Air fryer BBQ chicken thighs are packed with flavor and so easy to make. They are ready in less than 20 minutes and are a great addition to any meal!
BBQ Chicken Thighs
Chicken thighs are really great to cook, they stay juicy and hold flavor really easily. The BBQ flavors go amazing with the chicken thighs and they are ready really quickly in the air fryer.
These BBQ chicken thighs can be eaten on their own but I think they are best enjoyed with a variety of sides. Baked potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, corn and green beans are just a few of the sides that go really well with BBQ chicken thighs.
BBQ Sauce
You can use whatever BBQ sauce you enjoy or have on hand for this recipe. You can use either store bought or homemade. I like to use my Homemade BBQ Pizza Sauce (I always have some made in the fridge).
The BBQ sauce does contribute a large amount to the flavor of the chicken, so make sure that you choose a BBQ sauce that you enjoy the taste of.
Air Frying BBQ Chicken Thighs
First step when cooking in the air fryer is always to preheat the air fryer. This helps to ensures a constant cooking temperature. For this recipe, the air fryer should be preheated to 400°F/200°C.
While the air fryer is preheating, in a small bowl, start mixing together the rub for the chicken. The rub consists of:
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- smoked paprika
- chili powder
- salt
- black pepper.
You now want to coat both sides of your boneless, skin off, chicken thighs in the rub. Try cover as much of the chicken as possible. Place the chicken thighs into the air fryer basket, trying to spread them out as much as possible.
Cook the chicken in the air fryer for about 12 minutes, flipping halfway through. The chicken should be well browned at this point. Cooking times may vary depending on air fryer model and size of chicken thighs.
At this point you to want to brush just the top side of the chicken with some of the BBQ sauce, then cook in the air fryer for another 3 minutes. Flip the chicken over and brush the top with some more BBQ sauce and cook for another 3 minutes.
The sauce coating the chicken should become sticky and slightly caramelized around the edges of the chicken. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving warm.
Storage
Store these BBQ chicken thighs in an air tight container or bag in the fridge. Like this they can last for up to 4 days. Alternatively keep them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
For more great air fryer recipes check out:
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- Air Fryer (affiliate link)
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs boneless skin off (approximately 1lb/ 500g)
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (Note 1)
BBQ Spice Rub
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika can substitute with non smoked
- 1/2 tsp chili powder (optional)
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F/200°C.
- Meanwhile, mix together all of the ingredients for the rub in a small bowl.
- Coat both sides of the chicken thighs in the spice rub.
- Place the chicken into the air fryer basket and cook for 12 minutes, turning the chicken halfway through.
- Brush the top facing side of the chicken thighs with BBQ sauce and cook for 3 minutes.
- Flip the chicken, brush the top with more BBQ sauce and cook for another 3 minutes
- Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving warm.
Notes
- The exact amount of BBQ sauce is going to vary depending on the size of the chicken thighs and preference. I ended up using a bit over 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce.
very good👍