Tender, juicy chicken thighs glazed with a smoky barbecue sauce and baked until caramelized. This classic comfort food is easy to prepare and delivers restaurant-quality results with minimal effort.
Serve with coleslaw, cornbread, or roasted vegetables for a complete meal. This recipe works well with homemade or store-bought barbecue sauce—choose your favorite brand or heat level.
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 8 skin-on chicken thighs (bone-in)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 ½ cups barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon butter
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 8 skin-on chicken thighs (bone-in)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 ½ cups barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
Preheat oven
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
Equipment: oven
Prepare chicken
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels.
Arrange them skin-side up on a large baking sheet.
Equipment: paper towels, baking sheet
Mix spice blend
In a small bowl, combine the salt (1 tsp), black pepper (½ tsp), garlic powder (1 tsp), and smoked paprika (1 tsp).
Equipment: small bowl
Season chicken
Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over all the chicken thighs.
Initial bake
Bake the chicken uncovered until the skin begins to brown.
Equipment: oven
Make BBQ sauce
In a small saucepan, combine the barbecue sauce (1 cup), honey (2 tbsp), apple cider vinegar (1 tbsp), and butter (2 tbsp) over medium heat.
Stir until the butter melts and the sauce is warm.
Equipment: small saucepan
Brush with sauce
Remove the chicken from the oven.
Brush generously with the barbecue sauce mixture, coating all sides.
Equipment: brush
Final bake
Return the chicken to the oven and bake until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part of the thigh.
Equipment: oven, meat thermometer
Rest chicken
Remove from the oven and let rest before serving.
Finish and serve
Drizzle any remaining sauce over the chicken thighs before plating.
Before you cook
Cook notes
- • Serve with coleslaw, cornbread, or roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
- • This recipe works well with homemade or store-bought barbecue sauce—choose your favorite brand or heat level.
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