Oven baked boneless skinless chicken thighs with bbq sauce

Baked BBQ chicken thighs are the perfect way to get your BBQ fix without having to go outside and fire up the grill! The chicken stays juicy and tender inside while the BBQ sauce thickens into sweet, sticky goodness. They are so delicious, you'll be adding baked BBQ chicken thighs to your weekly dinner rotation!

These baked BBQ chicken thighs are juicy, tangy, smoky, and can be made without ever having to step outside or fire up the grill. In the oven, the BBQ sauce thickens into a sweet, sticky glaze that makes these chicken thighs finger-licking good.

This recipe requires absolutely no marinating and only involves about 5 minutes of prep time! The next time you are looking for an easy chicken dinner, give these BBQ chicken thighs a try!

Oven baked boneless skinless chicken thighs with bbq sauce
These juicy chicken thighs are coated with sweet, sticky BBQ sauce!Jump to:
  • Easy Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs
  • 🥘 Ingredients
  • 🔪 How To Make Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs
  • 💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
  • How Long Do You Bake BBQ Chicken Thighs At 350°F?
  • When Do You Add BBQ Sauce To Baked Chicken?
  • Can I Use Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs To Make BBQ Chicken Thighs?
  • 🍗 More Chicken Dinners!
  • 📋 Recipe

🥘 Ingredients

You only need 4 ingredients to make these fabulous BBQ chicken thighs. All you need is a baking sheet, a basting brush, and a meat thermometer.

Oven baked boneless skinless chicken thighs with bbq sauce
  • Chicken Thighs - 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.
  • BBQ Sauce - ½ cup BBQ sauce of your choice.
  • Liquid Smoke - 1 teaspoon.
  • Salt & Pepper - ¼ teaspoon each, or to taste.

*Be sure to see the recipe card below for ingredients, amounts & instructions!*

🔪 How To Make Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs

These baked BBQ chicken thighs are hard to mess up! Grab a baking sheet, small bowl, basting brush, and a digital meat thermometer to get started.

This recipe is for 4 chicken thighs, but you can easily scale it up, or down, as needed!

Oven baked boneless skinless chicken thighs with bbq sauce
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Oven baked boneless skinless chicken thighs with bbq sauce
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  1. Prep. Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper if desired (for easy cleanup).
  2. Make the sauce. In a small bowl, mix ½ a cup of BBQ sauce and 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke and set aside.
  3. Season. Rinse 4 chicken thighs with cool water and pat them dry with paper towels. Set the chicken on your baking sheet then season with salt and pepper and brush them with the BBQ sauce/ liquid smoke mixture.
  4. Bake. Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 35-40 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken thighs reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

You can never go wrong pairing chicken thighs with mashed potatoes or sauteed green beans. Check out my post on what to serve with BBQ chicken for more ideas. Enjoy!

💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes

  • You can put the chicken thighs under the broiler for 2-3 minutes at the end to blacken the BBQ sauce if desired, but the cooking time alone should result in delicious BBQ chicken as-is.
  • My personal preference is to cook bone-in chicken to an internal temperature of 180°F (82°C).
  • Storing: Keep leftover BBQ chicken thighs in a shallow airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 2 days. Alternatively, you could freeze your chicken in a heavy duty freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. 
  • Reheating: Reheat BBQ chicken thighs in the oven. Place them in a baking dish with a few tablespoons of broth and bake at 325°F (160°C) for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. 

How Long Do You Bake BBQ Chicken Thighs At 350°F?

For this recipe, I bake the chicken thighs at 400°F (205°C). If you were to bake them at 350°F (175°C) instead, you would want to bake them for 40-50 minutes before pulling the bone-in chicken thighs out of the oven.

Add more BBQ sauce if desired, then return your chicken to the oven for 10 more minutes. *Cooking times will vary depending on the size of your chicken thighs.

When Do You Add BBQ Sauce To Baked Chicken?

There are two options when adding BBQ sauce to baked chicken. First, you can sauce the chicken in the beginning and let the sauce get thick and sticky as it bakes (as done in this recipe). The skin won't get super crispy, but it's still delicious.

Alternatively, you can bake your chicken first and sauce it at the end. Pop the sauce-covered chicken under the broiler for a few minutes until it becomes thick and sticky. This second method is best for any cooking method over flames, as the sugar in BBQ sauce tends to burn.

Can I Use Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs To Make BBQ Chicken Thighs?

You can! Without the bone, you will want to reduce the total cook time by 10-15 minutes. Cook just until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF (74ºC), then remove them from the oven so they don't dry out.

Oven baked boneless skinless chicken thighs with bbq sauce

🍗 More Chicken Dinners!

  • Marry Me Chicken
  • Chicken Marsala
  • Mushroom Swiss Chicken
  • Fried Chicken
  • Million Dollar Baked Chicken Breast
  • Cracker Barrel Grilled Chicken Tenders

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📋 Recipe

Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs

Baked BBQ chicken thighs are the perfect way to get your BBQ fix without having to go outside and fire up the grill! The chicken stays juicy and tender inside while the BBQ sauce thickens into sweet, sticky goodness. They are so delicious, you'll be adding baked BBQ chicken thighs to your weekly dinner rotation!

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 378kcal

Prep 5 minutes

Cooking 40 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Pin Recipe

  • 1 lb chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
  • ½ cup BBQ sauce
  • 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • ¼ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)

  • Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

  • In a small bowl, mix the BBQ sauce and liquid smoke and set aside.

    ½ cup BBQ sauce, 1 teaspoon liquid smoke

  • Rinse the chicken thighs and pat them dry with paper towels and place them into your baking dish or baking sheet. Season with salt & pepper and brush the thighs with the BBQ sauce mixture.

    1 lb chicken thighs, ¼ teaspoon each, salt & pepper

  • Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 35-40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove your BBQ chicken thighs from the oven (*see note) and serve.

  • You can put the chicken thighs under the broiler for 2-3 minutes at the end to blacken the BBQ sauce if desired, but the cooking time alone should result in delicious BBQ chicken as-is.
  • Storing: Keep leftover BBQ chicken thighs in a shallow airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 2 days. Alternatively, you could freeze your chicken in a heavy duty freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. 
  • Reheating: Reheat BBQ chicken thighs in the oven. Place them in a baking dish with a few tablespoons of broth and bake at 325°F (160°C) for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. 

Calories: 378kcal (19%) | Carbohydrates: 15g (5%) | Protein: 24g (48%) | Fat: 24g (37%) | Saturated Fat: 6g (38%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 142mg (47%) | Sodium: 482mg (21%) | Potassium: 379mg (11%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 12g (13%) | Vitamin A: 193IU (4%) | Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) | Calcium: 23mg (2%) | Iron: 1mg (6%)

Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs, baked chicken, BBQ Chicken, easy dinners

Course BBQ, Chicken Dishes, Dinner Recipes, Main Dish

Cuisine American

Oven baked boneless skinless chicken thighs with bbq sauce

Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!

Do you put BBQ sauce on chicken before or after baking?

Most grillers will apply the sauce first and then continue to baste the chicken with sauce while it cooks. This is a common practice, but it can lead to burning your chicken. You want the chicken to slowly cook to perfection and then add the sauce during the final 10 to 15 minutes of cooking.

What temperature should I bake boneless skinless chicken thighs?

Whether they're on a sheet pan, in a skillet, or in a saucy marinade, the best temperature for cooking boneless, skinless chicken thighs in the oven is between 400°F and 450°F, with 425°F being the temperature we rely on most often.

How long does it take to BBQ boneless chicken thighs?

Cook the chicken thighs until they reach an internal temperature of 170-175 degrees F. For boneless skinless thighs, the cook time will be approximately 10 to 14 minutes over medium heat (325-350F), depending on the size of the thighs.

Is it better to bake chicken thighs at 350 or 400?

The higher the temperature when baking chicken thighs creates that golden brown outer skin that protects the dark meat from over cooking and tenderizes the inside making it even more flavorful and tender. I like to bake chicken thighs at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 to 40 minutes long.