Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Oven Baked BBQ Chicken
A cranberry and orange barbecue sauce gives these baked chicken pieces a sweet, tangy coating. Smoky paprika and a little chili heat deepen the fruit flavor, making the sauce especially good where it gathers around the tender meat.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Original yield
- Serves 6
- Ingredients
- 18 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Chicken
- Cuisine
- American
- Cooking method
- Baking · Baked & roasted
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 16–30 minutes · Total: 31–60 minutes
A few quick notes
1. Simmer the sauce first
Soften onion and garlic before adding the sauce ingredients and simmering them together for ten minutes.
2. Remove the skin
Discard the chicken skin and arrange the pieces meaty side up before the first covered bake.
3. Drain before saucing
Spoon away most of the cooking liquid after the first bake before coating the chicken with barbecue sauce.
Get to know the ingredients
Cranberry sauce
Jellied cranberry sauce forms part of the barbecue mixture with tomato, sugar, vinegar and orange.
Chicken
Use meaty bone in pieces, removing the skin before arranging them for the initial covered baking stage.
Orange
Add fresh orange zest and juice to the sauce before bringing it to a low boil and simmering.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 6. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 5 steps completeMake room for Oven Baked BBQ Chicken
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Offer extra sauce
Remove the chicken once the thickest piece reaches at least 165 degrees and serve with the reserved sauce alongside.
A little more help as you go
Turn to coat
Use tongs to coat both chicken sides with sauce, then return each piece meaty side up for the second bake.
Sauce can wait
The sauce may be made a day or two ahead and refrigerated airtight until you are ready to use it.
A few questions you might have
Can I make the sauce ahead?
Yes. Cool it slightly and refrigerate in an airtight container a day or two before using.
Does the chicken keep its skin?
Remove and discard the skin before placing the pieces meaty side up in the prepared baking dish.
When does the barbecue sauce go on?
After the first covered bake, remove most liquid and coat the chicken with about half the sauce.
What temperature should the chicken reach?
Check the thickest piece with a thermometer and cook until it reaches at least 165 degrees.
How long do leftovers keep?
Promptly store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days.
Any more cooking tips?
Make-Ahead Tip The sauce can be made a day or two in advance, if desired. Allow it to cool slightly and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Storage Promptly refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days. Leftovers can be consumed cold or reheat the chicken in the microwave for about 2 minutes, or just until warmed through.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: fromvalerieskitchen.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
