Juicy Guava BBQ Chicken (Printable)

Roasted chicken with a sweet, tangy guava BBQ glaze offering tropical, bold barbecue flavors.

# What You Need:

→ Guava BBQ Sauce

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

→ Chicken

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

# How to Make It:

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, minced garlic, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, and water. Stir until guava paste melts completely 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 all sides evenly with olive oil, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
04 - Arrange seasoned chicken skin-side up on prepared baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
05 - Remove chicken from oven and brush generously with guava BBQ sauce. Return to oven and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, brushing again at the halfway point, until internal temperature reaches 165°F and glaze becomes caramelized.
06 - Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with reserved sauce on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The guava brings this unexpected sweetness that somehow makes the chicken taste even more savory, like you've unlocked a flavor you didn't know you were missing.
  • It's genuinely easy enough for a weeknight but fancy enough that guests think you spent hours on it.
  • Your kitchen will smell absolutely incredible while this is roasting, and that alone is worth the effort.
02 -
  • Don't skip patting the chicken dry—wet skin steams instead of crisps, and that's the difference between good and absolutely worth making again.
  • Brush the sauce on during the last half of cooking, not at the beginning, or it'll burn and turn bitter instead of caramelizing into something shiny and perfect.
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer if you have one—165°F isn't a suggestion, it's the sweet spot where chicken is cooked through but still incredibly juicy.
  • If guava paste is hard to find, guava jelly works in a pinch, but reduce the brown sugar because jelly is already sweeter than paste.
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