Get the same results as grilling outdoors with this easy Air Fryer BBQ Chicken recipe!
Seasoned chicken breasts come out juicy, tender, and glazed with savory BBQ sauce for a quick and easy weeknight dinner! Serve this chicken over a bed of egg noodles, or with some white rice for a simple meal that will taste delicious.
Quick & Easy Chicken Recipe
- This is one of the best recipes for beginner air fryer cooks. Simply season, cook, and serve! Use bbq chicken in recipes all week long.
- Chicken is always a family favorite and the air fryer makes it so easy to get hot and healthy chicken from fresh or frozen in the air fryer with minimal cleanup!
- Serve whole or slice for sandwiches, wraps, fajitas, or top a salad, bbq chicken goes with everything! Make ahead and freeze for future recipes!
Ingredients & Variations
CHICKEN BREASTS: Boneless chicken breasts are healthy, affordable, and always a welcome addition to any table. Bone-in or skin on, either way, the results will be mouth-watering! Any style of chicken will work, as long as the sizes are uniform so they cook at the same rate. Chicken legs, thighs, and wings will all work in this recipe, adjust the cooking time as needed to ensure the chicken reaches 165°F internally.
SAUCE: Choose your favorite bbq sauce blend and add a few herbs and spices to punch up the flavor. Add hot sauce and red pepper flakes for a spicy sauce or mix in a little pineapple juice for a tangy, teriyaki style sauce.
How to Make BBQ Chicken in the Air Fryer
So easy, even the novice cook can make it!
- Place seasoned breasts in the air fryer and bake (as per the recipe below).
- Remove from the basket or tray and brush with bbq sauce.
- Cook for a few more minutes or until the sauce glazes onto the meat.
Other Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
The air fryer and chicken go hand-in-hand. Try any of these recipes for deliciously tender and juicy chicken every time: chicken cordon bleu, stuffed chicken breasts, chicken fajitas, BBQ air fryer chicken drumsticks, or air fryer frozen chicken tenders.
Tips for Juicy Chicken
Leave plenty of room between the chicken breasts so the hot air can circulate around the pieces, infusing the seasoning into the meat and caramelizing the sauce on the outside.
Always test for doneness with a meat thermometer. Chicken should read at 165°F at the thickest part. Remember, once it’s removed from the air fryer, it will continue to cook as it rests (this is called carryover cooking and applies to all proteins). Let the chicken breasts rest for about 5 minutes before resting so the juices are sealed into the meat.
What to Serve with BBQ Chicken
- Oven Roasted Vegetables – healthy and comforting!
- Stir Fried Broccoli – quick and flavorful
- Oven Roasted Cauliflower – crispy
- Oven Baked Potato Wedges – hot and hearty
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts or 1 lb
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt and pepper each
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 370°F.
- Combine paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together and rub onto the chicken breasts.
- Place in the air fryer basket and cook for 15- 16 minutes.
- Remove from the air fryer and brush with BBQ sauce.
- Return to the air fryer and cook for an additional 3 minutes or until chicken reaches 165°F internally.
Notes
- Place chicken in the air fryer basket in such a way that the hot air can circulate around the pieces.
- Use a meat thermometer to check that the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F in the thickest part.
- The chicken temperature of the chicken will continue to rise as it rests, called carry over cooking. Rest chicken for 5 minutes so that the juices become sealed into the meat.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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