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air fryer boneless bbq chicken thighs on a plate with tongs.

Air Fryer Boneless BBQ Chicken Thighs

Yield: 4 servings 1x
Prep: 7 minutesCook: 13 minutesTotal: 20 minutes

Simple and delicious Air Fryer Boneless BBQ Chicken Thighs make an easy weeknight main dish in 20 minutes. These sweet and sticky thighs are great on a bun, in a wrap, or on a salad, and they make yummy leftovers too!

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound raw boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/41/3 cup your favorite BBQ sauce

Instructions

  1. Prepare chicken: Remove chicken thighs (1 pound, raw) from the packaging and trim off any large pieces of fat, if desired. Place chicken thighs in a medium mixing bowl. Use a couple paper towels to pat the chicken dry as much as possible. This helps the oil and seasoning stick to the chicken.
  2. Add seasoning: Add the avocado oil (1 1/2 tablespoons), smoked paprika (1 teaspoon), garlic powder (1/2 teaspoon), salt (1/2 teaspoon) and pepper (1/4 teaspoon) to the bowl with the chicken. Use tongs or a spoon to mix until the chicken is completely coated. Use immediately or cover and place in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. If refrigerated, let the thighs sit out at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before cooking.
  3. Air fry: Place the chicken thighs into the air fryer basket in a single layer with no overlap. Set the temperature to 380F and air fry for 8 minutes. After the 8 minutes is up, open the air fryer and use a spoon or pastry brush to spread a small amount of BBQ sauce on the chicken thighs. Using tongs, flip the thighs over and again cover with remaining BBQ sauce, this time generously smothering the chicken with BBQ sauce. Air fry again at 380F, but this time, only cook for 4-5 minutes. The chicken thighs are done when the internal temperature reaches 165F when measured with a meat thermometer, the edges are charring and the sauce looks sticky.

  4. Serve & store: Let the chicken thighs rest for about 5 minutes, then serve! Great as a solo main dish, on a bun, in a wrap, or on a salad! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Notes

Nutrition information estimated with My Fitness Pal. 

Nutrition Information

  • Serving Size: 4 ounces
  • Calories: 203
  • Fat: 10g
  • Carbohydrates: 5g
  • Protein: 23g
© Author: Danielle
Method: Air Fry