Low Carb Baked Crispy Chicken Thighs

These crispy chicken thighs are baked in the oven and finished with a low carb and sugar free BBQ sauce. Juicy and delicious!

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What's better than baked chicken thighs? Baked chicken thighs with a super crispy skin!! I recently read that rubbing a combination of salt and baking powder over the chicken skin before roasting is the key to crispy chicken – so of course I just had to try it.

Oh – and I *do* mean baking powder, not to be confused with baking soda or sodium bicarbonate. So what does the baking powder do?

I found this explanation from Lifehacker:

The baking powder raises the skin's pH levels so the proteins break down more efficiently. The baking powder also mixes with the chicken's juices, creating carbon dioxide bubbles that increase the skin's surface area, giving it a crunchier texture when the chicken starts to cook”

How to Make Baked Crispy Chicken Thighs

Trim any excess skin or fat from bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. Pat them dry with paper towels.

Place the chicken on a wire rack set over a foil-lined baking pan. You may like to oil or grease the rack if it isn't non-stick.

In a small bowl, mix together baking powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Spread the mixture evenly over the chicken skin.

Bake in a preheated oven (convection ovens get the best results) for 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. It smells absolutely amazing!

Let rest for 5 minutes before brushing with BBQ sauce. You could either make your own in advance – my low carb smoky barbecue sauce is really tasty and very easy to make – or use a store bought sauce. My current favorite is the spicy version of Guy’s Award Winning BBQ Sauce (although they do have other flavors like Original, Smokey Bacon and Smokey Garlic) – which you can buy from Netrition or Amazon! Always remember to check the label if buying a barbecue sauce – some brands add a TON of sugar!

The chicken is juicy, the meat is just falling off the bone, and that fabulous crispy skin is perfect! Wonderful keto baked chicken!