This air fryer BBQ chicken is a quick and easy way to make crispy-skinned, juicy, chicken with simple seasoning, your favorite sauce, and loads of finger-licking flavor! It’s a main dish your whole family will love!
I’m not sure how we survived without an air fryer, but I’m sure glad we no longer have to. The way it cooks everything from air fryer salmon bites and air fryer vegetables to, our new favorite, air fryer churros is something spectacular.
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Easy Air Fryer BBQ Chicken
This easy barbecue chicken air fryer recipe is how I get the flavor of the BBQ without firing up the outdoor grill, and yet even still it won’t heat my kitchen!
Deliciously seasoned drumsticks come out crispy on the outside, juicy, and tender on the inside without ever drying out! They’re smothered in a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce and placed back in the air fryer for the last couple of minutes until the sauce caramelizes and forms even crispier skin!
It’s made with simple ingredients in under 45 minutes which makes it a great family dinner for busy weeknights. There’s no need to preheat the oven either, so it’s super convenient and it pairs well with the best side dishes!
What to Serve with Barbecue Chicken
There are so many tasty ways to complete this easy recipe! Here are just a few simple sides you can add to this chicken dinner:
- Broccoli salad
- Macaroni and cheese
- Hashbrown casserole
- Southern potato salad
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Loaded mashed potatoes
- Corn on the cob
- Baked sweet potato fries
Ingredients/shopping list
- Chicken legs: I use chicken drumsticks to air fry this recipe but my family loves air fryer BBQ chicken thighs too and the bone helps to keep the meat moist. If you use boneless, skinless chicken, the time to cook may be a little less
- Olive oil: Coating the drumsticks in olive oil will help to crisp up the skin and distribute the seasoning evenly.
- Seasoning: Garlic powder, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Add onion powder too if you’d like.
- BBQ sauce: Use your favorite barbecue sauce, either store-bought bbq sauce or a homemade bbq sauce.
Variations/ Substitutions
1. You can also choose to use chicken thighs, chicken wings, chicken tenders or boneless chicken breast, with or without the skin. If you want to cook a combination of all three, make sure to cook similar pieces in the same batch.
2. For a little extra smokiness, use smoked paprika in place of regular paprika.
3. Play around with the seasoning, just don’t skip it! You can use your favorite poultry seasoning or dry bbq rub.
4. And a little brown sugar to the barbecue sauce for a sweeter coating.
How to Make this BBQ Chicken in an Air Fryer
This chicken recipe will come together easily with just 20 minutes of cooking time. If you want to double the recipe, simply cook a second batch.
Step 1: In a large bowl, prepare the seasoning by thoroughly mixing the olive oil and spices. Preheat air fryer to 400° F.
Step 2: Pat the raw chicken dry with paper towels to get rid of any excess moisture. This will help to get crispy skin. Add the pieces to the bowl and toss to coat the meat evenly.
Step 3: Spray the air fryer basket with non-stick cooking spray and then place the chicken pieces in the air fryer basket in a single layer, working in batches if necessary so as not to overcrowd the basket.
Step 4: Cook for 18-20 minutes total in the preheated air fryer at 400° F, pausing halfway to flip the chicken over.
Step 5: Transfer the cooked legs to a clean large bowl and pour the BBQ sauce overtop. Toss the chicken to coat, making sure all the nooks and crannies get their fair share of sauce.
Step 6: Place them back in the air fryer for another 2-3 minutes for the sugars in the sauce to caramelize and the chicken to cook all the way through.
Tips
- The cooking time will vary depending on the brand of the air fryer as well as the size of the chicken you’re using. Use the time listed as a guideline.
- Use a digital thermometer to tell when your chicken is cooked. It should have an internal temperature of 165° F when inserted into the thickest part of the meat.
- Brush the legs with extra BBQ sauce just before serving.
- For a little heat, use a spicy BBQ sauce or add a little cayenne pepper to dry rub seasoning.
- If using chicken breasts, pound them so they are an even thickness for cooking.
FAQ’s
To retain that crispy skin, pop them back in the air fryer at 300° F until warmed through. If you’re not concerned with a crispy skin you can also use the microwave.
To retain that crispy skin, pop them back in the air fryer at 300° F until warmed through. If you’re not concerned with a crispy skin you can also use the microwave.
Definitely. However, because it’s starting frozen, you’ll need to increase the cooking time by about 10-15 minutes to make up for that.
Depending on the size of the pieces and whether or not they are bone-in pieces, will determine how long they should be cooked. Typically bone-in drumsticks will take a total of about 20-25 minutes. Boneless breasts will be about 16-20 minutes.
Again, your best bet is to use a meat thermometer so there’s no guessing!
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Air Fryer BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
- 8 chicken legs or thighs or 4 chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400° F
- In a large bowl, add the olive oil and spices and mix together well.3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel then add the chicken to the spice mixture and toss to coat well.8 chicken legs
- Place the coated chicken in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Cook for 10 minutes.
- Turn the chicken over and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the air fryer and place in a separate large bowl.
- Pour the barbecue sauce over top and toss to coat in the the bbq sauce.½ cup barbecue sauce
- Place the chicken back in the air fryer and cook for 2-3 additional minutes or until the
- internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
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