Oven-Barbecued Chicken Thighs

Oven-Barbecued Chicken Thighs

The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 55 mins
Total: 65 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Tasty chicken thighs are baked with a homemade barbecue sauce for a delicious, everyday family meal. Grill seasoning flavors the chicken thighs, then they're seared and baked to perfection with a homemade barbecue sauce. If you need a shortcut, replace the barbecue sauce ingredients with about 1 1/2 cups of your favorite commercial barbecue sauce. 

Use boneless or bone-in chicken thighs in the recipe, preferably without the skin. If you use skin-on thighs, brown the skin well before baking.

Ingredients

  • 8 chicken thighs, without skin

  • 1 (2 3/4-ounce) jar grill seasoning

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 cup ketchup

  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 clove garlic, mashed and finely minced​

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Oven-Barbecued Chicken Thighs ingredients

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar


  2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Sprinkle the chicken thighs generously with the grill seasoning.

    grill seasoning on top of chicken

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  3. Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken thighs on both sides until browned.

    chicken cooking in a skillet

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  4. If the skillet is not oven-safe, transfer the chicken thighs to a foil-lined baking pan or baking dish. If you left the skin on, cook it until the skin is golden brown and crisp.

    chicken cooking in a skillet

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  5. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl.

    Combine sauce ingredients in a bowl

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  6. Spoon over the chicken thighs.

    sauce over chicken in skillet

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  7. Cover the skillet or baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until chicken is tender.

    Oven-Barbecued Chicken Thighs, in an aluminum foil in a skillet

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

Quick Spicy Chicken Seasoning

  • Combine 1 teaspoon of ground paprika with 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, and a pinch of ground cayenne pepper.

Variations

  • For some smoky flavor, add about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke or a smoky mesquite seasoning.
  • Replace the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce with your favorite barbecue sauce. Add the garlic, if desired, and sweeten with some honey, agave nectar, or brown sugar, if you'd like. 
  • Add a sliced onion to the skillet along with the chicken thighs.

Serving Suggestions

  • For a beverage, iced tea is an excellent choice, or serve beer for the adults. A fruity white zinfandel or rosé would go well with the sweet sauce.
  • Potato salad or baked potatoes, grilled or steamed vegetables, and coleslaw are good side dishes to consider. Baked beans and roasted vegetables go well with barbecued meat and poultry as well.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
799 Calories
48g Fat
29g Carbs
70g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 799
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 48g 61%
Saturated Fat 13g 66%
Cholesterol 374mg 125%
Sodium 7412mg 322%
Total Carbohydrate 29g 11%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 22g
Protein 70g
Vitamin C 5mg 26%
Calcium 120mg 9%
Iron 6mg 32%
Potassium 1059mg 23%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)