We had this with tatertots, though I’d probably do mashed potatoes or fries next time. I also made baked beans and green beans. In a house with teens this was devoured. I didn’t have enough time to do the full drybrine, but even doing the dry for 3 hours, a noticeable difference in taste and texture. Can’t wait to make this again!
I’m so happy it was such a success Amy! Sounds like a fun meal with the Tater tots, beans, and green beans! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!!❤️
These were the juiciest drumsticks we have ever had! They were perfect. I’ve never dry brined anything before (didn’t even know it was a thing) but man, does it make it tasty. Even with only 8 hrs! I also loved how doing 3 coats of sauce really let it take on and absorb the flavor. It wasn’t just baked chicken slathered in sauce, the light layers of sauce with the oil and paprika/pepper really boosted the flavor to another level and made something so so good.
Served it with your baked green beans and mac/cheese (but with shells) and threw some bbq beans on the stove too. Really great, filling and flavorful meal that had us wishing it was summer already!
Btw, just want to say how all your recipes are so clearly properly tested. It’s so easy to plan and time the different parts of dinner because if you say 50 mins, it takes 50 mins. Or how the amount of sauce or cheese or whatever is ALWAYS the perfect amount you need. Your food is always perfectly balanced and flavored. I never change a thing. This is literally the only site I use now because I never worry how something will turn out or if it will be liked. All your hard work is very much appreciated. You make dinner easy and enjoyable! Thanks!
Hiii Lex!!! I am SOOOOOOO happy to hear that you loved the BBQ Chicken and I absolutely LOVE what you served with it- it made my super hungry thinking about all of the components, they all pair so well with each other. As far as your compliments on my recipes/instructions/quantities, etc., I truly couldn’t ever ask for a better compliment than that! When I test my recipes, I am relentless when I measure things, time things, and I tend to overthink every aspect because I want it to come out perfect for people. So I just can’t thank you enough for appreciating that and for taking the time to write out such a lovely review. You really are the best, and your support means SOOO much! THANK YOU!!!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️