Oven-Barbecued Chicken - Cooks Illustrated

Published May 1, 2004.

The idea--barbecued chicken straight from your oven--is a great one. Unfortunately, the real thing is dry and tough, with a tasteless, baked-on sauce. Could we save this recipe?

The Problem

As expected, the five initial recipes we tried in the test kitchen delivered tough, rubbery, or unevenly cooked chicken in sauces ranging from pasty and candy-sweet to greasy, stale, thin, or commercial tasting.

The Goal

Juicy, tender, and evenly cooked chicken, with a fresh-tasting, tomatoey sauce in the classic Kansas City style that clings to the chicken in a thick, lightly caramelized coat.

The Solution

Start with boneless, skinless chicken breasts; the mild white meat is a perfect backdrop for the sauce. Lightly sear the breasts in a skillet, remove from the pan, then make a modified version of our simple barbecue sauce right in the pan. Add the chicken back to the pan and continue cooking in the oven, then finish under the broiler for chicken that's juicy and thickly coated with a perfectly concentrated sauce.

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America’s Test Kitchen is a 2,500-square-foot kitchen located just outside of Boston. It is the home of Cook’s Country and Cook’s Illustrated magazines and is the workday destination for more than three dozen test cooks, editors, and cookware specialists. Our mission is to test recipes until we understand how and why they work and arrive at the best version. We also test kitchen equipment and supermarket ingredients in search of brands that offer the best value and performance. You can watch us work by tuning in to America’s Test Kitchen (www.americastestkitchen.com) on public television.