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About This Recipe
If you’re looking for the perfect summer meal prep protein or quick dinner you have to try this Air Fryer BBQ Chicken!
It’s perfect for adding to salads, sandwiches or enjoying as a main dish with your favorite side dishes like this Rainbow Corn Salad, Healthy Macaroni Salad (Deli Style!), or Rainbow Fruit Salad!
Don’t have an air fryer? No worries! You can easily cook this barbecue chicken recipe on the grill! And who doesn’t love grilling out this time of the year?
Enjoy this simple, easy to make recipe that the whole family will love year round! This recipe is low carb, low fat, gluten-free (make sure your sauce is GF) and dairy-free as written.
Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Barbecue Chicken
- A quick & easy protein source – ready in just 20 minutes and air fried to juicy perfection!
- Made with 7 simple ingredients and guaranteed to be a family favorite
- Great for meal prep, busy weeknights or your next summer cookout!
- Can be prepared in the air fryer or on the grill
- Totally customizable and versatile for some many meal options!
- Chicken breast – I used 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Cooking spray – or olive oil
- Paprika – I used sweet paprika but use smoked paprika if you want a smoky kick!
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Black pepper
- BBQ sauce – I used G Hugh’s sugar free (the hickory is my favorite!) but use your favorite barbecue sauce for this recipe.
This BBQ chicken recipe is awesome but feel free to switch up your sauces! Other great options include:
- Buffalo sauce
- Honey Mustard
- Sweet and Spicy sauce
- Teriyaki sauce
How To Make
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when you’re making it!
1. Gather your ingredients. Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk the paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
2. Pound the chicken with a meat mallet or rolling pin to an even thickness if needed. Then go to butterfly chicken, but cut in half completely down the middle to make two thinner breasts from each breast (i.e. my 3 large breasts made 6 breasts).
3. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Then spray both sides of the chicken with cooking spray. Then season both sides with the seasoning mix, pressing down with your fingers to get it to stay on.
4. Once the air fryer is preheated, spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray and add the chicken in a single layer so it’s not overlapping (you may have to do a couple of batches). Air fry for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
5. Brush chicken with BBQ sauce and cook for another 1-2 minutes or internal temp is 155F (carryover cooking will ensure chicken reaches 165F).
6. Transfer chicken to a plate or cutting board and let rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting (this will help keep it juicy). Serve with more BBQ sauce if desired and enjoy!
Helpful Tips
- Allow chicken to come to room temperature – allowing chicken to come to room temperature helps you to cook the chicken faster which helps it not to overcook. When you put cold raw chicken in the air fryer, it can take longer for the middle to heat all the way through, potentially leading to overcooking and drying the chicken out.
- Don’t overcrowd or overlap chicken – air fryers can dramatically range in size and overcrowding the chicken can lead to uneven cooking. If you have a smaller air fryer, make sure to do a couple of batches so that you don’t have to overlap your chicken.
- Pound chicken to an even thickness – if you’re using large chicken breasts, be sure to pound them to an even thickness. This will help cook them evenly through and also ensure they all cook at the same speed
- Don’t overcook! – be sure to pull your chicken out at 155F. Yes, that’s right! Carryover cooking while the chicken rests will ensure that the chicken reaches 165F and keep the chicken juicy and moist. Be sure to note that cook time may need to be adjusted based on individual air fryers. That’s why checking the internal temperature is a great way to make sure not to overcook.
Check out how to avoid these 7 common mistakes while cooking chicken to ensure you get the best result every time!
What internal temperature should my chicken be when it’s done?
One of the biggest mistakes when cooking chicken (or various other types of meat) is overcooking it and waiting until it reaches 165F to pull it out. You can actually cook chicken until it reaches 155F and allow carryover cooking to ensure it reaches 165F. This helps keep your chicken moist and juicy and avoids overcooking which can dry your chicken out.
Can I used frozen chicken for this recipe?
You can. From what I have read, frozen chicken is best cooked at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes, flip and cook another 15-20 minutes or until it reaches 165. Just keep an eye on it and you should be good to go!
Why do I need to flip my chicken in the air fryer?
Flipping the chicken halfway through cooking helps the chicken cook more evenly.
Can I use chicken tenderloins or chicken thighs?
Of course! This air fryer BBQ chicken recipe works great with any type of chicken. You can use tenderloins, breasts, drumsticks or thighs. Just be sure to adjust cooking time if needed depending on type of chicken you’re using.
For large breasts or drumsticks, I recommend about 15-20 minutes. For smaller pieces such as butterflied breasts, tenderloins or thighs you can use the cooking instructions above (they will need less time than larger meat pieces).
You can confirm your chicken is done by using a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature has reached 155F (carryover cooking will ensure chicken reaches 165F).
How do I store leftover air fryer chicken breasts?
Store leftover BBQ chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken (Healthy, Juicy, 20 Minutes!)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast ~3 large breasts
- cooking spray or olive oil
- 1.5 tsp paprika
- 1.5 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/3 cup BBQ sauce (80g) I used G Hugh’s sugar free
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Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, whisk the paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Pound the chicken to an even thickness if needed. Then go to butterfly chicken, but cut in half completely down the middle to make two thinner breasts from each breast (i.e. my 3 large breasts made 6 breasts).
- Spray both sides of the chicken with cooking spray. Then season both sides with the seasoning mix, pressing down with your fingers to get it to stay on.
- Once the air fryer is preheated, spray the basket with cooking spray and add the chicken in a single layer so it’s not overlapping (you may have to do a couple of batches). Air fry for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Brush chicken with BBQ sauce and cook for another 1-2 minutes or internal temp is 155F (carryover cooking will ensure chicken reaches 165F).
- Transfer chicken to a plate or cutting board and let rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting (this will help keep it juicy). Serve with more BBQ sauce if desired and enjoy!
Notes
- Allow chicken to come to room temperature – allowing chicken to come to room temperature helps you to cook the chicken faster which helps it not to overcook. When you put cold raw chicken in the air fryer, it can take longer for the middle to heat all the way through, potentially leading to overcooking and drying the chicken out.
- Don’t overcrowd or overlap chicken – air fryers can dramatically range in size and overcrowding the chicken can lead to uneven cooking. If you have a smaller air fryer, make sure to do a couple of batches so that you don’t have to overlap your chicken.
- Pound chicken to an even thickness – if you’re using large chicken breasts, be sure to pound them to an even thickness. This will help cook them evenly through and also ensure they all cook at the same speed.
- Don’t overcook! – be sure to pull your chicken out at 155F. Yes, that’s right! Carryover cooking while the chicken rests will ensure that the chicken reaches 165F and keep the chicken juicy and moist. Be sure to note that cook time may need to be adjusted based on individual air fryers. That’s why checking the internal temperature is a great way to make sure not to overcook.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
