Miss Raven's Kitchen

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Juicy chicken thighs slathered in an amped up barbecue sauce that just falls right off the bone and served with a side of herbaceous potato salad? I think we have a weekend winner chicken dinner! As soon as spring starts to peek through, I find myself craving meals that feel lighter but still satisfying — something comforting, but not heavy. These Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs with Herbed Potato Salad are exactly that kind of in-between-season dinner.

Table of Contents:

1. Table of Contents:
2. Why You’ll Love This Recipe
3. Ingredients for BBQ Chicken Thighs with Herbed Potato Salad
4. Tips & FAQs
5. Recipe:
6. Check out these other great recipes!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

There is just something about baking chicken thighs that makes them so delicious. I LOVE bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for that purpose. They stay so juicy that when you cut into them, the juice just comes pouring out. OMG, it’s so delicious, and I’m salivating just thinking about having it again tomorrow. The chicken roasts in the oven until the skin is golden and the barbecue sauce turns sticky and caramelized, giving you all the flavor of a cookout without having to fire up the grill. Paired with a bright, herb-packed potato salad tossed in a fresh, tangy dressing, it’s the kind of meal that feels perfect for longer evenings, open windows, and that first stretch of truly warm days.

Speaking of the potato salad, can we just talk about it for a second? I sliced the potatoes into round slices so the dressing soaks into the potatoes while it’s sitting and waiting to be served. You want them thin, but not too thin, and not too thick. A 1/4 inch slice was perfect enough, then boiling them to fork tenderness and tossing in a herby dressing made with fresh herbs, dijon, and olive oil is the way to go. Just like I said in my Arugula & Chicken Pasta Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette: a pasta salad does not always need mayo, and the same applies to the potato salad! Egg salads, however, always need mayo. That’s just my opinion.

Anyway, I highly suggest trying this recipe for something different on a spring weekend. Imagine a beautiful 65F degree Saturday, and you’ve just come home from running some errands, or taking time to just sit in your local park reading a book while enjoying some of your favorite on-the-go coffee. After that, you go home and make this for dinner. It’s like the perfect end to a day out! If you have children, they will be so excited when they catch the aroma of the sweet BBQ chicken baking in the oven if they’re playing in the backyard. Smelling what people are making for dinner while outside always makes me happy, especially when it’s my own house.

Ingredients for BBQ Chicken Thighs with Herbed Potato Salad

• Bone-in, Skin-on Chicken Thighs: The bone-in is key. It helps the chicken stay juicy while baking. If you prefer chicken without the bone, you will need to reduce the cooking time slightly.
• BBQ Sauce, Cola, Honey, Worcestershire, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Salt, Black Pepper, Apple Cider Vinegar, Dijon Mustard: The amped up barbecue sauce for the chicken! I used Dr. Pepper as the cola of choice, but you can use Coca-Cola or Root Beer. I wouldn’t recommend the diet or zero sugar varieties. It alters the taste a bit.
• Red Skinned Potatoes, Parsley, Thyme, Rosemary, Scallions, Apple Cider Vinegar, Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, Shallots, Salt, Pepper: The ingredients for the potato salad. It’s important to reserve some of the potato cooking water since it has that starch that will help cling the dressing to the potatoes.

Tips & FAQs

• Storage: The chicken will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The potato salad is good up to 4 days as well.
  • Make Ahead: The potato salad can be made a day in advance. The BBQ sauce for the chicken can also be made a day in advance. Just be sure to reheat it when you are ready to make the chicken.
• What to Serve This With: This is a great meal on its own because it has a protein and a starch, but you can serve this dinner with grilled buttered corn, roasted cauliflower, macaroni salad, or coleslaw. It’s like a cookout meal without the grill! Cornbread is a nice pairing, too. I might do that next time!
• Can I chop the potatoes instead of slicing? By all means! If you want to chop the potatoes, I recommend chopping them into 1/2 inch pieces. You still need to make sure that the potatoes are fork-tender. That means you can pierce them with a fork with little resistance. Letting the potatoes sit in the dressing will soften them further, but not enough to make them mushy. You don’t want them to break apart on you when piercing with a fork! You’ll have mashed herbed potatoes instead of a salad.
• Can I add Greek yogurt to the potato salad dressing? That sounds amazing! Make sure the potatoes are cooled down enough when you’re ready to dress the salad. You don’t want a warm yogurt-dressed salad. It doesn’t sound appealing, does it?
• Variations:
  • Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you don’t want the bone. Reduce the cooking time slightly to ensure they don’t dry out. The temperature should be 165F to 175F for chicken thighs since they are a bit fatty.
  • Add some greens to the potato salad for some fiber, like arugula, kale, or spinach. You can also add blanched green beans.
  • Adjust the herbs to the ones you like. Try dill and chives for a classic potato salad vibe. Using tarragon instead of rosemary and omitting the scallions gives it a French taste. Adding basil and oregano and omitting the rosemary and green onions will give it a Mediterranean feel. Play with the herbs!
• Wine Pairings:
  • Sauvignon Blanc is the #1 wine I would pair this with. The high acidity cuts through the sweetness of the BBQ sauce and complements the fresh herbs in the potato salad. Look for a wine that has citrus and grassy notes.
  • Another great wine is the Pinot Grigio. It’s perfect if your BBQ sauce of choice is sweeter, such as Sweet Baby Rays, which is my go-to sauce!
  • A Pinot Noir is great for those who love red wines. Low tannins and bright acidity are ideal for the BBQ chicken. It won’t fight with the sauce for attention.
  • An easy crowd pleaser, if you are serving this for guests, is a dry rosé. It’s a safe yet versatile wine that pairs with the BBQ sauce and herbs beautifully.

Recipe:

Check out these other great recipes!