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Close-up of four Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs with a thick, sticky glaze on a white plate.

Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs with Sticky Glaze

This recipe provides instructions for making bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs in an air fryer, finished with a sticky barbecue glaze.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 thighs
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 6 chicken thighs bone-in, with skin
Seasoning Mix
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder or cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
Glaze
  • 1/2 cup barbecue sauce

Equipment

  • Air fryer
  • Small bowl
  • Large bowl

Method
 

  1. Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and pat them dry with paper towels.
  2. Score the chicken skin side by making a few cuts down to the flesh so the seasoning penetrates deeper.
  3. In a small bowl, mix the onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and red chili powder.
  4. In a large bowl, mix the chicken thighs with the spice mixture until they are fully coated.
  5. Preheat the air fryer to 400F. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and cook for 10 minutes.
  6. Brush the chicken with barbecue sauce. Cook for another 5 minutes.
  7. Turn the chicken thighs skin-side up and brush with more barbecue sauce. Air fry for another 3 to 5 minutes until the skin is crispy and lightly charred, or until the internal temperature reaches 170F.
  8. Brush with additional barbecue sauce if desired and serve warm.

Notes

The total cooking time depends on the thickness of the chicken thighs and your air fryer model. Check the internal temperature for doneness.