These juicy BBQ chicken thighs are flavour-packed and finished with a sticky barbecue glaze. Perfect for cooking on the BBQ, baking, or air frying...it's your go-to BBQ chicken recipe!
We've cooked loads of chicken thighs on the BBQ...this is the perfected recipe! Seasoned with a dry rub first and left to marinate for at least 30 minutes, cooked to perfection and glazed with your favourite barbecue sauce for the last few minutes of cooking. They're juicy, sticky and full of delicious caramelised flavour.
Skin on bone in thighs will give you rich flavour and tenderness, they're more forgiving than breasts and perfect for BBQ style cooking.
This juicy BBQ chicken thighs recipe is also a versatile one...I've given instructions for cooking on the BBQ, in the oven and in the air fryer.
Tips
- Barbecue sauce – make sure you really like the barbecue sauce that you use as it’s going to add a lot of flavour to the thighs. There are many to try…sweet, smoky, spicy, whisky!!
- Flavour variations:
- Spicy barbecue - add cayenne to the rub or use a spicy barbecue sauce.
- Honey mustard barbecue - mix your barbecue sauce with honey and Dijon mustard.
- Asian - use hoisin sauce and finish with sesame seeds and spring onions.
- Jerk barbecue - use jerk seasoning with a tangy pineapple barbecue glaze.
- This juicy BBQ chicken thighs recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use a meat thermometer – the internal temperature should be 74C and the juices should run clear, not pink.
Yes - they cook faster (10 to 15 minutes) and are great for quicker meals or slicing into wraps/salads. Skin on bone in thighs give more flavour and moisture.
Apply the barbecue sauce during the last 5 minutes of cooking. If you add it too early, the sugars will burn.
Yes - marinate ahead of time, cook them and then reheat gently. Glaze just before serving to refresh the flavour.
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HOW TO MAKE THESE JUICY BBQ CHICKEN THIGHS
Ingredients
- 8 skin on bone in chicken thighs (approx. 1kg)
- 0.5 tsp chipotle chilli powder
- 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- spray oil (I use sunflower oil or rapeseed oil)
- 120ml barbecue sauce, plus extra to serve (see Tips)
Instructions
- Place the thighs in a large dish, bowl or sandwich bag. Mix the chipotle chilli powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Shake the mixture all over the thighs, ensuring they’re seasoned all over.
- Cover, if using a dish or bowl, and put the seasoned thighs in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (longer is always better, if possible). This will help to get the juices flowing and flavour the chicken.
- Preheat the BBQ to 200C. Place each thigh skin side down, close the lid and BBQ for 7 minutes, to crisp the skin.
- Turn the thighs over, close the lid and BBQ for another 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to 150C and spread 1 tbsp of barbecue sauce over the skin on each thigh. Close the lid and cook for 4 minutes to allow the sauce to caramelise. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of each thigh is 74C.
- Transfer the thighs to a serving dish or plate and let them rest for 5 minutes. Enjoy with more barbecue sauce and your favourite BBQ sides.
Hob and Oven Cooking Instructions:
- Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put a large frying pan, skillet or roasting tin over a medium high heat and wait a few minutes for it to heat up.
- When the pan or tin is hot, add 2 tsp of vegetable oil, swirl it and put the thighs in, skin-side down for 5 minutes. The chicken skin should be crisp and golden (don’t be tempted to move the thighs before this happens, but if some parts are taking longer to brown than others you can press down on the thighs with a spatula). Once the skin is crisp, the thighs should easily release from the pan.
- Turn the thighs over so that they’re skin-side up. Place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and spread 1 tbsp of barbecue sauce over the skin on each thigh. Return to the oven and cook for a further 5 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of each thigh is 74C.
- Transfer the thighs to a serving dish or plate and let them rest for 5 minutes. Enjoy with more barbecue sauce and your favourite BBQ sides.
Air Fryer Cooking Instructions:
- Cook at 190C for 18 to 20 minutes, turning once halfway through, and adding the barbecue sauce in the final 5 minutes.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of each thigh is 74C.
- Transfer the thighs to a serving dish or plate and let them rest for 5 minutes. Enjoy with more barbecue sauce and your favourite BBQ sides.
Serving Suggestions
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Juicy BBQ Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 8 skin on bone in chicken thighs (approx. 1kg)
- 0.5 tsp chipotle chilli powder
- 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- spray oil (I use sunflower oil or rapeseed oil)
- 120 ml (0.5 cup) barbecue sauce plus extra to serve (see Notes)
Instructions
- Place the thighs in a large dish, bowl or sandwich bag. Mix the chipotle chilli powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Shake the mixture all over the thighs, ensuring they’re seasoned all over.
- Cover, if using a dish or bowl, and put the seasoned thighs in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (longer is always better, if possible). This will help to get the juices flowing and flavour the chicken.
- Preheat the BBQ to 200C. Place each thigh skin side down, close the lid and BBQ for 7 minutes, to crisp the skin.
- Turn the thighs over, close the lid and BBQ for another 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to 150C and spread 1 tbsp of barbecue sauce over the skin on each thigh. Close the lid and cook for 4 minutes to allow the sauce to caramelise. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of each thigh is 74C.
- Transfer the thighs to a serving dish or plate and let them rest for 5 minutes. Enjoy with more barbecue sauce and your favourite BBQ sides.
Hob and Oven Cooking Instructions:
- Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put a large frying pan, skillet or roasting tin over a medium high heat and wait a few minutes for it to heat up.
- When the pan or tin is hot, add 2 tsp of vegetable oil, swirl it and put the thighs in, skin-side down for 5 minutes. The chicken skin should be crisp and golden (don’t be tempted to move the thighs before this happens, but if some parts are taking longer to brown than others you can press down on the thighs with a spatula). Once the skin is crisp, the thighs should easily release from the pan.
- Turn the thighs over so that they’re skin-side up. Place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and spread 1 tbsp of barbecue sauce over the skin on each thigh. Return to the oven and cook for a further 5 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of each thigh is 74C.
- Transfer the thighs to a serving dish or plate and let them rest for 5 minutes. Enjoy with more barbecue sauce and your favourite BBQ sides.
Air Fryer Cooking Instructions:
- Cook at 190C for 18 to 20 minutes, turning once halfway through, and adding the barbecue sauce in the final 5 minutes.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of each thigh is 74C.
- Transfer the thighs to a serving dish or plate and let them rest for 5 minutes. Enjoy with more barbecue sauce and your favourite BBQ sides.
Notes
- Barbecue sauce – make sure you really like the barbecue sauce that you use as it’s going to add a lot of flavour to the thighs. There are many to try…sweet, smoky, spicy, whisky!!
- Flavour variations:
- Spicy barbecue - add cayenne to the rub or use a spicy barbecue sauce.
- Honey mustard barbecue - mix your barbecue sauce with honey and Dijon mustard.
- Asian - use hoisin sauce and finish with sesame seeds and spring onions.
- Jerk barbecue - use jerk seasoning with a tangy pineapple barbecue glaze.
- This juicy BBQ chicken thighs recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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