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Laughing Spatula / Recipe Index / Air Fryer BBQ Chicken

Air Fryer BBQ Chicken

By Kathi & Rachel

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Air Fryers are the latest new gadget we love- and they aren’t going away any time soon. Make year round BBQ chicken in yours with this easy recipe! A quick simple marinade with store-bought BBQ sauce, honey and lime smothered chicken thighs make this a chicken recipe you will use over and over. Plus- it’s none to done in only 15 minutes of cook time! 

bbq chicken in a white dish with parsley garnish

Ingredients need for Air Fryer BBQ Chicken

  • Chicken Thighs: I like using chicken thighs best for their flavor- the dark meat and BBQ combination caramelize well in the air fryer. You can use chicken breasts, but you will also need to increase the cook time as they are thicker and take longer to reach 165 degrees farenheit internally.
  • BBQ Sauce: I like to use Sweet Baby Rays, but any kind you prefer will work.
  • Honey: This sweetens it up and helps even further caramelize the sauce on the chicken.
  • Lime Juice/Zest: This adds some zest to the sweetness of the sauce. Don’t skip it!

mixing bbq sauce with honey in clear glass bowl

 

To start, we will mix our marinade. BBQ sauce, honey and lime juice/zest. I let mine marinate for about 3 hours, but the beauty of this is that you can marinate it for however long or as little as you like. I recommend a minimum of 30 minutes of marinating time, and a maximum of 24 hours.  Set aside about 1/4 cup of this mixture to baste the chicken with.

marinating chicken in glass bowl

Combine the BBQ sauce mixture and chicken thighs in a bowl, ensuring the chicken is completely covered. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, place in the refrigerator, and allow to marinate until ready to cook.

basting chicken in air fryer

How to Cook Chicken Thighs in an Air Fryer

  • Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees. Once it is fully heated, use nonstick spray to coat the basket. Then, place chicken directly onto basket. Allow to cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, use a meat thermometer to check the temperature- it should be close to 150 degrees by this point (not fully cooked, but almost there!).
  • Next, using a basting brush and the reserved BBQ mixture, baste the chicken, and put it back in the air fryer for an additional 5 minutes, or until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165 degrees internally.

cooked bbq chicken in air fryer

The result is perfectly caramelized chicken with a little bit of char on it…Perfection! 

If you are looking for other air fryer recipes, we recommend:

  • Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
  • Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
  • Air Fryer Chicken Wings
  • Air Fryer Potato Wedges 

close up of bbq chicken

Need some side dish ideas to go with your BBQ chicken? Try these!

  • Baked Rice
  • Quinoa Pilaf
  • Focaccia Bread 
  • Caesar Pasta Salad
  • Fresh Corn and Avocado Salad

Cheers to delicious Summer recipes! – Kathi and Rachel

 

bbq chicken in a white dish with parsley garnish
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken
5 from 4 votes
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Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Marinating Time
30 mins
Total Time
55 mins
 

A delicious and simple recipe for sticky sweet BBQ chicken, made right in your air fryer!

Course: american, bbq, Chicken
Cuisine: American, bbq, chicken
Servings: 4 people
: 426 kcal
: Kathi & Rachel
Ingredients
  • 8-10 boneless skinless chicken thighs (or, 2 per person)
  • 3/4 cup BBQ Sauce (we like Sweet Baby Rays)
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • juice and zest of 2 small limes
Instructions
  1. Combine BBQ sauce, honey and lime juice/zest in a medium sized bowl. Reserve about 1/4 cup to baste with and set aside.

  2. Add chicken thighs to bowl with marinade and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes to 24 hours.

  3. Preheat Air Fryer to 400 degrees farenheit.

  4. Spray air fryer basket with nonstick spray. Place mainated chicken directly into air fryer basket. Air fry for 10 minutes, the baste chicken with reserved sauce,and air fry another 5 minutes, or until chicken is 165 degrees interally at its thickest point.

Nutrition Facts
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken
Amount Per Serving (2 pieces)
Calories 426 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 215mg72%
Sodium 753mg31%
Potassium 689mg20%
Carbohydrates 39g13%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 35g39%
Protein 44g88%
Vitamin A 174IU3%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 39mg4%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Filed Under: Air Fryer, Chicken, Fast and Fresh, Low Carb/KETO, Most Popular Recipes

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