Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs
These Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs are juicy, tender, and so easy! This simple marinade uses common pantry ingredients and is great for meal prepping.
Baked Chicken Thighs
Delicious Chicken Thighs are marinated in a homemade BBQ sauce and baked until perfectly juicy and nearly falling off the bone! This is the perfect recipe for skipping a grocery run–All the ingredients are common pantry staples you likely already have on hand. It’s naturally gluten-free, and it can easily be made keto-friendly with a sugar alternative.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Easy – There are just two steps to this tasty chicken–Marinading and baking. Both steps are hands-off and require little to no effort. This makes it a great recipe for beginner cooks or kids who love to help with dinner.
- Inexpensive – Chicken thighs are often cheaper than breasts, so this is a great choice when you find a bulk package on sale! Instead of using an expensive bottled sauce, we make our own with simple, inexpensive ingredients for pennies. The fact that it freezes and reheats well means you won’t waste a single bite.
- Freezer Friendly – This recipe is great for freezing either before or after cooking! Place fresh chicken in the marinade and freeze for later, or cook the chicken and freeze for a quicker meal later! It’s easy for new parents, sick family members, or friends who could use a little help.
Ingredients for BBQ Chicken Thighs
Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need for this recipe. See the printable recipe card near the bottom of the page for exact measurements.
- Chicken Thighs – Bone in, skin on. We love these because they stay unbelievably juicy and are more forgiving if we get sidetracked and cook them a minute or two too long. You could use 3 pounds of any chicken cut you’d like, though different cuts require different cooking times.
- Salt, Black pepper, Garlic powder, Paprika, Chili powder, Ground cumin – These delicious spices and seasonings add tons of flavor. Using dried seasonings makes this a super convenient recipe that doesn’t require another trip to the grocery store.
- Tomato sauce, Apple cider vinegar, Sugar, Water, Worcestershire sauce, Lemon juice, Liquid smoke – These provide a complex, delicious flavor. The acidity in the tomato sauce, vinegar, and lemon juice help make the chicken more tender if you let it marinade for hours while you’re at work! The sugar can be replaced with an alternative sweetener like monk fruit for a keto or low-carb diet. The liquid smoke is optional but highly, highly recommended.
You’ll also need a mixing bowl or bag for marinating, a baking pan, and an instant-read meat thermometer.
How to Bake BBQ Chicken Thighs
This easy recipe is perfect for beginners and works wonderfully for meal prepping! Here’s a step-by-step guide to making this juice chicken.
Make Marinade
In a bowl or bag, whisk together the marinating ingredients (everything except the salt, pepper, and chicken). Pour 1/2 cup of this mixture into a cup and set aside for now.
Season chicken
Pat chicken dry, then make sure to trim off excess fat or loose bits. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper on both sides to season. Place the seasoned chicken in the bowl or bag of marinade, cover, and allow to chill for at least 20 minutes in the fridge. 10 minutes before cooking, remove from fridge and allow to come to room temperature.
MEAL PREP TIP: Double this recipe and freeze half at this point! Freezing chicken in the marinade means it can thaw and absorb that delicious flavor at the same time.
Bake the Chicken
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a pan with aluminum foil, then grease with spray of oil. Pull chicken from the marinade, shaking excess off. Place chicken pieces on the baking pan, then roast on the center rack of the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the chicken registers 175-195 degrees F on a thermometer.
Brush and Serve
After the chicken has been removed from the oven, brush the reserved 1/2 cup of the marinade mixture over the chicken. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. We love these easy thighs with Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes (or Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole when we’re keeping it low carb). Deviled Eggs make a great appetizer if you’re serving guests and want to stretch the meal further. Bacon Wrapped Green Beans are always well received, but an easy side like Sauteed Zucchini is satisfying, too!
More great sides for baked chicken:
- Bacon Cheddar Cauliflower Tots
- Air Fryer Okra or Squash
- Gouda Jalapeno Bread or Keto Dinner Rolls
- Fried Cabbage or Swiss Chard
- Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Rice
Storage & Reheating
Allow the chicken to cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge. I like to spoon a little of the leftover juice from the pan onto the chicken as well just to keep them nice and moist. They’ll keep for 3-4 days in the fridge and can be reheated in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.
Can you freeze baked chicken?
Yes, leftovers freeze perfectly and can be kept for 3-6 months if stored correctly! To protect from freezer burn, vacuum seal your chicken or wrap each chicken thigh multiple times in plastic wrap, then store in a freezer bag. Allow chicken to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating to keep them juicy.
This is also a great freezer meal! If you’re using fresh chicken, you can freeze them right after placing them in the marinade! Within 6 months, let the thighs defrost in the marinade in the fridge, then cook as directed.
Best ways to reheat chicken without drying it out
- Oven – Place chicken on a pan and cover with foil (or simply wrap entirely in foil). Warm on 350 for 8-12 minutes or until warmed through. Uncover and broil for crispy skin.
- Air Fryer – Wrap in foil, then air fry at 350 degrees for 4 minutes. Remove from foil and allow to continue cooking for another minute to crisp up if you prefer crispy skin.
- Microwave – Reheat at 50% power in 45-second increments until warmed throughout. You won’t get crispy skin, but the low power setting will help keep the chicken moist.
HELPFUL TIP: In any reheating method, add a couple teaspoons of water or broth to the pan/foil/plate. This added moisture will help prevent the chicken from drying out.
If you love this easy chicken recipe, you’ll love these easy dinners!
- Teriyaki Chicken Thighs – You’ll love the tasty sauce on these juicy, tender thighs. It’s surprisingly quick to achieve this amount of flavor.
- Cajun Air Fryer Chicken Thighs – Ready in just 20 minutes and requires no marinading time! This is the ultimate easy recipe when you’re hungry.
- Instant Pot Chicken & Rice – Unbelievably tender chicken thighs are the result of this easy recipe. The rice comes out nice and fluffy, too!
- Honey Mustard Chicken Sheet Pan – This is an easy weeknight meal that will get a healthy protein and veggie on the plate quickly!
- BBQ Chicken Foil Pack – Juicy chicken and tender veggies like zucchini, peppers, and onions cook with no cleanup in these easy packets you can either bake or grill!
Get the Recipe: Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 6-8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, excess fat trimmed (3 pounds)
- 1/2 teaspoon EACH kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 1 cup canned tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar, (or monkfruit if keto)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon EACH garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, cumin
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with foil. Grease the foil with cooking spray or a light coating of oil.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the tomato sauce, vinegar, monkfruit sweetener, water, worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, paprika, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and liquid smoke. Set aside 1⁄2 cup of the sauce in a small bowl for later.
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper on both sides. Place chicken into the large bowl of sauce and mix everything together.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in the fridge for 20 minutes to marinate. Remove from the fridge 10 minutes before cooking.
- Place chicken pieces onto the prepared baking pan.
- Roast in the center rack of the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the chicken registers 175°F-195°F on an instant read thermometer.
- Once chicken comes out of the oven, brush each chicken piece with the remaining sauce.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving!
Notes
- You can substitute the chicken thighs with 3 pounds of any chicken cut such as: wings, drumsticks, split breast, whole chicken. Feel free to mix and match cuts of chicken so you can have some thighs and some drumsticks, etc.
- Each serving has 2.8 net carbs
