When I first began paying attention to the ingredient lists of the food products I was purchasing I was genuinely surprised by all the unnecessary junk thrown into barbecue sauce. So many of them are filled with high fructose corn syrup and food coloring. Sugar or corn syrup are usually the very first ingredient! I knew right away that I wanted to create my own that was free from these things.
This Sugar Free Oven Baked BBQ Chicken is the result of lots of trial and error. It’s simply sweetened with no sugar, corn syrup, honey, or molasses. That means that enjoying it won’t compromise your healthy lifestyle. Plus it’s Whole30 compliant!
The chicken comes out juicy because it bakes in the sauce.
The sauce is smooth (not too thick and not too runny). Dates and apple juice give it it’s sweetness. The chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and apple cider vinegar give it a depth of flavor and help to balance the sweetness.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Sugar Free Oven Baked BBQ Chicken
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
BBQ Sauce
- 6 oz can tomato paste
- 3/4 cup apple juice
- 5 large dates pitted
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Chicken
- 6-8 chicken thighs boneless & skinless
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ghee can skip for a dairy free version
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Add all sauce ingredients to a high powered blender (I use a Vitamix) and blend until smooth.
- Place the chicken thighs in a baking dish or on a baking sheet. Sprinkle salt and garlic powder on top of each thigh. Divide ghee evenly between top of each chicken thigh.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the dish from oven and liberally brush sauce on top. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and flip the chicken over. Liberally brush more sauce on top. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and flip the chicken over. Brush remaining sauce on top or (if you've used all your sauce) brush the sauce that's gathered in the bottom of the pan onto the top of the chicken. Turn the oven up to 425 degrees. Bake for final 10 minutes.
Notes
The dates and apple juice give the sauce some sweetness. If your dates are medium sized you'll want to use a few more than the 5 listed in the recipe. I do 8 medium dates if I can't find 5 large dates.
Nutrition
Made this recipe? If you share it on Instagram I’d love it if you’d tag me so I can check it out!
Wow! Who needs a grill! This looks amazing. Will share in my W30 group!
Thank you so much, Linda! <3
This chicken looks so moist and flavorful. I want to make this for dinner!
That chicken looks delicious! And I absolutely love the use of apple juice and dates in the bbq sauce! So much more nutritious than ‘regular.’
Chrissy could you please give me the recipe for your cauliflower rice recipe. Thank you
Here you go, Della! https://thewholecook.com/2017/07/07/cilantro-lime-cauliflower-rice/
Wow, this looks SO tender and delicious! Love that you used fruit to sweeten the sauce.
Thank you, Jean! I love fruit as a sweetener too. <3
Oh. My. Goodness. I cannot wait to make this!!! All of that BBQ sauce slathered over the chicken, now that’s my kind of chicken. I’m totally a sauce girl. YUM!!!
I am absolutely a sauce girl too! Thank you so much, Emily!
I can’t agree more about the unnecessary ingredients in foods. I have multiple food allergies so always read every label, and more times than not I decide I’d rather not eat it because it should really only be 4 ingredients but is somehow over ten! This BBQ sauce sounds great! I’m always on the look out for one that is soy free (allergy).
Yes yes YES. It’s so disheartening to see what’s put in our “food”. My son has a peanut allergy but he had several more allergies that he’s thankfully grown out of over time. It makes you really pay attention!
This sounds great! For the BBQ sauce, are you supposed to heat and/or blend the ingredients to make the sauce? Can’t wait to try it! 😋
Thanks!
You blend the sauce but no need to heat it because it will heat in the oven. Thanks, Dee!
Mmmm that sounds so good! I can’t believe there’s dates and apple juice in there!
Two of my favorite sweeteners! Thanks, Julie! <3
What a fantastic and super useful recipe! I always tend to avoid anything “BBQ” because of the amount of crap you usually find in the sauce. This is so nice and simple and love that it uses basic dried herbs and spices!
I’ve had the same problem! Thanks, Monique!