Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs (Boneless)

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Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs are irresistible! Prepare your taste buds for some juicy and flavorful boneless chicken thighs. This dish has an excellent blend of sweet, smokey, and savory flavors by combining both a dry rub and your favorite barbecue sauce. The best part is that it can be prepared quickly and easily in the air fryer, making it a great option for both weeknight meals and weekend gatherings!

I absolutely love pairing a dry rub with my BBQ sauce. I used a similar method with my air fryer bbq chicken wings which have been a very popular recipe with great feedback on pinterest from those who have tried the recipe. This one of my favorite air fryer chicken recipes that my whole family loves!

Why Make a Dry Rub for BBQ Chicken

When making BBQ chicken, using a dry rub in addition to BBQ sauce creates a delicious combination of flavors and textures. Here are just a few reasons to make a dry rub for your bbq chicken:

• Complex Flavors: Dry rubs are applied to meat before cooking and often consist of a blend of spices, herbs, and occasionally sugar. Using a dry rub on chicken increases the depth and intensity of its flavor. These seasonings flavor the chicken throughout the cooking process.
• Contrast in Texture: When using a dry rub, the chicken’s exterior develops a delicious crust and caramelization. The meat is soft and the BBQ sauce is smooth, yet this crust provides a nice textural contrast.
• Customization: The flavor of your BBQ chicken can be tailored to your liking by using a dry rub. You can adjust the amounts of various spices and herbs in the rub to suit your preferences, creating a personalized taste experience.
• Reduced Stickiness: The sugars in barbecue sauces tend to burn and become sticky when cooked at high temperatures for too long. Using a dry rub can help prevent the possibility of the sauce becoming overly thick or scorching on the chicken, since the rub creates a protective barrier.   This is especially important when using a grill.

Air Fryer Chicken Thigh Ingredients

This air fryer barbecue chicken thighs recipe includes the following simple ingredients:

• boneless chicken thighs: you can use bone-in if preferred but the cook time will need to be adjusted.
• barbecue sauce: your favorite brand (I used Famous Dave’s Rich and Sassy) or have full control over ingredients with a homemade sauce. You can determine the level of heat for these chicken thighs with what sauce you choose.
• oil: canola oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil or a light olive oil all work well in the air fryer since they have mild flavor a higher smoke point.
• brown sugar: just a little for some added sweetness
• paprika: to enhance the flavor and color
• sea salt: can use regular table salt but adjust the amount half to account for the difference in size
• garlic powder: to provide a rich and robust savory flavor to the meat
• chili powder: adds a delightful kick of heat, depth of flavor, and a touch of smokiness to your chicken
• onion powder: adds a depth of flavor and ensures a consistent and evenly distributed onion flavor throughout the chicken
• freshly ground pepper: freshly ground is the best and I highly recommend. Already pre-ground black pepper can be substituted, but adjust the amount in half.

Boneless skinless chicken thighs can be used in a wide variety of ways, from air fryer recipes like this one to grilled chicken dishes like polla asado and pressure cooker recipes like Instant Pot butter chicken. Chicken thighs, in general, known for being more flavorful and moist compared to chicken breasts. This is because they have a slightly higher fat content. As an added bonus, chicken thighs are often more affordable than chicken breasts.

This recipe does not include a breading like my crispy chicken tenders with cornflakes or these Air Fryer Breaded Chicken Thighs so it is naturally gluten free.

How to Make Chicken Thighs in the Air Fryer

To make these air fryer boneless chicken thighs, you’ll want to start out by preheating your air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Trim excess fat from your raw chicken. Next, pat your chicken dry and place it in large bowl or ziploc bag. Add your oil and seasonings to the chicken and shake or mix with your hands to until chicken is nicely coated.

Place chicken thighs in a single layer in the air fryer basket.

Cook for 10 minutes and then flip your chicken over.

Cook an additional 5 minutes. Brush both sides with barbecue sauce with a pastry brush.

Cook an additional 2 to 4 minutes or until internal temperature has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit with a meat thermometer. Exact cooking time will vary depending upon your air fryer and the size of your boneless thighs.

Brush with additional bbq sauce, if desired. Serve these air fryer bbq chicken thighs immediately.

These juicy chicken thighs are so quick prepare, but you’d never know it! The spice mixture paired with the tangy barbecue sauce is really a match made in heaven. I think using the air fryer is a great way to get super flavorful meat that isn’t dry. I love this cooking method for not only the results, but convenience!

How to Store Chicken

These chicken thighs can be cooked then left to cool at room temperature up to two hours. To store, place in resealable plastic bag or wrap in aluminum foil. Store for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator. These can be frozen up to 2 to 3 months. To freeze, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent leaking or place in a single layer in freezer bags. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight before reheating for best results. Cook at 350 degrees F in the air fryer for 5 to 10 minutes or oven for 15-20 minutes or until heated through to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

What to Serve with BBQ Chicken Thighs

There are so many wonderful side dishes to serve with your air fryer chicken thighs with bbq sauce. A few of my favorites include sweet cornbread, tropical fruit salad, corn salad, creamy bowtie pasta salad, potato salad, baked beans and coleslaw.

Can I use bone-in chicken thighs?

Absolutely! If you use bone-in chicken thighs, like in this smoked chicken thighs recipe, you’ll need to adjust the cooking time to approximately 24 to 28 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Exact cooking times will vary depending upon the air fryer and size of the chicken thighs. You can also use chicken drumsticks if preferred, adjusting the cooking time to 20 to 25 minutes.

5 from 15 votes

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Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs

Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs are so juicy and loaded with flavor! This easy air fryer chicken recipe features a dry rub and your favorite barbecue sauce to create a delicious meal your whole family will love! Get dinner on the table in under 30 minutes with this amazing boneless chicken thighs recipe!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword air fryer, air fryer chicken, air fryer main dishes, air fryer recipes, barbecue, barbecue sauce, boneless chicken thighs, chicken thighs, dry rub

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Total Time 28 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 204 kcal

Author Emilie at FindingZest.com

Ingredients

• 4-6 boneless chicken thighs approximately 1 to 1.5 lbs
• 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
• 2 teaspoons oil
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C). Trim excess fat from chicken and pat chicken dry with a paper towel before placing it in a large bowl or ziploc bag.

2. Drizzle chicken with oil and add seasonings. Mix with your hands or shake bag until chicken is evenly coated.
3. Place chicken thighs in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
4. Cook for 10 minutes and then flip chicken over.
5. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Brush both sides with barbecue sauce with a pastry brush.
6. Cook an additional 2 to 4 minutes or until internal temperature has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit with a meat thermometer. Exact cooking time will vary depending upon your air fryer and the size of your boneless thighs.
7. Brush with additional bbq sauce, if desired. Serve immediately.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Bone-In Chicken Thighs: Bone-in chicken thighs usually require a slightly longer cooking time. Air Fry for a total of 24 to 28 minutes in an air fryer preheated at 375°F (190°C) following general instructions above or until an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Exact cooking time will vary.

Oven instructions:
Boneless Chicken Thighs: Cook boneless chicken thighs in a preheated oven on a baking sheet at 400°F (200°C) for about 20-25 minutes. Check for an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) to ensure they are fully cooked.

Bone-In Chicken Thighs: Roast them in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) on a baking sheet for approximately 25-30 minutes. Again, check for an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

Storage

To store, place in resealable plastic bag or wrap in aluminum foil. Store for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator. These can be frozen up to 2 to 3 months.

To freeze, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent leaking or place in a single layer in freezer bags. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight before reheating for best results. Cook at 350°F (177°C) in the air fryer for 5 to 10 minutes or oven for 15-20 minutes or until heated through to at least 165°F (74°C).

Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

 

Nutrition Facts

Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs

Amount per Serving

Calories

204

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

7

g

11

%

Saturated Fat

 

1

g

6

%

Trans Fat

 

0.03

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

2

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

3

g

Cholesterol

 

108

mg

36

%

Sodium

 

640

mg

28

%

Potassium

 

348

mg

10

%

Carbohydrates

 

12

g

4

%

Fiber

 

0.4

g

2

%

Sugar

 

10

g

11

%

Protein

 

22

g

44

%

Vitamin A

 

157

IU

3

%

Vitamin C

 

2

mg

2

%

Calcium

 

22

mg

2

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

More Air Fryer Recipes

Looking for more easy air fryer dinner recipes? Here are just a few of my favorites:

• Air Fryer Brats
• Air Fryer Tilapia
• Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings
• Air Fryer Red Potatoes
• Air Fryer Broccoli
• Air Fryer Asparagus

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