Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs
This post may contain affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for details.
I use my air fryer every single day, and over the years I’ve shared dozens of air fryer recipes here—from chicken nuggets to homemade French fries—so I know exactly what works (and what doesn’t). This Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs recipe has been tested and tweaked to give you juicy, flavorful chicken, with simple tips to prevent burnt barbecue sauce and dry meat.
If you’re looking for a reliable, no-fail air fryer dinner you’ll want to make on repeat, this one delivers.
These boneless, skinless chicken thighs are seasoned with a simple spice blend, brushed with tangy barbecue sauce, and air fried until perfectly cooked. The result is tender, saucy chicken with bold flavor—without babysitting the oven or firing up the grill. I guarantee you’ll make them every week!
How To Make BBQ Chicken Thighs In The Air Fryer
Full ingredient amounts and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Equipment You’ll Need
- 6qt Air Fryer: I use a 6-quart capacity sized fryer which will fit 1.5lbs of chicken easily. A smaller air fryer will work too, you just may need to cook your chicken in batches.
- Instant Read Thermometer: This thermometer will read the internal temperature of meat instantly.
- Pastry Brush: A heatproof silicone pastry brush is great for brushing the chicken with BBQ sauce during the cooking process
Ingredients
- Skinless boneless chicken thighs: Chicken thighs are super juicy and flavorful and don’t dry out during the air frying process like different cuts of chicken do. I like boneless and skinless thighs because they cook quicker, there are no bones to discard, and all the BBQ sauce goes directly onto the meat.
- Olive oil: This helps the dry spices stick to the meat and prevents the chicken from sticking to the air fryer basket. I spray the air fryer basket with olive oil cooking spray as well for extra insurance. Feel free to use avocado oil!
- Garlic powder: For extra flavor and spice
- Coarse kosher salt: To season the chicken and make it more flavorful
- Black pepper: For extra seasoning and spice
- Your Favorite BBQ sauce: You can use any store-bought BBQ sauce that your family loves or make your own. I have a delicious and easy Homemade BBQ Sauce with Blueberries recipe on the blog!
Instructions
Step 1:
Combine the garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, measure out 1/2 cup of the BBQ sauce. Set the bowls aside and preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F.
While the fryer is preheating, remove the chicken thighs from their packaging. If the thighs are folded over on themselves, unfold them so they lie flat. No need to pound them out.
Step 2: Add the chicken thighs to a large bowl and add the olive oil and spice mixture. Use a spoon or tongs to gently coat the chicken in the oil and spices.
Step 3: Once the air fryer is hot, spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray and place the thighs, smooth side down (this would be the skin side if your thighs had skin), in a single layer. Air fry the chicken for 10 minutes at 400 degrees F.
Tip: The chicken thighs should lie completely flat in the air fryer basket, not folding or overlapping any other pieces. Work in batches if needed.
Step 4: After 10 minutes, pull out the air fryer basket and baste the top and sides of the chicken thighs with half of the BBQ sauce. Do not flip the chicken at this point. Return the basket to the fryer and cook the chicken for 3 minutes more.
Step 5: Flip over the chicken and baste the top generously with the other half of the BBQ sauce. Discard any leftover BBQ sauce in the dish and wash the pastry brush, since it’s been in contact with raw chicken.
Step 6:
Cook the chicken thighs for another 3-5 minutes until fully cooked. The thighs are done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh.
Brush the thighs with 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce and air fry for 1 more minute, if desired. Transfer to a serving plate or cutting board.
Resting:
Let the chicken thighs rest for 5 minutes before slicing to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. Serve and enjoy!
Variations and Substitutions
This air fryer BBQ chicken recipe provides flexibility to use what you have on hand and customize the flavors according to your preferences. Here are just a few suggestions:
- Kick up the heat by adding cayenne pepper or chili powder to the dry spice mixture
- Toss the chicken in a little brown sugar along with the other spices for an extra touch of sweetness
- Add onion powder to the garlic, salt, and pepper mix for extra flavor
- Use your favorite BBQ dry rub for a richer flavor and smokiness
Top Tips For Boneless Chicken Thighs In The Air Fryer
During the testing process, I collected a few tips to make THE BEST boneless skinless BBQ chicken thighs in the air fryer:
- The chicken thighs are done cooking when the internal temperature reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer. Keep in mind, larger chicken thighs may take 2-3 minutes longer to cook than smaller ones.
- To keep the chicken thighs crisp around the edges and well coated with BBQ sauce, do not overcrowd the air fryer basket. Work in batches if needed.
- Brush on the BBQ sauce during the last 10 minutes of the cooking process to keep it from burning.
- Smaller pieces of chicken will cook in less time than bigger pieces. Remove any fully cooked chicken thighs from the fryer and set them on a plate wrapped with aluminum foil while the larger chicken pieces finish cooking.
- For juicy chicken, let it rest before serving.
Storage
Cool leftover chicken thighs completely and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Leftovers can be reheated (see below) and are best eaten within 3-4 days of their original cook date.
Reheating leftovers
Leftover BBQ chicken thighs can be reheated in the air fryer at 375 degrees F for about 5 minutes or until heated through. Reheated chicken can be served as an easy main dish or chopped up to top BBQ Chicken Nachos or on top of BBQ Chicken Naan Pizzas.
What To Serve With Boneless BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Fresh green salad
- Air fryer french fries,
- Homemade coleslaw
- Crockpot Baked Beans,
- Italian Pasta Salad (my favorite in the summer!)
- air fryer zucchini chips!
More Air Fryer Recipes
If you make this recipe, give it a 5 STAR Rating and Leave a Comment!
Save This Recipe
Just enter your email below and we will send this recipe right to your inbox, plus we will send more yummy recipes and ideas.
Easy Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless, chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper coarsely ground
- 3/4 cup BBQ sauce divided
Instructions
- Combine the garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, measure out 1/2 cup of the BBQ sauce. Set the bowls aside and preheat the air fryer to 400º F.
- Remove the chicken thighs from their packaging. If the thighs are folded over on themselves, unfold them so that they lie flat.
- Add the chicken thighs to a large bowl and add the olive oil and spice mixture. Use a spoon or tongs to gently coat the chicken in the oil and spices.
- Once preheated, spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray and place the thighs, smooth side down in a single layer. Do not overlap with other pieces of chicken. Work in batches if needed.
- Air fry the chicken for 10 minutes at 400º F.
- Next, pull out the air fryer basket and baste the top and sides of the chicken thighs with half of the BBQ sauce. Do not flip the chicken at this point.
- Return the basket to the fryer and cook the chicken for 3 minutes more.
- Flip over the chicken and brush the top generously with the other half of the BBQ sauce. Discard any BBQ sauce left in the dish and wash the pastry brush.
- Cook the chicken thighs for another 3-5 minutes until fully cooked. The thighs are done when the internal temperature reads 165º F on a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh.
- Brush the thighs with 1/4 cup more of BBQ sauce and air fry for 1 more minute, if desired. Transfer to a serving plate or cutting board.
- Let the chicken thighs rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with additional BBQ sauce and enjoy.
