BBQ Chicken in Air Fryer is the easiest way to satisfy your BBQ craving! This recipe makes the juiciest chicken, dripping with finger licking BBQ sauce.
During summer months, it's sweltering hot outside. Dragging the barbecue out to make lunch or dinner is out of the question. During the winter, who wants to be outside freezing over the grill?
Making BBQ chicken in the air fryer is the perfect solution. With very little meal prep time, the chicken comes out even tastier and juicier. This Air Fryer BBQ Chicken recipe is perfect because you only need a few common ingredients and cooking time is only 20 minutes.
When we made Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings, they turned out so yummy so we used the same dry rub for these drumsticks. For more simple dinner air fryer recipes, you will love our other delicious meals, Air Fryer Chicken Breast Recipe, or Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan.
Ingredients needed to Make BBQ Chicken
- Chicken- I used medium drumsticks so I could fit 4-6 in the basket
- Brown sugar
- Garlic powder
- BBQ Sauce- use your favorite barbecue sauce and flavor. I made these with Kraft Hickory Smoke BBQ Sauce and they were delicious!
- Olive oil- brush or use olive oil spray to coat the basket to prevent sticking. You can also use parchment paper liners.
Steps to Make Barbecue Chicken Drumsticks
-
To prepare the basket or air fryer trays, brush about ½ tablespoon olive oil or spray with cooking spray.
-
Place the chicken, in a single layer, in the air fryer basket. Avoid stacking or overlapping any pieces of chicken.
-
To prepare the chicken dry rub, use a small bowl and blend together the brown sugar and teaspoon garlic powder. Sprinkle the spice mix over each piece of chicken on both sides. Pat it down until the chicken is well covered.
-
Air fry the chicken at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes cooking time. Flip the chicken over halfway through cooking. Use a meat thermometer to confirm internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
-
Once done cooking, remove chicken pieces from air fryer basket or air fryer trays, and then brush chicken with barbecue sauce on both sides of each piece. Serve immediately.
I use a Cosori air fryer to make these BBQ Chicken Drumsticks. 20 minutes was perfect timing 4-6 pieces of chicken. Cook times may vary depending on size, wattage, and thickness of your chicken. You may need to give chicken extra 1-2 minutes of cooking time.
The safest way to confirm doneness when cooking meat is to use a digital meat thermometer like this one. The thickest part of the chicken should have internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
For extra flavor, you can add cayenne pepper or chili powder.
FAQS
For this tasty dish, you can use your favorite sauce and flavor you like. We think Sweet Baby Ray's is the best barbecue sauce. Flavors like Hickory Smoke, and Honey sauces can really add to the flavor too. It's really up to you!
I use family favorite chicken drumsticks because it's a simple meal for a weeknight dinner or picnics. This recipe with the brown sugar and garlic powder rub is delicious on chicken pieces, such as chicken wings, and chicken breast too. Cooking times may vary if using thicker piece of chicken.
Skinless breast and drumsticks are other ways to make a yummy chicken dinner if you prefer skinless.
To keep this chicken moist, store leftovers in airtight container in refrigerator for 3-5 days. If you aren't going to eat them right away, seal and freeze for up to 2-3 months. After reheating, brush the chicken with BBQ Sauce before serving.
I find that by turning the chicken halfway through the cooking process, the chicken cooks more evenly.
This chicken pairs well with so many things. Salad, potatoes, and pasta salad, are all great side dishes.
MORE AIR FRYER CHICKEN RECIPES:
- Chicken Thighs
- Blackened Chicken Tenders
- Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
- Buffalo Chicken Wings
- Parmesan Crusted Chicken
BBQ Chicken in Air Fryer
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 4-6 pieces chicken drumsticks
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or non-stick spray
- ½ cup BBQ Sauce
Instructions
- To prepare the basket or air fryer trays, brush about ½ tablespoon olive oil or spray with cooking spray.
- Place the chicken, in a single layer, in the air fryer basket. Avoid stacking or overlapping any pieces of chicken.
- To prepare the chicken dry rub, use a small bowl and blend together the brown sugar and teaspoon garlic powder. Sprinkle the spice mix over each piece of chicken on both sides. Pat it down until the chicken is well covered.
- Air fry the chicken at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes cooking time. Flip the chicken over halfway through cooking. Use a meat thermometer to confirm internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Once done cooking, remove chicken pieces from air fryer basket or air fryer trays, and then brush chicken with barbecue sauce on both sides of each piece.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is a calculated guesstimate. Please note that this can change with different brands and modifications you may make to the recipe. For the most accurate information, use a nutritional calculator with the exact brands and measurements you're using with each recipe.
©AirFryingFoodie 2023
Leave a Reply