Air fryer BBQ chicken turns a summer staple into a family friendly meal you can enjoy all year long.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time20 minutesmins
Total Time25 minutesmins
Servings: 6
Ingredients
8chicken drumsticks or chicken thighsbone in
1Tablespoonpaprika
1teaspoongarlic powder
1teaspoonsalt
1/2teaspoonpepper
1/2cupbarbecue sauce
Instructions
Combine the paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl and mix. Use the spice mix to coat the chicken. Lift the skin up and put some of the spices under the skin for extra flavor.
Put the chicken pieces in the air fryer basket with the skin side down in a single layer. Don't overcrowd the basket and don't stack the chicken.
8 chicken drumsticks or chicken thighs
Set the air fryer at 370 degrees F for 18 minutes. After it is done cooking use an instant read thermometer to check that the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F. If not cook the chicken for another 2-3 minutes and check again.
Once the chicken is at 165 degrees F flip the pieces over and brush them with barbecue sauce.
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
Set the air fryer at 350 degrees F and cook for another 2-3 minutes to caramelize the sauce and coat the chicken.
Serve with extra barbecue sauce.
Notes
If you add the barbecue sauce too early it will burn in the air fryer.
If you prefer you can use 1 1/2 Tablespoons of a premixed barbecue spice rub like my homemade dry rub to coat the chicken.
You can use this recipe with chicken breasts. Bone in breasts will require more cooking time and boneless breasts will take about the same amount of cooking time. To be sure always use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken.