I'm always looking for a new chicken dinner to add to the rotation, and somehow I always forget about oven BBQ chicken thighs. There's something so satisfying about that combination of smoky spices and sweet, sticky sauce. These oven BBQ chicken thighs have all the flavor of backyard barbecue without ever needing to fire up the grill.
Living in Nashville, we've made plenty of trips to Memphis over the years, so I'm partial to that style of barbecue. But honestly, put any barbecue in front of me and I'm happy. This recipe takes inspiration from a Memphis-style dry rub, then finishes the tender chicken with your favorite bbq sauce that caramelizes in the oven until it's sticky and delicious.
I also love how affordable this meal is and uses simple ingredients. Chicken thighs are one of the best values at the grocery store, and a pan of roasted potatoes turns it into a complete dinner. The bone-in thighs stay incredibly juicy and flavorful, but if boneless is what you have on hand, those work just fine too.
Why This Recipe Works
- Uses affordable chicken thighs
- No grill required
- Easy enough for busy weeknights
Ingredients You'll Need
Bone-In Chicken Thighs - The bone helps keep the chicken juicy while the skin gets beautifully crisp in the oven. You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs. If you want to use chicken breasts or white meat chicken, you may need to shorten the cooking time so it doesn't dry out.
BBQ Dry Rub - This sweet and smoky rub is inspired by Memphis-style barbecue and adds flavor long before the sauce goes on.
For the Rub: Mix together the seasonings below, or use your favorite store-bought rub
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Barbecue Sauce - Use your favorite barbecue sauce or homemade if you have it.
Potatoes - Baby potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes roast alongside the chicken and soak up all the flavorful drippings.
Olive Oil - Helps the potatoes roast until golden and crispy.
How to Make Oven BBQ Chicken Thighs
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season generously with the dry rub. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of the rub for the potatoes. If you have time, you can season the chicken the night before and refrigerate it uncovered.
Toss the potatoes with olive oil and the reserved seasoning. Spread them out on a sheet pan or baking dish in a single layer. Arrange the chicken thighs on top of the potatoes, skin side up, and roast until the chicken is nearly cooked through.
Brush bbq sauce on the chicken pieces generously. Return the pan to the oven and continue cooking until the sauce becomes sticky, caramelized, and the chicken reaches 175-185°F using a meat thermometer. Serve immediately.
Get the Recipe
Oven BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
These Oven BBQ Chicken Thighs are coated in a sweet and smoky dry rub, roasted until juicy, then brushed with barbecue sauce and baked until perfectly caramelized. Made with affordable chicken thighs and simple pantry ingredients, this easy sheet pan dinner is packed with flavor and perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
- 1 pack of bone-in chicken thighs, boneless can be used
- 1 lb gold potatoes, cut into wedges
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Dry Rub, recipe below or your favorite store bought
- Barbecue sauce
Dry Rub - reserve 3 tablespoons for the potatoes
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- In a small bowl, combine all of the dry rub ingredients. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the rub for the potatoes.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season generously on all sides with the remaining rub. For even more flavor, season the chicken up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate uncovered.
- Toss the potatoes with the olive oil and reserved seasoning. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, if desired, and spread the potatoes into an even layer.
- Arrange the chicken thighs on top of the potatoes, skin-side up.
- Roast for 30-35 minutes, or until the chicken is nearly cooked through and the potatoes are tender.
- Brush the chicken generously with barbecue sauce and return the pan to the oven.
- Continue cooking for 8-10 minutes, or until the sauce is sticky and caramelized and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 175-185°F.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Equipment
Buy Now →Notes
While chicken is safe at 165°F, thighs become much more tender and juicy when cooked a little longer.
Most barbecue sauces contain sugar, which can burn if added too early.
Cut larger potatoes into 1-inch pieces so they finish cooking at the same rate as the chicken.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
If you try this recipe, please leave a rating and comment below. Those little stars really help my blog and make it easier for other home cooks to find recipes they'll love. And if you make it, tag me on Instagram @hungrywaitress. I always love seeing your dinners.
Variations and Swaps
- Use boneless chicken thighs instead of bone-in.
- Swap the potatoes for sweet potatoes.
- Add sliced onions to the sheet pan.
- Use chicken drumsticks instead of thighs.
Tested and Tried Tips
- Pat the chicken dry before seasoning for crispier skin.
- Add the barbecue sauce near the end of cooking so it doesn't burn.
- Chicken thighs are most tender between 175-185°F.
- Give the potatoes plenty of space on the sheet pan so they roast instead of steam.
- For even more flavor, season the chicken several hours ahead of time.
What to Serve with Oven BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Coleslaw or a salad mix
- Classic House Salad
- Sweet Cornbread
- Roasted Broccoli & Carrots
- Broccoli Salad
- Spinach Arugula Berry Salad
Belle says
I make these frequently and they come out juicy and flavorful, especially if I season them the night before. Thanks for the easy dinner recipe!