This delicious oven baked BBQ chicken is marinated and coated in a delicious and tangy apple cider sauce for a tasty family meal. Easy to make with just a few ingredients, this recipe will make your tastebuds tingle!
Baked BBQ Chicken Recipe
If you are wondering how to live of those chicken breasts for dinner, this baked BBQ recipe will not disappoint!
Smothered in a delicious apple BBQ glaze, this chicken is loaded with flavor and so easy to make!
If you love all things BBQ, be sure to check out my Grilled BBQ Chicken and BBQ Chicken Nachos Recipe.
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download nowWhy you will love this baked BBQ chicken!
- Easy: It takes less than 10 minutes to prep this chicken, so it’s a great option when you are running short on time.
- Tender and juicy: The chicken is marinaded in the sauce before cooking, resulting in the most tender chicken that is full of flavor.
- Delicious! Seriously, this BBQ sauce is to die for! Sweet, tangy and finger licking good. It’s so much better than store bought!
How to make baked BBQ chicken
- Mix together the BBQ sauce ingredients and marinate the chicken in half.
- When ready, simmer the rest of the sauce in a pan to thicken it.
- Place the marinated chicken on a baking sheet and baste with the sauce.
- Bake, glaze and serve!
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
Can you use chicken thighs in this recipe?
I prefer to use chicken breasts for this recipe, but you can make it with thighs if that’s what you have. If you use thighs, you will have to increase the cooking time a little.
How long do you marinate the chicken?
I like to marinate the chicken for at least an hour, but it can be marinated overnight if that’s easier for you. Marinating not only adds flavor to the chicken, but it helps to break down the fibers resulting in perfectly tender chicken.
What do you serve with BBQ chicken?
This chicken is great served alongside lots of different veggies and sides. Its great with potato salad, corn on the cob, coleslaw, steamed veggies and salads.
I like to serve it with sides that can be made ahead of time for a super easy dinner option that requires little effort.
Quick Recipe Variation
- Quick no marinade version: Place the chicken breasts on the baking tray, and immediately baste with the bbq sauce. Proceed with remaining instructions.
More Recipe Notes and Tips
- If you’d like to serve with any remaining bbq sauce, simmer the sauce again before serving. This cooks any chicken juices that transferred to the sauce while basting making it safe to eat.
- The thickness of your chicken breast will determine your cooking time. Thicker breasts will take longer to cook than thinner.
Baked BBQ Chicken (Apple Cider BBQ Sauce)
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup ketchup
- 2/3 cup apple cider
- 1/3 cup honey
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 ½ pounds chicken breasts
Instructions
- In a bowl, stir together all the BBQ sauce ingredients. Reserve ½ cup of the sauce. Set aside.
- Place the chicken breasts in a zip top plastic bag. Add in the reserved ½ cup sauce and place in the fridge for at 1 hour, and up to overnight, to marinade.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Simmer the BBQ sauce in a small saucepan for 10 minutes, or until thickened and fragrant.
- Place the marinated chicken on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and baste the chicken with a thick glaze of bbq sauce. Return to the oven and bake for 20-30 more minutes, basting every 10.
- Remove, baste again, and place back into the oven set to broil for 3-5 minutes until the bbq sauce forms a glaze.
- Serve with your favorite sides and enjoy!
Notes
- If you’d like to serve with any remaining bbq sauce, simmer the sauce again before serving. This cooks any chicken juices that transferred to the sauce while basting making it safe to eat.
- Quick no marinade version: Place the chicken breasts on the baking tray, and immediately baste with the bbq sauce. Proceed with remaining instructions.
- The thickness of your chicken breast will determine your cooking time. Thicker breasts will take longer to cook than thinner.
Lee says
I made this tonight and it was SO GOOD!
Becky Hardin says
I’m glad you loved it!!
Arnold Tatsch says
ACV accommodates pectin, which calms intestinal spasms, and it could actually fight micro organism that cause diarrhea.
Becky Hardin says
Fascinating, Arnold!