The BEST Southern Baked Chicken Recipe (2024)

Jump to Recipe

Made with a simple homemade spice rub, rich butter, caramelized onions and a hint of maple essence, my Auntie Rose’s Southern Baked Chicken recipe is tender, juicy and chock-full of flavor! Baked, not fried, this recipe is perfect for hands-off cooking!

The BEST Southern Baked Chicken Recipe (1)

For those of you who don’t know, Auntie Rose is one of the many women I was blessed to have been raised by. A master in the kitchen, Auntie Rose is someone I constantly look up to. Her creativity, energy and excitement continue to inspire me. I just love me some Auntie Rose!

Rose’s recipe rolodex is a thing of beauty. From cornbread dressing to deviled eggs, Auntie Rose has perfected it all. On special occasions, or when I’ve buttered her up just enough, I can sneak a recipe or two out of the vault. Shhh, don’t tell.

Today, I’m sharing one of my absolute favorite Auntie Rose specialties: Southern Baked Chicken. Trust me, one bite in and you’ll swear that they flew straight down from heaven and onto the plate!

Table of Contents

Perks and Highlights of the Best Southern Baked Chicken Recipe

Cuisine Inspiration: Southern Comfort This dish isn’t just food; it’s a warm, soulful hug from the deep South. Every bite promises a taste of tradition, comfort, and home-style cooking that Southern cuisine is celebrated for.

Primary Cooking Method: Baking We’re ditching the deep fryer and showing our oven some love! Slow-baking ensures every flavor is savored, and each bite is infused with soulful spices and a signature sweetness.

Dietary Info: High Protein, Gluten-Free (check your Worcestershire sauce) It’s a protein-packed main dish that stands proudly on its own. For our gluten-sensitive friends, this can easily be gluten-free—just give your Worcestershire sauce label a once-over!

Key Flavor: Sweet and Savory Symphony Hold onto your taste buds! This chicken is a masterful melody of sweet maple, earthy rosemary, robust garlic, and a spicy whisper of paprika that’ll have you closing your eyes in culinary delight.

Ingredients

Oh man, are you in for a treat today! I’m sure you’ve all had your share of wings but, let me tell you, you’ve never had ‘em like this. Each bite is succulent and packed with well-balanced, full-bodied flavor. From the crisp, seasoned skin to the sticky sauce, these wings have got it all.

So, what’re you waiting for? Let’s make a shopping list:

The BEST Southern Baked Chicken Recipe (3)

Fresh Chicken

Do your best to find the freshest chicken possible. Chicken wings should be pink, springy and without any mysterious odors. You can also use chicken legs or thighs. I do not recommend using chicken breasts. Because this recipe bakes super long, chicken breasts are prone to drying out.

Seasoned Salt

Lawry’s has a designated, super special place in my heart. It’s the perfect balance of salty and smoky.

Dried Rosemary

Peppery, woody, slightly bitter and aromatic, rosemary adds a beautifully herbaceous note to our chicken.

Onion & Garlic Powder

No good spice rub is without the sweet, caramelized and pungent tones of onion and garlic.

Black Pepper

A dash of sharp, pungent goodness. Need I say more?

Paprika

The best way to get that amazing smoky sweetness.

Maple Syrup

I suggest using a pure maple syrup to achieve that caramel-like, sticky-toffee flavor. The added liquid will also keep the wings moist while baking. Don’t buy the fake pancake kind. You will want a pure grade

The BEST Southern Baked Chicken Recipe (4)

Onion

Acidity balances out the sugars from the maple syrup. Onions also release moisture that seeps into the chicken.

Sliced Salted Butter

The pads of butter will melt over the chicken and co-mingle with the syrup to create a sticky-sweet, buttery sauce.

Worcestershire Sauce

How to Make Southern Baked Chicken

Prep Work, Worth the Hype: Start by patting your chicken dry with paper towels, then let it chill in a large bowl. Cool? Cool.
Seasoning Symphony: Next up, you’re gonna whisk together the seasoned salt, dried rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. This mix is gonna be your ticket to Flavor Town. Make sure that chicken’s dressed to impress in its seasoning coat. Toss it like it’s a salad and you’re the chef. Now, let it sit pretty in the fridge for a few hours, or hey, give it a beauty sleep overnight.
Patience is a Virtue (and Preheat): When it’s showtime, take your chicken out and let it shake off the chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, get that oven roaring to life at 325 degrees.
Maple Magic and Butter Bliss: Lay your chicken pieces in your baking dish like they’re sunbathing on a Florida beach. Now, get jazzy with it! Drizzle that golden maple syrup over the chicken, blanket them with onions, and dot with pats of butter like you’re adding stars to a night sky. Finish with a suave drizzle of Worcestershire sauce. Cover them up nice and snug with foil, then let ’em bake for an hour.
Paprika Promenade: An hour later, it’s flip-and-sprinkle time! Turn those chickens over, and let it rain paprika. Back into the oven they go for another hour-long snooze.
Crispy Finale: After the second hour, it’s crunch time. Crank that heat up to 350 degrees, ditch the foil, and if you’re feeling it, make it rain more paprika for that rich, golden hue. Give it another 20-30 minutes to get all nice and crispy.
Garnish and Serve: Fresh out the oven and smelling like heaven, it’s time to make it rain fresh rosemary for that final, chef-kiss touch. Serve it up and watch those plates clear out faster than you can say “Southern comfort!”

Tips

From a cook’s perspective, I’m a big fan of Southern baked chicken. When it comes to recipes, easier preparation and quicker cleanup are the best advantages I could ask for! This recipe is the epitome of easy-to-make; you’ll wonder how you went without it for this long.

But, before we get to eating, read up on a few of my BEST chicken baking tips:

Dry Them Well!

After removing the wings from their packaging and properly rinsing them, be sure to dry them REALLY well. Press firmly on the wings with paper towels to blot away excess moisture. The less moisture on the skin, the more crisp and flavorful your wings will be!

Turn While Baking

Be sure to set a timer and turn the chicken halfway through baking. Flipping the chicken will ensure even cooking and golden-brown skin all over!

Rotate the Baking Dish

In most cases, the back of the oven is often hotter than the front. To avoid uneven baking, it’s important to not only turn the wings but also rotate the baking dish.

The BEST Southern Baked Chicken Recipe (5)

How to Serve

I’d be lying if I said I’ve never eaten this chicken (straight off the pan) for dinner. Ain’t no shame in my game y’all. But, if you’re looking to create a classic Southern spread, look no further.

Here’s how I like to serve ‘em up:

Corn Spoonbread
Honey Glazed Carrots
Southern Mustard Greens
Sweet Potato Casserole

Looking to keep it more simple? These chicken wings pair well with tossed salads, roasted vegetables or some grilled corn on the cob!

Favorite Baked Poultry Recipes

Avoid that weeknight chicken rut by introducing a few of my tastiest recipes into your rotation. Seriously, ditch monotonous munching and get with one of these:

Lemon Baked Chicken and Potatoes
Turkey Legs
Baked Turkey Wings
Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet
Rosemary Chicken
Baked Garlic Chicken
Brown Stew Chicken

Southern Baked Chicken

Made with a simple homemade spice rub, rich butter, caramelized onions and a hint of maple essence, my Auntie Rose’s Southern Baked Chicken recipe is tender, juicy and chock-full of flavor!

4.31 from 165 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: soul food, south, Southern

Prep Time: 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 6 hours hours

Servings: 9 servings

Calories: 378kcal

Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Ingredients

▢ 2 tsp seasoned salt
▢ 2 tsp dried rosemary
▢ 2 tsp garlic powder
▢ 2 tsp onion powder
▢ 1 tsp black pepper
▢ 4 lbs fresh chicken wings We use wings most of the time but you can also use legs or even thighs but not breasts
▢ 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
▢ 1/2 cup butter in pats
▢ 1 large onion thinly sliced
▢ 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
▢ Paprika to taste
▢ Fresh rosemary for garnish

Instructions

Dry chicken with paper towels and place in a large bowl. Set aside.
Whisk together seasoned salt, dried rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper in a small bowl until combined.
Sprinkle and toss chicken with seasoning mix ensuring all of the chicken is completely covered. Cover and place chicken in the refrigerator and rest for 2-3 hours or even overnight.
When ready to bake, remove chicken from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Add chicken to a 8×11 or 9×13” baking dish.
Use a spoon to drizzle chicken with maple syrup on both sides. Cover with onions then add pats of butter over the chicken. Lastly, drizzle Worcestershire sauce over the chicken. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 1 hour.
After an hour, turn the chicken over and evenly sprinkle the top of the chicken with paprika. Bake for an additional hour.
After the 2nd hour, turn the temperature to 350 degrees. Remove foil, sprinkle with more paprika if desired for color. Brown for 20-30 more minutes. Garnish with fresh rosemary and serve.

Notes

We usually use chicken wings for this recipe but you can also use legs or thighs. Do NOT use chicken breasts because the long bake time does not tenderize them but dry them out.
Make sure to use pure maple syrup instead of the artificial pancake kind.

Nutrition

Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @GrandbabyCakes or tag #grandbabycakes!

pinterest facebook twitter email