The BEST Slow Roasted Chicken Recipe with Crispy Skin

Roasted until sticky and golden, this oven-roasted whole barbecue chicken is what your dinner dreams are made of. It’s got smoky-sweet flavor, juicy meat that pulls right off the bone, and a glossy BBQ glaze that turns irresistibly caramelized in the oven. Add some crispy potatoes and caramelized veggies to the pan, and you’ve got a dish that everyone will talk about – with their mouths full.

While this BBQ chicken is big on flavor, it’s also surprisingly healthy. Roasting it in the oven cuts out any deep-frying nonsense, and the homemade barbecue sauce lets you skip the corn syrup and mystery ingredients. You can tweak it to suit your taste or dietary goals – I’ve made it with both stevia and regular brown sugar, and honestly, it’s delicious either way.

❤️ Why you will love this recipe

• One-pan magic: Chicken, veggies, and sauce all roast together for maximum flavor with minimal cleanup.
• Juicy inside, crispy outside: The sticky glaze locks in moisture and gives the skin that crave-worthy crunch.
• Make-ahead friendly: Marinate the night before, then let the oven do the rest.
• Customizable sauce: Sweet, smoky, spicy, or sugar-free – whatever suits your mood.
• Feeds a crowd: With every cut of chicken covered, there’s something for everyone.
• Better than takeout: No buckets required, but finger-licking is absolutely allowed.

🗝️ Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Whole chicken: Around 2kg (4.4lbs), bone-in and skin-on for the best flavor and texture.
• BBQ sauce: Use your favorite store-bought kind or go all in with the homemade version below.
• Olive oil: Helps the marinade coat the chicken evenly and keeps everything juicy. Butter or avocado oil works too.
• Roasting vegetables: Potatoes, carrots, brussels sprouts, or anything roast-friendly. Go wild with what’s in season.
• Passata or canned tomato sauce: Smooth and rich, it’s the base for the homemade BBQ sauce.
• Sweetener of choice: Stevia, brown sugar substitute, or regular sugar – flex it to your taste.
• Allspice: Adds warmth and depth to the sauce. Don’t skip unless you’re really in a pinch.
• Vinegar or sumac: Apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, or sumac for a more citrusy tang.
• Paprika: Use sweet, smoky, or hot depending on your heat preference.
• Cumin and black pepper: For a bit of earthiness and bite.
• Salt: Kosher is ideal, but sea salt works too.
• Liquid smoke: Brings that outdoor grill flavor right into your oven. Use more or less depending on how smoky you like it – just a few drops go a long way.

🥣 How to make whole bbq chicken in oven

1. Make the BBQ sauce: Combine all the homemade sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer over medium-high heat for 10–15 minutes until thickened, then let it cool to room temp.
2. Marinate the chicken: Place the whole chicken in a large ziplock bag with 1.5 cups of BBQ sauce and the olive oil. Seal and refrigerate overnight so the flavor soaks right into the meat.

3. Preheat the oven: Set it to 200°C / 390°F. This first blast of heat helps crisp the skin before the slow roast begins.
4. Start roasting: Place the chicken upside down in a roasting pan and brush over any leftover marinade from the bag. Roast for 15 minutes uncovered.

5. Lower the heat: Take the pan out, reduce the oven to 140°C / 285°F, and turn the chicken breast-side up. Add the vegetables and remaining BBQ sauce to the pan, give everything a good toss, cover with foil or a lid, and bake for 1 hour.

6. Final roast: Uncover, raise the oven back to 200°C / 390°F, and roast for another 35 minutes to finish caramelizing the skin.

7. Check doneness: Use a meat thermometer to test the thickest part of the thigh. It should read 75°C / 165°F when it’s ready.
8. Rest and carve: Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing to keep all those juices locked in the meat, not running all over your board.

🪄 Recipe Notes & Tips

• Size matters: Bigger chickens take longer to cook. Always go by internal temp, not just time.
• Use a thermometer: The most reliable way to know it’s done. 75°C / 165°F in the thigh = perfection.
• Rest before slicing: Ten minutes of patience keeps the meat juicy and tender. Don’t skip it.
• Flip for even cooking: Starting breast-side down helps keep the white meat from drying out.
• Toss those veggies: Stir them in the sauce before covering so they soak up every last drop of flavor.
• Homemade sauce cool-down: Let your sauce cool before pouring it over the chicken, or it won’t cling properly.

🫙 Storage Instructions

• Fridge: Let the chicken cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
• Freezer: Remove the meat from the bones and freeze in a sealed container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
• Reheating: Warm it through in the oven or microwave until piping hot. Add a splash of water or BBQ sauce to keep it moist.
• Leftover tip: Shred the meat and toss it through salads, beans, or roasted veggies for an easy next-day meal.

✨ Variations

• Different cuts: Swap in skin-on chicken thighs, drumsticks, wings, or a mix of pieces. Just keep an eye on cooking time, as smaller cuts will cook faster.
• Spicy kick: Stir in hot paprika, cayenne, chopped chipotle peppers, or your favorite hot sauce to bring the heat your way.
• Sweet and sticky: Add a tablespoon of honey or maple syrup to the sauce for extra caramelization.
• Citrus twist: A squeeze of lime or lemon juice in the BBQ sauce adds brightness and balances the sweetness.
• Herby finish: Toss a few sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary into the pan with the vegetables for a gentle savory boost.
• Grilled version: Cook it on a covered grill for 1.5 to 2 hours, basting every 20 to 30 minutes. Just make sure it hits 165°F in the thigh before serving.

🍽️ What to serve with roast chicken

• Veggies: Air Fryer Carrots and Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts give you that roasty crisp vibe with barely any effort.
• Mash & purée: For something softer on the side, try Whole30 Mashed Potatoes or Parsnip and Red Chili Puree.
• Salads: Try this Pickled Beet Salad or a crunchy Whole30 Coleslaw.
• Beans & grains: Go for Instant Pot Black Beans, Basmati Rice (Instant Pot), or Cilantro Lime Radish Rice to soak up every last drop of BBQ sauce.
• Leftover-friendly dishes: Shred the chicken and toss it into Gluten-Free Pasta Salad or wrap it up in Rice Paper Dumplings.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

😋 More smoky, saucy, fall-off-the-bone chicken

• Air Fryer Hot Honey Chicken Legs
• Perfect Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
• Hot Honey Chicken Drumsticks
• Easy Baked Chicken Drumsticks
• Spatchcock Turkey au Jus

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📖 Recipe

BBQ Slow-Roasted Chicken Recipe

Bethany Galloway

Roasted until sticky and golden, this oven-roasted whole barbecue chicken is what your dinner dreams are made of. It’s got smoky-sweet flavor, juicy meat that pulls right off the bone, and a glossy BBQ glaze that turns irresistibly caramelized in the oven. Add some crispy potatoes and caramelized veggies to the pan, and you’ve got a dish that everyone will talk about – with their mouths full.

4.84 from 6 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 6 people

Calories 550 kcal

Ingredients

  

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• 2 kg 4.4lbs whole chicken
• 700 ml 3 cups BBQ sauce, homemade or store-bought
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 kg 2.2lbs roasting vegetables of choice (potatoes, carrots, brussels sprouts, etc. See post for more ideas)

Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe (optional)

• 690 g 2 1/2 cups Passata, or canned tomato sauce
• 3 tablespoons liquid smoke
• 105 g 1/2 cup stevia, brown sugar substitute, or sugar/sweetener of choice
• 2 1/4 teaspoons allspice
• 2 teaspoons sumac or 118ml (1/2 cup apple cider/white vinegar)
• 1/2-1 teaspoon hot sweet, or smoky paprika, adjust to your taste
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2-3 teaspoons salt to taste

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Instructions

 

1. Make BBQ Sauce (optional):

• Add all of the BBQ sauce ingredients into a pot.
• Cook on medium-high heat stirring occasionally for about 10-15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Allow it to cool to room temperature before step 2.

2. Marinade the chicken:

• Place the chicken in a large, ziplock bag with 1.5 cups of BBQ sauce and olive oil, and refrigerate overnight. Save the rest of the BBQ Sauce for tomorrow.
  

3. Bake the chicken:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C/ 390 degrees F.
• Place chicken upside down in a roasting tray, covering the surface of the chicken with any sauce leftover in the ziplock bag. I used a pastry brush to brush the bbq sauce over the chicken evenly.
  
• Roast chicken in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
• Take it out after 15 minutes, and reduce the oven temperature to 140°C/285°F. 
• Turn the chicken over, add the veggies and any remaining BBQ sauce to the pan, stir the vegetables, cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil or a lid, and bake it for one hour.
  
• After an hour, take it out and increase the temperature back up to 200°C/390°F. 
• Remove the foil or lid.
  
• Place back into the oven, uncovered, and let the chicken cook for 35 minutes.
  
• Check the chicken is ready by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. When the instant-read thermometer reads 75°C/165°F it is ready.
• Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing. This keeps the chicken juices in the chicken, making the tender meat incredibly moist.

Notes

• Size matters: Bigger chickens take longer to cook. Always go by internal temp, not just time.
• Use a thermometer: The most reliable way to know it’s done. 75°C / 165°F in the thigh = perfection.
• Rest before slicing: Ten minutes of patience keeps the meat juicy and tender. Don’t skip it.
• Flip for even cooking: Starting breast-side down helps keep the white meat from drying out.
• Toss those veggies: Stir them in the sauce before covering so they soak up every last drop of flavor.
• Homemade sauce cool-down: Let your sauce cool before pouring it over the chicken, or it won’t cling properly.

 

Storage instructions

• Fridge: Let the chicken cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
• Freezer: Remove the meat from the bones and freeze in a sealed container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
• Reheating: Warm it through in the oven or microwave until piping hot. Add a splash of water or BBQ sauce to keep it moist.
• Leftover tip: Shred the meat and toss it through salads, beans, or roasted veggies for an easy next-day meal.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 550kcalCarbohydrates: 7.9gProtein: 78.4gFat: 20.1gSaturated Fat: 5.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 237mgSodium: 1006mgFiber: 1.4g

Keyword american, barbecue, barbecue sauce, bbq chicken, bbq sauce, dinner, grill, keto, low carb, main course, main dish, one-pan, paleo, sumac bbq sauce, whole chicken

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