Starting today, my husband and I are on the road to our new home in Austin, Texas, and we couldn’t be more excited, nervous and eager! So, to celebrate our new Southern nest, I thought what better recipe to post than my most recent favorite for baked BBQ chicken…
This recipe is the most simple and scrumptious I have ever come across, and my love affair with BBQ chicken has been a long one! I grew up on a farm where it was a year-round staple, and ever since childhood it’s been one of my most favorite comfort foods.
The tangy, slightly sweet barbecue sauce comes together easily and coats the chicken in a marinade for a few hours. Once it’s ready to bake, just put a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet and plop your chicken on top (The cooling rack allows heat to get under the chicken, avoiding sogginess). In 15 minute increments, take your chicken out a glaze it with more sauce, and in an hour it’s done – You have the most unbelievably moist, tender chicken with flavorful, crispy skin that tastes even better than grilled!
This sticky, saucy baked BBQ chicken falls right off the bone and is absolutely delicious with my Crispy Oven-Baked Potato Fries and an ice cold drink. Now, if that doesn’t make you crave summertime, I don’t know what will!
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Saucy Baked BBQ Chicken
Yield: Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
12 chicken drumsticks or 8 thighs, about 3 1/2 pounds
1 cup barbecue sauce, divided
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
Vegetable oil to grease pan
Directions:
With a sharp knife, make 2 slashes about 1-inch apart into the thickest part of the drumstick, cutting to the bone. Transfer the chicken to a large sealable plastic freezer bag.
In a small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup of the barbecue sauce with the rest of the ingredients. Pour into the bag of chicken, press out most of the air, and seal tightly. Shake the bag gently to distribute the sauce evenly. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with foil and top with a heatproof wire cooling rack. Remove the chicken from the bag with tongs and space evenly on the rack. Discard the contents of the bag. Brush both sides of the drumsticks with barbecue sauce.
Bake for 15 minutes, remove, and brush generously with more sauce. Return to the oven, and repeat this brushing process 3 more times, for a total cooking time of about 50-60 minutes. When done, the chicken will be fork tender and nicely glazed.
Enjoy!
Adapted from About.com
I just love the color of that bbq sauce. Looks delicious!!
Have a safe and enjoyable journey.
Your baked bbq chicken looks fabulous.
:-) Mandy
Safe journey!
What a great recipe for a rainy BBQ day!
OMG, that sauce looks incredibly slick and tasty! And what a wonderful shot with the city skyline in the back. Great post!
Safe trip! And congrats on becoming a Texan :)
Georgia:
Praying for many blessings in your new home!
Charlie
What a perfect recipe for my Memorial Day picnic :) This looks fantastic, Georgia! Safe travels and best wishes as you start a life in Texas!
Sure looks delicious! Have a safe trip and a great weekend!
that chicken looks fantastic!!!! I hope you enjoy living in Austin, how I do miss Texas!
Best of luck in your new city!
Dennis
Mmmm…your chicken looks delicious! Have a safe trip to Austin. :)
The bbq chicken looks lipsmacking!
All the best with the new home!
Angie
Great dinner idea. So summer appropriate.
There is nothing better than chicken legs with BBQ sauce! These sound especially delicious and saucy.
Happy new home! I hear Austin is a wonderful place.
Georgia, this chicken looks great. Reminds me of the grilling my dad used to do when I was a kid. Cookin’ Canuck & I just launched out Get Grillin’ event, you must submit this link when we call for entree’s in a few weeks. Can’t wait to hear all about Austin!
This recipe sounds wonderful and easy to make – thanks. Best wishes with your move!
Looks amazing. MESSY, but delicious :)
This chicken looks saucy and delish, and I love that it can be baked in the oven!! Safe travels…welcome to Texas!! Once you’re settled, I’m hoping to tag up for lunch one weekend this summer. It’ll seem hot when you get here, but you do eventually adjust to the heat. Or so I tell myself…I’ve lived here all my life and still grouse about our summers!
Looks lip-smakin good!
Looks like the perfect recipe for this holiday weekend. Hope your move goes smoothly!
Oh, wow, that looks sooooooo good!!!
I love that this chicken is baked — making it halthier than most. It looks so moist and delicious!
Those are some gorgeous BBQ chicken legs! I am sure this is perfect for oven or grill…
Hope you have an easy move and wonderful transition to your new home :)
Loved your post. The food looks wonderful.
These look delicious! Can’t wait to try them, soon. Welcome to the midwest!
I made this tonight for dinner and it was a hit for this picky crowd!
Thanks so much!
Jo @ SmileMonsters
Welcome to Texas!
welcome to tx! i cant wait to hear what you think of it! my boyfriend and i were in austin last weekend and loved it!
Whoa, this was good! We tried it tonight with corn muffins and a salad. So easy! Thanks!!
Hi Georgia, great recipe! What is the maximum amount of time the chicken be refrigerated for in the marinade?
Thank you.
Georgia — December 23rd, 2013 @ 10:07 pm
Up to 1 day is fine.
Just a question, do you take the skin off the chicken first? I’m excited to try this recipe. Thanks!
Georgia — January 19th, 2015 @ 11:02 am
You can do either, but I prefer my BBQ chicken skinless.