These Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs are marinated in a sweet, tangy, smoky spice mix for an irresistible flavor. After air frying for 30 minutes, you’ll enjoy deliciously juicy chicken thighs in a caramelized BBQ sauce. This is a great alternative to standard BBQing, especially if you don’t have a grill or smoker.
These air fryer BBQ chicken thighs are ready in less than an hour and don’t require expensive BBQ equipment. They’re also super flavorful, as they marinate in a homemade spice and mustard/vinegar mixture before being slathered with barbecue sauce. Pair these air fryer chicken thighs with your favorite BBQ sides and enjoy!
Get more use out of your air fryer this week with more of my air fryer chicken recipes: Air Fryer Cilantro Lime Chicken, Crispy Air Fryer Cornflake Chicken, or Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Flavorful – Using a marinade and BBQ sauce for these air fryer BBQ chicken thighs means a delicious taste in every bite.
- Juicy chicken thighs – Marinating the thighs beforehand helps tenderize them and keeps them juicy as they cook in the air fryer.
- Caramelized sauce – Adding the sauce on for the last few minutes of cook time, allows it to get thick, gooey, and caramelized for an even tastier dish.
- Customizable – You can easily adjust the flavors of this air fryer BBQ chicken thighs (boneless skinless) recipe by using different spices in the marinade and your BBQ sauce of choice.
- Great for summer get-togethers – This recipe is quick to make and easy to double or triple, making it great for summer parties or gatherings.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make BBQ Chicken Thighs in the Air Fryer
Quick Overview
- Marinate chicken.
- Air fry.
- Add sauce.
- Air fry.
Step by Step Instructions
Let the chicken thighs marinate for a minimum of 45 minutes for the best results.
Put the sauce on the air fryer BBQ chicken thighs in the last few minutes to avoid burning the sauce.
Step 1: In a large zip top bag or bowl, toss the chicken thighs, vinegar, mustard, brown sugar, salt, garlic, onion, chili, and smoked paprika until everything is well combined and the thighs are coated. Marinate for 45-90 minutes in the refrigerator.
Step 2: Place the chicken thighs in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Avoid overlapping them.
Step 3: Air fry for about 15 minutes at 400 degrees.
Step 4: After 15 minutes, brush the thighs with a generous amount of barbecue sauce.
Step 5: Return them to the air fryer for another 3-5 minutes at 400 degrees. The sauce should caramelize and the thighs should blacken slightly.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Garnish these air fryer BBQ chicken thighs with sliced green onions, fresh parsley, or chopped chives. I love serving these BBQ thighs with typical BBQ side dishes. Here are a few ideas:
Expert Tips
- Pat the chicken dry. Use a paper towel to pat each chicken thigh dry before cooking it in the air fryer (and after marinating). This will ensure there isn’t too much moisture, which can cause the chicken to steam instead of air fry. Then, follow the steps above.
- Marinate the chicken. Using a combo of spices like garlic powder, chili powder, and wet ingredients like mustard/vinegar ensures the air fryer BBQ chicken thighs turn out tender, juicy, and flavorful. The acidity in the vinegar and mustard help tenderize the meat as it marinates, creating even more delicious chicken thighs.
- Do not overcrowd the air fryer. Overcrowding the air fryer basket can cause the chicken to cook unevenly. To avoid some pieces of chicken being raw and others cooked, be sure to space the meat out in a single layer (no overlapping). You may need to cook this recipe in batches if you have a smaller air fryer.
- Brush the sauce on at the end. The sugars in BBQ sauce can create a delicious caramelization on the thighs, but they can also burn if they cook for too long. That’s why adding the sauce in the last few minutes of the recipe is important. Be sure to brush the sauce on all areas of the meat, including the sides of the chicken thighs, for flavor in every bite.
Additions & Variations
- Try chicken drumsticks or wings instead of thighs. If you’re not a fan of boneless skinless chicken thighs, or you don’t have any in your fridge/freezer, you can use chicken drumsticks or wings instead. You’ll need to adjust the cook time, as the drumsticks/wings will cook more quickly than the thighs. Start with 7-8 minutes per side (wings) or 8-10 minutes per side (drumsticks) and adjust from there. You can tell the doneness of the chicken by taking the internal temperature with a meat thermometer; it should be 165°F (74°C) when done.
- Give it a spicy kick. If you prefer your air fryer BBQ chicken thighs to be on the spicier side, you can add cayenne pepper powder. I recommend starting with 1/8 teaspoon and adjusting from there.
- Swap out the sauce. This recipe for boneless chicken thighs tastes great with other types of sauce, such as teriyaki, ginger garlic chili sauce, or Japanese BBQ sauce.
- Try a dry rub. I prefer marinating the chicken for this recipe, as the acidity helps tenderize the meat. However, you can also use a dry rub to create a tasty dish. Adding a dry rub creates even bolder flavors and a delicious crust on the outside of the meat. Skip the mustard and vinegar in the recipe card to make a dry rub. You may need to increase the amount of each spice. If so, increase in equal amounts. Be sure to press the dry rub onto the chicken before putting it in the air fryer basket.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can cook BBQ chicken in an air fryer. However, you will not get the same grill marks as you would on an actual grill. To create a tasty BBQ dish, follow the recipe above for air fryer BBQ chicken thighs.
For crispy chicken, you’ll either need to create a crust (if using skinless meat) or use meat with the skin on. To create a crispy crust, you can use whisked eggs and breadcrumbs. Simply dip the chicken in each mixture, then air fry. Use the recipe above for skin-on thighs; it should yield a layer of crispy skin.
The time it takes to barbecue chicken thighs will depend on the method you use and the temperature. For example, if you toss the thighs onto a grill that’s around 400 degrees F, it will take about 6-8 minutes per side. The air fryer recipe above requires about 20 minutes to create cooked BBQ chicken thighs.
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Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs (Boneless Skinless)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5-6 chicken boneless skinless chicken thighs, pat dry
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Morton kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon EACH granulated garlic, onion powder, chili powder, & smoked paprika
- barbecue sauce, like Sweet Baby Ray’s
Instructions
- In a large zip top bag or bowl, toss the chicken thighs, vinegar, mustard, brown sugar, salt, garlic, onion, chili, and smoked paprika until everything is well combined and the thighs are coated. Marinate for 45-90 minutes in the refrigerator.5-6 chicken boneless skinless chicken thighs, pat dry, 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons Morton kosher salt, 1 teaspoon EACH granulated garlic, onion powder, chili powder, & smoked paprika
- Place the chicken thighs in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Avoid overlapping them.
- Air fry for about 15 minutes at 400 degrees.
- After 15 minutes, brush the thighs with a generous amount of barbecue sauce.barbecue sauce, like Sweet Baby Ray’s
- Return them to the air fryer for another 3-5 minutes at 400 degrees. The sauce should carmelize and the thighs should blacken slightly.
Notes
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- Pat the chicken dry. Use a paper towel to pat each chicken thigh dry before cooking it in the air fryer (and after marinating). This will ensure there isn’t too much moisture, which can cause the chicken to steam instead of air fry. Then, follow the steps above.
- Marinate the chicken. Using a combo of spices like garlic powder, chili powder, and wet ingredients like mustard/vinegar ensures the air fryer BBQ chicken thighs turn out tender, juicy, and flavorful. The acidity in the vinegar and mustard help tenderize the meat as it marinates, creating even more delicious chicken thighs.
- Do not overcrowd the air fryer. Overcrowding the air fryer basket can cause the chicken to cook unevenly. To avoid some pieces of chicken being raw and others cooked, be sure to space the meat out in a single layer (no overlapping). You may need to cook this recipe in batches if you have a smaller air fryer.
- Brush the sauce on at the end. The sugars in BBQ sauce can create a delicious caramelization on the thighs, but they can also burn if they cook for too long. That’s why adding the sauce in the last few minutes of the recipe is important. Be sure to brush the sauce on all areas of the meat, including the sides of the chicken thighs, for flavor in every bite.
- Try chicken drumsticks or wings instead of thighs. If you’re not a fan of boneless skinless chicken thighs, or you don’t have any in your fridge/freezer, you can use chicken drumsticks or wings instead. You’ll need to adjust the cook time, as the drumsticks/wings will cook more quickly than the thighs. Start with 7-8 minutes per side (wings) or 8-10 minutes per side (drumsticks) and adjust from there. You can tell the doneness of the chicken by taking the internal temperature with a meat thermometer; it should be 165°F (74°C) when done.
- Give it a spicy kick. If you prefer your air fryer BBQ chicken thighs to be on the spicier side, you can add cayenne pepper powder. I recommend starting with 1/8 teaspoon and adjusting from there.
- Swap out the sauce. This recipe for boneless chicken thighs tastes great with other types of sauce, such as teriyaki, ginger garlic chili sauce, or Japanese BBQ sauce.
- Try a dry rub. I prefer marinating the chicken for this recipe, as the acidity helps tenderize the meat. However, you can also use a dry rub to create a tasty dish. Adding a dry rub creates even bolder flavors and a delicious crust on the outside of the meat. Skip the mustard and vinegar in the recipe card to make a dry rub. You may need to increase the amount of each spice. If so, increase in equal amounts. Be sure to press the dry rub onto the chicken before putting it in the air fryer basket.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
