Baked Chicken with Cola Barbecue Sauce

Sunday is my day to experiment with new recipes.  I nearly always cook dinner for my family - sometimes it's just my Mom that comes over.  Sometimes the whole crew shows up.  This Sunday it was my Mom, my niece Tabby, and my great niece Makayla. 

Makayla had requested Butter Noodles for dinner.  (it's really complicated to make....boil some egg noodles when done drain, add butter, salt, and pepper.  That's it.  Pretty simple.  Sometimes I go wild and add Parmesan cheese!)

I decided to try a recipe from the Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade magazine.  http://www.sandralee.com/  It was quite easy and the results were great.  Very moist and tasty!  It's very similar to a recipe that my Mom used to make, but she cooked her chicken in an electric skillet and just mixed Pepsi and BBQ sauce.

Below is the recipe as written in the magazine.  I pretty much followed the recipe, I did leave the skin on so that the chicken would be extra moist and I cooked the chicken in my large cast iron skillet.   Oh...and I cooked the chicken on the stove top a bit longer than what the recipe called for.  I made sure it was good and brown on both sides.  I used a package of drum sticks and a package of thighs.

Baked Chicken with Cola Barbecue Sauce
recipe from Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade magazine

1 1/4 cups Coca-Cola
1 cup ketchup
2 tbsp prepared mustard
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp hot sauce (I just used a few dashes)
1 tsp garlic salt (I was out of this so I used garlic powder and just added a sprinkle of salt)
8 bone-in chicken pieces (skinned, but I didn't do this, I left the skin on)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp canola oil

In a medium saucepan, combine the cola, ketchup, mustard, vinegar, hot sauce, and garlic salt.  Bring to a boil over med-high heat.  Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from  heat, reserve 1 cup sauce in a small bowl for serving.

Preheat oven to 350.  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.  In a large ovenproof skillet, heat oil over med-high heat.  Add chicken and cook 8 minutes or until lightly browned, turning occasionally.

Place pan in oven and bake chicken for 20 minutes.  Discard excess fat from pan.  Brush chicken with 1 cup of sauce.  Bake 15-30 minutes longer  (I baked for another 20) or until done.  Serve with remaining reserved 1 cup of BBQ sauce.