Easy Oven-Baked Chicken Legs in Texas-Style Sticky Sauce 🇺🇸

Oven-baked Chicken Legs in a Texas-style sauce, with honey, brown sugar and ketchup BBQ flavours that caramelise into a smoky glaze.

About Oven-Baked Chicken Legs Texas-Style

Texas-style chicken is all about bold, smoky flavour and simple seasoning. It’s usually grilled or over an open flame or in a barbecue pit. The rub is basic – salt, pepper, chilli powder, sometimes paprika or garlic and the focus stays on the meat itself. Special sauce is brushed on towards the end of cooking, if at all, just enough to create a sticky glaze without overpowering the smoke and spice.

You don’t need a grill to enjoy the flavour of barbecue. Oven-baked chicken can still develop that deep, smoky taste and sticky finish people associate with outdoor cooking. It’s all about how the heat works on the meat and sauce — the oven can create caramelisation and depth, mimicking what happens over open flame. While it’s not exactly the same, it gets close enough to satisfy any barbecue craving, especially when outdoor cooking isn’t an option.

This recipe
For this version, there’s no need for a barbecue – these oven-baked chicken legs are cooked in a Texas-style sauce that gives them smoky flavour straight from the oven. The chicken stays juicy as it bakes, and the sauce reduces into a sweet, sticky glaze that clings to the meat. It’s an easy way to enjoy tender chicken with the tangy, smoky taste usually found on the grill.

Ingredients for Chicken Legs in Texas-style Sauce

• chicken – Use whole legs (drumstick and thigh), or a mix. Skin-on is essential for roasting.
• onion – Thinly sliced to line the baking dish.
• garlic – Finely chopped or minced.
• butter – Use unsalted.

For the Sauce:

• vinegar – Use apple cider vinegar for a balanced tang that complements the sweetness. White vinegar also works, but avoid malt or balsamic.
• BBQ sauce – Choose a Texas-style barbecue sauce that’s tomato-based, smoky, and not overly sweet. Look for flavours like “smoked hickory” or “original Texas”.
• ketchup – Regular tomato ketchup, any brand.
• mustard – Use yellow mustard (like French’s or any American-style mustard). If using dry mustard powder, reduce to half the amount.
• honey – Use light, runny honey such as acacia or wildflower. Avoid dark varieties like forest honey, which can overpower the glaze.
• chicken broth – Homemade is great, but a stock cube or powder dissolved in hot water is perfectly fine.
• sugar – Use light brown sugar for mild molasses notes. Dark brown sugar is also fine, just slightly deeper in flavour.
• Worcestershire sauce – Adds depth and a subtle umami taste. Any standard brand will do.
• smoked paprika – This is essential for adding a smoky, earthy note.
• chilli – Use cayenne pepper or mild chilli powder, depending on how much heat you want. Start with a pinch and adjust to taste.

How to make oven-baked Chicken Legs Texas-style

Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl. This will be poured over the chicken and will cook down into a sticky, rich glaze in the oven.

Season the chicken legs with salt and pepper on both sides. Slice the onion into thick rounds and arrange them in a single layer at the bottom of a baking dish. Place the chicken on top, resting it directly on the onion slices.

Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken. Scatter over the chopped garlic and dot small pieces of butter around the dish. Cover the dish with foil, leaving one corner slightly open to let steam escape and help the sauce reduce as it cooks.

Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 40-45 minutes. Remove the foil, spoon some of the sauce over the chicken, and return it to the oven uncovered for another 15 minutes. During this time, the glaze will thicken and the chicken will take on a sticky, caramelised finish.

Once it’s cooked through, transfer the chicken to a serving plate.

Tip: If the sauce is still too thin, pour it into a small saucepan and simmer over low heat until it reduces to a thick glaze.

Serving Ideas for Texas-Style Oven-Baked Chicken Legs

• These sweet and sticky chicken legs pair perfectly with starches like rice, pasta, or potatoes. To balance the sweet glaze, serve something crisp or acidic, such as sauerkraut or a crunchy slaw, to cut through the richness.

• Traditionally, chicken in Texas-style sauce is served with hearty sides. Texas potato salad is a common option, and this Texas cornbread is another classic pairing. Ranch-style beans are also traditional, while a bowl of spicy Tex-Mex beans with chipotle makes an equally delicious option. Other favourites include corn pudding, coleslaw, or pickled okra.

I served chicken legs with a couscous mixed with sauerkraut (recipe coming soon). The sharp, tangy flavour cuts perfectly through the sweetness of the sauce.

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