These are absolutely the best baked BBQ chicken thighs I’ve ever made or tried anywhere. They are fall-off-the-bone tender and juicy inside, covered by a layer of crispy skin, which in turn is covered by deliciously caramelized, in some spots even slightly charred, BBQ sauce. It’s hard to believe that they are not grilled. Only lack of smoky flavor is what really gives away the fact that these chicken thighs are baked, not smoked. Needless to say, when I make these tasty morsels they just disappear in the blink of an eye. People forget about side dishes, salads, bread and just munch on these chicken thighs, until they are gone. You can’t blame them.
How to make the best baked BBQ chicken thighs?
Making great tasting BBQ chicken thighs in the oven may seem like a simple thing, but it’s not. Just slapping some tasty BBQ sauce on some thighs and baking them won’t do the trick. You really need to build the layers of flavor and texture to get those amazing BBQ chicken thighs. That said, once you know a few tricks, the process becomes as easy as pie.
First, you need to bake the thighs on convection at a very high heat. This will do two things – the thighs will cook quickly, resulting in a very juicy meat, while the skin will be nicely browned and crisped up. Using a little bit of baking powder will help get an even crispier skin. According to Cook’s Illustrated, tossing chicken thighs with baking powder and salt helps break down the proteins within the skin, as well as aiding in browning. So, do not skip that baking powder. I’ve used it on chicken wings and chicken thighs before and it works like magic. Second, once the skin is nice and crispy, you brush the thighs with the BBQ sauce and bake again for a short while. What this does is it thickens and caramelizes the sauce, making it more intensely flavored and tastier. Cooking on convection helps with caramelization of the sauce, creating some charred spots here and there. This makes chicken thighs taste almost like grilled ones.
That’s all there is to it. It’s not exactly simple but it becomes very easy once you know the process. Looking for more great chicken thigh recipes? Check these out:
Extra Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken Thighs Killer Marinated Chicken Thighs Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs
