Baked Chicken With Hibiscus BBQ Sauce
Updated October 11, 2023
Andrew Purcell for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Carrie Purcell.
- Total Time
- 1¾ hours
- Prep Time
- 20 minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 hour 25 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
FOR THE HIBISCUS SAUCE
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup/½ ounce dried hibiscus flowers, chopped
½ small onion, grated
4 teaspoons yellow mustard
1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ teaspoons red-pepper flakes
1 ½ teaspoons ground cayenne
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt (such as Morton)
¾ teaspoon black pepper
¾ cup dark brown sugar
¾ cup ketchup
1 garlic clove, minced
1 whole habanero chile, pieced with a knife (optional)
FOR THE CHICKEN
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters (or use 4 legs and 4 thighs)
2 teaspoons seasoned salt (preferably Lawry’s)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
Olive oil or nonstick cooking spray
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
47 grams carbs; 189 milligrams cholesterol; 613 calories; 14 grams monosaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 33 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 739 milligrams sodium; 34 grams protein; 38 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Make the barbecue sauce: To a medium saucepan, add vinegar, hibiscus flowers, onion, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, red-pepper flakes, cayenne, paprika, salt, pepper and ½ cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then stir in brown sugar, ketchup, garlic and habanero. Return the sauce to a simmer and cook over medium-low, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thick enough that it streams off a spoon, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool slightly, then strain the sauce in a strainer set over a bowl, pressing hard on the solids. Be sure to scrape the sauce off the underside of the strainer.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, as the sauce simmers, roast the chicken: Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Pat the chicken legs dry and trim off any excess fat, leaving the skin intact.
- Step 3
Combine the seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, paprika and thyme in a small bowl and rub all over the chicken. Place the legs on a rimmed sheet pan, drizzle them with olive oil, and bake until golden brown but just shy of cooked through, about 30 minutes.
- Step 4
Once the chicken is golden brown, brush it generously with the barbecue sauce, return back to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees. Serve hot, with more barbecue sauce. (Save any leftover barbecue sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for future use.)
Private Notes
Comments
Red Zinger tea works in lieu of the hibiscus flowers.
Where does one get hibiscus flowers?
This five star review is for the hibiscus sauce. It’s fantastic! We like spicy but some of our guests don’t so I used one teaspoon red pepper flakes as well as cayenne, omitted the habanero, and it was still plenty ‘good’ hot. I reduced the dark brown sugar to one-quarter cut and increased the ketchup to a full cup. It’s a keeper!
I found dried hibiscus flowers in abundance on Amazon - the source of all things.
My wife and kids can't take the heat so I've had to omit the habenero, I just add a little extra cayenne when they aren't watching. This sauce also works great for oven-baked country style bonless ribs.
Reduced the sugar as suggested and used no sugar added (including fake sugars) ketchup. Outstanding though I don’t know how there can be any leftover of the excellent barbecue sauce.