Baked Barbecue Chicken with Homemade Hot Sauce

If you don’t have an outdoor grill or the weather isn’t cooperating, you can still get big, bold, barbecue flavor with chicken baked in the oven—it’s all in the sauce. Take a little time to make it fresh and use it for both marinating and basting the meat. Allow plenty of time for the chicken to soak up all that rich flavor—at least eight hours or, better still, overnight.

Even with two types of chiles and a little Sriracha, the sauce isn’t as spicy as it sounds. Its heat mellows a bit as the flavors blend, resulting in bold taste without being too hot. If you can’t find habanero chiles, use a serrano instead.  

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 jalapenos, finely chopped
• 1 habanero, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
• 8-oz can no-salt tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp Sriracha (or other bottled hot sauce)
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 8 large bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed (about 3 lbs)

Chiles, Garlic, and Onion

Preparation

1. Heat a saucepan over medium-low heat and add the oil. Add the garlic, jalapenos, habanero, and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to soften, 3 minutes.
2. Stir in the next 7 ingredients (through mustard) and season with salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook slowly 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.

Chiles, Garlic, and Onion Beginning to Cook

Hot Barbecue Sauce

1. Reserve 1/2 cup of the sauce in a sealable container and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before using.
2. Place the chicken thighs in a sturdy, re-sealable bag and pour in the remaining sauce. Seal and turn a few times to coat. Refrigerate at least 8 hours (or overnight.) Set the chicken out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.

Chicken Thighs with Skin Removed

Chicken Marinating in the Bag

Marinated Chicken Ready to Bake

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F.
2. Line a large, rimmed baking pan with parchment paper. Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade (discard marinade) and place on the pan meaty-side down. Bake 25 minutes. Turn and bake 15 minutes.
3. Remove the pan from the oven and baste the chicken with the reserved marinade. Return to the oven for 5 more minutes.

Chicken before Turning

Chicken Basted with Hot Sauce

Baked Barbecue Chicken

1. Remove the chicken to a large platter and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Baked Barbecue Chicken with Homemade Hot Sauce