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    Where Is My Spoon > Recipes > Chicken and Turkey

    Air Fryer Bbq Chicken

    Published by: Adina February 15, 2021 ยท Last modified: February 22, 2025 2 Comments
    Jump to Recipe
    close up glossy thighs served over potatoes

    Make this delicious air fryer BBQ chicken recipe! The thighs are juicy, sweet, smoky, and flavorful. Everything is ready in less than 30 minutes; all you have to do is stir the ingredients for the BBQ sauce.

    two large bbq chicken thighs cooked in the air fryer and served with potatoes and lime wedges.

    Chicken and frozen fries are the two things that I cook the most in my air fryer. Either this air fryer BBQ chicken, air fryer frozen chicken breast, or air fryer frozen wings, air fryer drumsticks, and so on.

    The machine makes everything even easier and faster than regular cooking. And the results are always a hit: juicy, moist pieces, crispy skin when needed, and everything full of flavor.

    And if you would like to learn more about cooking in the air fryer, check out The Best Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners. Or make Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu.

    Jump to recipe
    • Recipe ingredients
    • How to make air fryer BBQ chicken?
    • Good to know!
    • Recipe FAQs
    • What to serve with BBQ chicken?
    • Recipe
    • Air Fryer Bbq Chicken

    Recipe ingredients

    raw chicken thighs, spices and sauce in a bowl

    Chicken thighs, skin on, bone-in.

    BBQ sauce: Either bought or homemade. For more BBQ flavor, you could also try the BBQ Rice or the Baked BBQ Sauce Chicken Breast.

    See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

    How to make air fryer BBQ chicken?

    four raw chicken thighs in the air fryer basket.

    Step #1: Dry the thighs with paper towels and season them. Place them in the basket, skin-side down.

    half-cooked chicken thighs in the air fryer basket.

    Step #2: Cook them for 18 minutes until golden.

    four chicken thighs brushed with sauce halfway through cooking in the air fryer.

    Step #3: Mix the sauce ingredients and brush the thighs with the mixture.

    four chicken thighs brushed with bbq sauce in the air fryer.

    Step #4: Flip them and brush them with more sauce. Cook, skin-side up, for 3 more minutes or until the meat is cooked through.

    Good to know!

    There is no need to wash the meat. The bacteria will only be killed when you cook the pieces, and washing will only spread them all over your sink.

    Check the internal temperature to see if the meat is cooked through. Do not overcook it, as this will make it dry.

    Use your favorite brand of sauce to make the recipe for the air fryer BBQ chicken even easier.

    Recipe FAQs

    How long to cook thighs in the air fryer?

    The cooking time depends on the size of the thighs. Mine were medium, but if those you have are larger, you might have to increase the cooking time slightly.
    The internal temperature should be 165ยฐF/ 74ยฐC. Check with an instant-read thermometer.

    How to store and reheat BBQ chicken?

    Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
    Freeze leftovers for 2-3 months. Defrost in the fridge.
    Reheat in the air fryer, oven, or microwave.

    golden glazed chicken thigh with potatoes in a bowl.

    What to serve with BBQ chicken?

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    • fried potatoes and onions in a skillet.
      Fried Potatoes and Onions

    Do you like this recipe?

    Please leave a good rating in the recipe card below. Stay in touch through social media: Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. Donโ€™t forget to tag #whereismyspoon when you try a recipe!

    Recipe

    air fryer bbq chicken served with potatoes and limes

    Air Fryer Bbq Chicken

    This delicious air fryer BBQ chicken is juicy, sweet, smoky, and flavorful. It is ready in less than 30 minutes and it's made with just a few ingredients.
    4.80 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Share GrowSaved! Rate
    Course: Poultry
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 324kcal
    Author: Adina
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients 

    Chicken:

    • 4 chicken thighs Note 1
    • a few dashes olive or vegetable oil spray
    • ยฝ teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1-2 sprinkles cayenne pepper to taste
    • fine sea salt and pepper

    BBQ sauce (Note 2):

    • 2 tablespoons ketchup
    • ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder
    • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
    • 2-3 teaspoon balsamic vinegar to taste
    • 2 teaspoon lime juice
    • ยผ teaspoon cayenne pepper to taste
    • ยฝ teaspoon smoked paprika
    • fine sea salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Preheat the air fryer to 375ยฐF/ 190ยฐC, if required by its instructions.
    • Season chicken: Dry the chicken pieces with kitchen paper. Spray them with a little oil on both sides. Mix the smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper, and rub the chicken with the mixture on both sides.
      4 chicken thighs + a few dashes olive + ยฝ teaspoon smoked paprika + 1-2 sprinkles cayenne pepper + fine sea salt and pepper
    • Air fry chicken: Place in the basket of the fryer, skin-side down. Cook for 18 minutes.
    • Make BBQ sauce: In the meantime, make the sauce. Mix all the ingredients. Adjust the taste with salt, pepper, more sugar, vinegar, or lime juice. Taste until it's exactly to your liking.
      2 tablespoons ketchup + ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder + 2 teaspoons brown sugar + 2-3 teaspoon balsamic vinegar + 2 teaspoon lime juice + ยผ teaspoon cayenne pepper + ยฝ teaspoon smoked paprika + fine sea salt and pepper
    • Brush the thighs with bbq sauce, flip and brush the upper side with more sauce.
    • Continue cooking, this time skin-side up for 3 minutes or until the meat is cooked through. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer; it should be 165ยฐF/ 74ยฐC. Or insert a toothpick in the thickest part of the thigh; the juices should run clear.
    • Brush with more sauce if desired and serve immediately.

    Notes

    1. Chicken cut: You can use chicken breast instead. Cook for 15 minutes, flipping halfway and brushing with the sauce during the last 3 minutes of the cooking time. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer; it should be 74ยฐC/165ยฐF.
    2. BBQ sauce: Use your favorite brand to make the recipe even simpler.ย 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1piece | Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 166mg | Sodium: 596mg | Sugar: 5g
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @adinabeck or tag #WhereIsMySpoon!

    More Our Favorite Chicken and Turkey Recipes

    • chicken orzo bake in a round dutch oven.
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    • chicken goulash served with mashed potatoes in a bowl.
      Chicken Goulashย 
    • paprika chicken soup sprinkled with parsley in a bowl.
      Paprika Chicken Soup
    • a bowl full of chickpea and chicken stew sprinkled with parsley.
      Chickpea and Chicken Stew

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    Comments

    1. Jackie says

      January 24, 2023 at 7:26 am

      5 stars
      Fab easy very tasty go to recipe

      Reply
      • Adina says

        January 24, 2023 at 8:12 am

        Thank you, Jackie, I am happy you liked the chicken.

        Reply
    4.80 from 5 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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