Broiling Bbq Chicken Legs: A Quick, Easy, And Delicious Guide

BBQ chicken legs are a simple, tasty, and cost-effective meal that can be made in the oven without needing to fire up the grill. They can be served as a weeknight meal or to a crowd, and are sure to be a hit! This article will cover how to make juicy, tender, and crispy BBQ chicken legs in the oven by first baking and then broiling the chicken.

How to Broil BBQ Chicken Legs

Marinating the chicken

The key to juicy, flavourful BBQ chicken legs is to let the chicken pieces marinate in a delicious sauce. You can use a shop-bought BBQ sauce or make your own. If you want to make your own, a tangy, paleo BBQ sauce can be made by adding balsamic vinegar, filtered water, tomato paste, honey, dijon mustard, coconut aminos, onion powder, salt, and pepper to a blender. You can also add liquid smoke to your sauce for an extra kick.

Once you have your sauce, it's time to prepare the chicken. You can use chicken drumsticks or chicken legs, whichever you prefer. Place the chicken in a large zip-top bag or an airtight container. Pour the sauce over the chicken, making sure all the pieces are well-coated. You can also sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, garlic, and onion for extra flavour.

Let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight in the refrigerator. The longer it sits, the more tender and flavourful it will be. If you have the time, try to marinate the chicken for at least 6 hours, turning the pieces every couple of hours to ensure even coverage.

Grilled or baked, BBQ chicken legs are a simple and delicious dish that your family and friends will love.

Broiling the chicken

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken

Start by preparing your chicken legs. You can either use a simple dry rub or marinate the chicken in your favourite BBQ sauce. If you choose to marinate, place the chicken legs in a shallow dish or a large zip-top plastic bag. Sprinkle or brush both sides of the chicken with the sauce, then cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

Step 2: Set Up the Broiler

Preheat your broiler to high with a rack positioned a few inches below. Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil and place a metal cooling rack inside. This setup will allow even heat distribution and continuous airflow, helping to prevent soggy skin. Arrange the marinated chicken legs on the rack, leaving a little space between each leg.

Step 3: Broil the Chicken

Slide the pan under the broiler and cook the chicken until you see dark brown charred spots. This should take around 5 to 7 minutes. Then, flip the chicken legs and broil the other side for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until browned.

Step 4: Finish Cooking in the Oven

After broiling, move the rack to the middle of the oven and lower the temperature to 350°F. Brush the chicken legs with more BBQ sauce, making sure to coat them evenly. Place the chicken back in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes.

Step 5: Check Doneness and Serve

Flip the chicken legs and brush with additional sauce, if needed. Continue baking until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F. This final baking stage should take approximately another 15 to 20 minutes. Once the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and let it rest for about 3 minutes before serving.

Your BBQ chicken legs are now ready to be enjoyed! Serve them hot with extra barbecue sauce on the side for an extra flavour boost.

Baking the chicken

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon chilli powder
• 4 pounds chicken drumsticks
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/4 cups BBQ sauce

Method

• First, prep the chicken by making a brine with the water, 2 tablespoons of salt, and cornstarch. Let the chicken sit in the brine in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F. While the oven is preheating, make a rub with the paprika, chilli powder, brown sugar, and pepper.
• Remove the chicken from the brine, and pat dry with paper towels. Cover the chicken with the rub, and place on a prepared baking sheet.
• Bake for 25 minutes, then turn the chicken and cook for another 5-10 minutes.
• Broil the chicken for 5-10 minutes, turning over halfway through.
• Brush the chicken with 1/3 of the BBQ sauce, and continue to broil until slightly charred. Flip and brush with more sauce, then finish broiling.
• After removing the chicken from the oven, brush with the remaining sauce and serve.

Tips

You can use any variety of thick, tomato, or mustard-based sauce with this method.

• You can cook the chicken on a metal rack over a baking sheet to allow even heat and continuous airflow on all sides.
• If you want crispy skin, bake at 425°F. If you want more tender meat, bake at 400°F.
• The chicken is done when the meat is no longer pink and the juices run clear.

Brushing the chicken with sauce

When it comes to brushing barbecue sauce onto chicken legs, there are a few different approaches you can take. Some recipes suggest brushing the chicken with sauce partway through the broiling process, while others recommend brushing the chicken with sauce after broiling.

If you choose to brush the chicken with sauce during broiling, you can follow this general procedure:

First, make sure you have prepared your chicken legs by cleaning and seasoning them as desired. Then, set your oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler. Place the chicken legs on a wire rack over a baking sheet to allow even heat distribution and continuous airflow. Broil the chicken for 5-10 minutes on one side, until you see dark brown charred spots.

At this point, you can brush the chicken with barbecue sauce. Use a silicon brush to coat the chicken legs generously with sauce, making sure to get all sides. Then, broil the chicken for an additional 3-5 minutes on the second side, until browned.

If you prefer to brush the chicken with sauce after broiling, simply follow the standard broiling procedure without adding sauce. Broil the chicken for 5-10 minutes on one side, then flip and broil for another 3-5 minutes on the second side. Remove the chicken from the oven and brush with barbecue sauce.

You can also experiment with both methods to see which produces the best results for your taste preferences. In general, brushing the chicken with sauce during broiling can help to caramelize the sauce and create a sticky, charred coating. On the other hand, brushing the sauce on after broiling may result in a slightly less crispy texture but can still impart plenty of flavor.

No matter which approach you choose, be sure to use a generous amount of sauce and coat the chicken legs evenly. And don't be afraid to get creative with your sauce choices! You can use a store-bought option or make your own homemade barbecue sauce with your favorite flavors.

Checking the internal temperature

When cooking BBQ chicken legs, it is important to monitor the internal temperature to determine when to apply the BBQ sauce. For instance, in one recipe, the chicken is baked until the internal temperature reaches 160°F, then coated with BBQ sauce and returned to the oven until the temperature reaches 165°F. This two-step process ensures the chicken is cooked through and has a delicious BBQ glaze.

Additionally, the cooking time and temperature settings depend on your preferred texture. For crispier skin, bake at 425°F, and for more tender meat, opt for 400°F. The cooking time will vary based on these preferences and the size of the chicken legs.

Remember, the internal temperature of 165°F is essential to ensure the chicken is fully cooked and safe for consumption. Always use a meat thermometer to check, and if possible, let the meat rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute and ensure a juicy, tender bite.

Frequently asked questions