Guava BBQ Sauce Glazed Chicken (Printable Version)

Roasted chicken thighs glazed with sweet guava BBQ sauce featuring tropical fruit and smoky barbecue flavors.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Guava BBQ Sauce

01 - 1 cup guava paste, chopped
02 - 1/2 cup ketchup
03 - 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
04 - 2 tbsp brown sugar
05 - 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
06 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
09 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
12 - 1/4 cup water

→ Chicken

13 - 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, approximately 2 lbs
14 - 1 tbsp olive oil
15 - 1 tsp salt
16 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
17 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
02 - In a saucepan over medium heat, combine guava paste, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, garlic, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, and water. Stir until guava paste melts and sauce becomes smooth. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
03 - Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Rub with olive oil, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder on all sides.
04 - Arrange chicken thighs skin-side up on prepared baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes.
05 - Brush chicken generously with guava BBQ sauce. Return to oven and roast for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, brushing again halfway through, until internal temperature reaches 165°F and glaze is caramelized.
06 - Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with remaining sauce on the side.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The guava brings a brightness to barbecue that feels both familiar and completely new, like discovering a shortcut you didn't know you needed.
  • Bone-in thighs stay juicy while the glaze caramelizes into something almost candy-like, so you get crispy edges and tender meat in every bite.
  • Everything comes together in just over an hour, which means you can pull off something that tastes like you spent all afternoon without actually doing that.
02 -
  • Don't skip patting the chicken dry—moisture is the enemy of crispy skin, and crispy skin is non-negotiable here.
  • The guava sauce thickens more as it cools, so if it seems thin when you first make it, that's actually fine; it'll coat the chicken beautifully once you brush it on.
03 -
  • Room-temperature chicken cooks more evenly than cold chicken straight from the fridge, so pull it out about 15 minutes before you start prepping.
  • If your glaze looks like it's burning before the chicken finishes cooking, tent it loosely with foil and lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees.
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