Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs

A plate of chicken thighs with bbq sauce and green onions on top.

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Air fryer BBQ chicken thighs are an easy way to make juicy, flavorful bone-in chicken thighs. Seasoned with a simple dry rub, air fried until crispy, and tossed in your favorite barbecue sauce, it's a 30 minutes recipe perfect busy weeknights or meal prep.

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: Servings

Calories: 395.82kcal

Author: Sarah Hill

Equipment

Ingredients

4 bone-in chicken thighs
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ cup barbecue sauce
Cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F.
Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel, then add them to a large bowl with the spices and mix with your hands until the chicken thighs are fully coated with the spices.
4 bone-in chicken thighs, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Spray your air fryer basket or rack with cooking spray then add the chicken and cook for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through. Make sure the internal temperature is at least 170 degrees F before serving.
Cooking spray
Remove the chicken from the air fryer, toss in bbq sauce and enjoy!
½ cup barbecue sauce

Notes

Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs give the juiciest results in the air fryer.
Always sauce after cooking to prevent burning from the sugar in BBQ sauce.
For even cooking, arrange chicken in a single layer and flip halfway through.
This recipe reheats well, making it a great option for meal prep.

Nutrition