This recipe uses only TWO INGREDIENTS - barbecue sauce and chicken (plus a little olive oil, salt, and pepper) - to make the crispiest, most perfectly glazed, sweet, sticky, and tender barbecue baked chicken you will ever have.
Coat the chicken on all sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place the chicken skin side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes.
Remove chicken from oven and turn the temperature of the oven up to 425 degrees.Tip: be sure to close the oven door every time you remove the chicken in this recipe, as you don't want the heat from the oven to escape!
Coat the top of the chicken with barbecue sauce using a basting brush. Use a spatula to flip the chicken over, being careful not to tear the skin. Baste the other side of the chicken, and place back in the oven for 7 minutes.
Remove from oven, baste top with barbecue sauce, and place back in oven for 7 more minutes.
Remove from the oven again and baste again, for a total of three times, and place back in oven for 7 more minutes. The chicken will have cooked for a total of 46 minutes. This should be enough time for it to cook fully, but you should always double check temperature with a meat thermometer to make sure it's at least 165 degrees F.Tip: You should double check the temperature of the chicken at the thickest part of the meat using a high quality meat thermometer - it is fully cooked at 165 degrees F but dark meat is best at 180-190 degrees F, see notes for more on this). Give it more time in the oven to cook if it's not up to temperature. See notes for more troubleshooting.
If the chicken hasn't crisped and browned to your liking, move the oven rack up and broil the chicken for 3-5 minutes, until it's more crispy.
I recommend letting the chicken sit for 5 minutes or so after cooking before serving so the juices redistribute.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 2 pieces of chicken
Calories: 402 kcal
Carbohydrates: 29 g
Protein: 22 g
Fat: 21 g
Saturated Fat: 5 g
Cholesterol: 86 mg
Sodium: 815 mg
Sugar: 23 g
Reviews
Brian on 2026-07-25 (5 stars): This is so good, and yes aluminum is safe in the broiler up to 500 degrees. I did a simple brine prior to finding your recipe and this was amazing . Thank you so much!
Sarah on 2026-07-24 (5 stars): The most amazing baked chicken I've ever had!! I added sazon and man...chef's kiss! Thank you for this recipe!!
Laura Roberts on 2026-07-19 (5 stars): Wonderful! Just great! I did put the chicken under the broiler for 3 minutes at the end. Tip: Using non-stick foil made turning the chicken over really easy.
April McCormick on 2026-07-10 (5 stars): Came out fantast!
Linda on 2026-07-08 (5 stars): I made this, and it turned out fantastic; I didn't even need to use the broiler.
Juli Grella on 2026-07-04 (5 stars): Absolute best ever! I basted both sides every time and broiler is absolutely key! This was a huge hit in our home! TY
Mary L Williams on 2026-07-04 (5 stars): I loved the fact that no marinating was needed! The recipe was easy to follow, and the chicken was very tender.
Milton Abreo on 2026-06-02 (5 stars): I have made this in an oven a lot of times. Was wondering if it can be made in an air fryer? This would be a lot faster. My air fryer holds six large thighs.
