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Whole baked BBQ chicken on a white plate with a side of sauce and greens.

Whole Baked BBQ Chicken

Author: Mandy Applegate
I make this Whole Baked BBQ Chicken with spiced butter under the skin and a BBQ basting sauce for smoky barbecue flavor without needing a grill.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Rest Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: whole baked bbq chicken
Servings: 5 people
Calories: 775kcal

Ingredients

  • 6 pounds whole chicken (6 or 6.5 lb)
  • 1 cup BBQ sauce
  • ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • ½ tablespoon salt
  • 1.5 teaspoons pepper
  • ½ tablespoon chili powder
  • ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter room temp
  • String for trussing
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
  • Remove any giblets from the chicken. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Take your time during this step as it will result in a crispier skin.
    6 pounds whole chicken (6 or 6.5 lb)
  • Combine all spices and room-temperature butter in a small bowl.
    ½ tablespoon salt, 1.5 teaspoons pepper, ½ tablespoon chili powder, ½ tablespoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • Lift the skin above the breast and insert roughly half the butter mixture. Spread the mixture as much as possible under the skin.
  • Melt the remaining butter in the microwave and baste the entire chicken. To ensure an even bake on the chicken, tie the legs together with baking string and tuck the wings under the bird so they don’t burn.
    String for trussing
  • Place the chicken on a wire rack in your baking dish.
  • In a small saucepan, combine BBQ sauce and chicken broth. Bring to a low boil and cook for 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
    1 cup BBQ sauce, ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • Bake chicken at 425°F for 20 mins. Then, lower the temp to 350°F (175°C) and remove from the oven. Baste with half of the BBQ sauce. Place back in the oven and cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the bird reaches 165°F (75°C). You will want to bake the chicken a second time - about 20 minutes before it is fully cooked.
  • Remove from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Notes

Pack leftovers into a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking; they keep 3 to 4 days.
Cooking time shifts with the size of the bird, so lay a loose sheet of foil over the top if the skin browns before the inside is done.
The chicken is done at 165°F (75°C) in the thickest part of the thigh, off the bone; color and timing are not reliable on their own.
Brush on the BBQ sauce only after the first 20 minutes at 425°F (220°C), once the oven is down to 350°F (175°C), so the sugars glaze rather than scorch.

Nutrition

Calories: 775kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 226mg | Sodium: 1496mg | Potassium: 709mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 1429IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 3mg
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