Easy to make Air Fryer BBQ Chicken is the best quick fix for a protein-packed weeknight dinner! Chicken breasts are seasoned with a mouthwatering medley of spices before being air fried to juicy perfection. Oh, and you can’t forget the barbeque sauce, of course!
What’s in this Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Breast recipe?
This BBQ chicken recipe is currently at the top of my list of favorite air fryer recipes! With simple ingredients and quick cooking time, your chicken breasts will always turn out flavorful, juicy, and fully cooked.
- Chicken Breasts: I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, but you can use bone-in breasts too–just increase the cooking time.
- Barbecue Sauce: Use any type of bbq sauce you like to get the flavor you want.
- Olive Oil: This helps the spices attach to the chicken, and adds moisture to protect it while cooking.
- Herbs & Spices: A mix of smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and salt & pepper creates a delicious spice rub that complements that barbeque flavor.
Pro Tip: For added heat, double up on the cayenne pepper and sprinkle some crushed red pepper into your spice mix.
Can I make BBQ chicken thighs in the air fryer?
Yes, you can use the same spice rub and general recipe to make either BBQ chicken breasts or thighs in your Air Fryer. If you want to use bone-in chicken thighs, cook them at 400°F skin side up for 15 minutes, then flip them skin side down and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
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How to Store and Reheat
Store Air Fryer BBQ chicken in an airtight container and/or wrapped tightly in aluminum foil, and keep it in the refrigerator for 3 days. Reheat it in the Air Fryer at 375°F for about 8 minutes.
How to Freeze
Freeze chicken breasts in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this air fried BBQ chicken with Air Fryer corn on the cob, ranch potato salad, mac and cheese casserole, sweet potato fries, coleslaw, or any of your favorite BBQ sides. Or slice it up to toss into a BBQ chicken salad!
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Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup barbecue sauce plus more for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 390°F for 5 minutes.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry and, if necessary, pound them to an even thickness using a meat mallet. Set aside.2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- In a small bowl, stir the paprika, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and peppers together.½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Brush each chicken breast with oil, then evenly sprinkle the spice rub over both sides of each piece.½ tablespoon olive oil
- Spray the basket of the air fryer with nonstick spray and place the chicken in a single layer inside.
- Cook for 8 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for another 8-10 minutes, or until the internal temperature is between 160-165°F.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and brush a generous layer of barbecue sauce on each piece.½ cup barbecue sauce
- Return the chicken to the air fryer and cook for another 2 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 165°F.
- Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving with more barbecue sauce, if desired.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
Nutrition Information
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes We Love
- Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
- Air Fryer Fried Chicken
- Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
- Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Yes, but they’ll need to be thawed first. Let the frozen chicken thaw in your refrigerator for about a day prior to cooking.
Yes! Just alter the cooking time to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
It should take about 20 minutes total to cook boneless chicken breasts, and an extra 2-5 minutes for bone-in breasts. Be sure to check the internal temperature and make sure it reaches 165°F after resting for 5 minutes.
Yes, I recommend flipping your chicken half-way through the cooking time to make sure it cooks evenly, and so that both sides get crispy.
I recommend following this Crockpot BBQ chicken recipe for something more suited to slow-cooking.
Yes, it is!
Wow. Just wow. So delicious!!!! Husband was so impressed!!! This is going on our weekly rotation!!!
Do you mind sharing what air fryers you have? Not sure if you have more than one. There are so many kinds- one big basket, two baskets, one that looks like a toaster over. It’s all so overwhelming but this recipe looks delicious!!
It totally depends on your lifestyle and how many people you’re cooking for!
2 people and I prefer easy 😊