Juicy air fryer BBQ chicken with a sticky, caramelized glaze — ready in under 25 minutes with none of the mess of a grill.
7
servings
Ingredients
- 7 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1.8 tablespoons olive oil
- 0.9 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 0.9 teaspoons garlic powder
- 0.9 teaspoons salt
- 0.4 teaspoons black pepper
- 0.9 cups cup BBQ sauce, divided
Steps
1
Season the chicken: Pat 7 boneless, skinless chicken thighs dry, then rub with 1.8 tablespoons olive oil and season evenly with 0.9 teaspoons smoked paprika, 0.9 teaspoons garlic powder, 0.9 teaspoons salt, and 0.4 teaspoons black pepper.2
Preheat air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 380°F (193°C) for 3 minutes 03:00
.3
Start cooking: Place the chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for 10 minutes 10:00
.4
Flip and glaze: Flip the chicken, brush with half of the 0.9 cups cup BBQ sauce, divided, and cook for another 5 minutes 05:00
.5
Final glaze and finish: Brush with the remaining 0.9 cups cup BBQ sauce, divided and cook for a final 4 minutes 04:00
, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and the glaze is sticky and caramelized.6
Rest and serve: Let the chicken rest for 2-3 minutes before serving.
Notes
Basting with BBQ sauce twice near the end, rather than at the start, prevents the sugars from burning while still building a deep, sticky glaze. For bone-in thighs or drumsticks, add about 5-7 extra minutes to the cook time and confirm doneness with a thermometer.