Oven BBQ Baked Drumsticks are perfectly crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, coated in a flavorful homemade sauce.
These delicious Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks are similar to my Baked BBQ Chicken Thigh Recipe. Coated in delicious BBQ Sauce and easily baked in the oven for a flavorful and filling casual family Dinner.
Sabrina’s Oven BBQ Baked Drumsticks Recipe
It is easy to see why Oven BBQ Baked Drumsticks are a family favorite. They are simple to cook on a baking sheet in the oven, and are the perfect casual family dinner. Even with the homemade barbecue sauce, this main preps up quick. Serve the satisfying drumsticks with comfort food sides like Baked Mac and Cheese, Potato Salad, or Coleslaw. To keep this recipe from getting boring, I like to switch up what I add to my barbecue sauce. Read below for some ideas.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 yellow onion , diced
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 6 chicken drumsticks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Add the oil a large pot on medium heat.
- Add onions and cook for 5-6 minutes until the onions are softened, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic, tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, salt, and pepper, and stir well.
- Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.
- Cook for 10-15 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
- Coat chicken with the BBQ sauce, then place on the baking sheet.
- Bake in oven 40-45 minutes, turning chicken about halfway through until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Notes
- Prepare and cook the sauce per the recipe card.
- Coat the chicken pieces in the barbecue sauce and place on a baking sheet or large plate.
- Heat your grill to medium-high heat.
- Once the grill is hot, place chicken on grill.
- Flip the chicken halfway through, and baste with some remaining BBQ sauce.
- Cook for 15-20 minutes, basting occasionally until fully cooked inside and charred outside.
Nutrition
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Chef’s Note
This chicken is unbelievable thanks to the flavorful homemade BBQ sauce. I will sometimes experiment with the flavor of my BBQ sauce by adding extra garlic powder, chili powder, hot sauce, or liquid smoke. It just depends on my mood, or what my family is interested in having. There’s a lot of flexibility when creating a homemade sauce and that’s what I love!
Table of contents
Can this be made ahead of time?
If you want to meal-prep this flavorful chicken recipe, then you absolutely can. Follow the recipe steps above, then wait for the chicken to cool before storing in the fridge to serve in a day or two. I recommend reheating in the oven and adding additional BBQ sauce as desired to maintain the crispy, juicy texture.
How to Store
- Serve: Don’t leave at room temperature for over 2 hours.
- Store: If you have leftovers, let the dish cool, then put it in an airtight container to keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: To keep longer, you can seal it and store it in the freezer for 3 months.
FAQs
You’ll want to bake them uncovered. This allows the skin to crisp up nicely.
To reheat drumsticks, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the drumsticks in a baking dish, allowing some space between them. Add a small amount of chicken stock or water to the dish, less than an inch, to keep them moist. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and heat until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, which should take about 20 minutes.
Yes, the same method works well for chicken thighs and wings. Adjust the cooking time based on the cut of meat.
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