Air fryer BBQ chicken breast is rubbed with an easy seasoning blend and slathered in BBQ sauce to make a juicy, delicious meal. This BBQ chicken can be cooked in less than 20 minutes in the air fryer. Serve it with your favorite side dish or on a salad or sandwich.

Chicken is a staple in our house and lately I have been cooking it primarily in the air fryer. There are so many ways to season it, the chicken cooks fast and always comes our tender and juicy.

BBQ chicken in the air fryer is one of our favorites. No need to heat up the grill or oven, just add the chicken right in the air fryer. This chicken is great as a main dish and also perfect to use for meal prep. I like to make a few extra chicken breasts to use throughout the week on salads or in meal prep bowls.

The best air fryer BBQ chicken recipe

Thanks to the magic of the air fryer, this juicy and flavorful chicken breast can be ready to serve in less than 20 minutes! It’s perfect for busy weeknights when you want to make something easy that you know the whole family will enjoy.

• The seasoning blend only requires 5 ingredients—paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, salt, and pepper—but delivers big on taste! Feel free to make extra because once you try it, you’ll want to rub this blend on everything you make.
• When you brush the BBQ over the chicken at the very end and let it cook for another 1-2 minutes, the sauce will caramelize slightly, adding even more delicious flavor to your chicken.
• Looking for some easy meal prep? Leftovers can be stored for about 4 days, so you can use this quick recipe to cook up a few healthy, high-protein chicken breasts to enjoy throughout the week!

Ingredients

Chicken breasts – I like using chicken cutlets because they cook faster but all you need are boneless, skinless breasts. If you have thicker cuts of chicken, try pounding them thinner so they cook evenly.

Paprika – Paprika adds a slightly sweet and smoky flavor along with a beautiful red color.

Garlic powder – Adds a hint of garlic flavor.

Brown sugar – Balances out the salt with a little sweet.

Salt and pepper – The terrific two of most seasoning blends.

BBQ sauce – Use your favorite store bought or homemade BBQ sauce. I used Sweet Baby Ray’s for this recipe.

Olive oil – Used to spray the basket to help prevent sticking. Feel free to substitute with your preferred oil.

How to make Air Fryer BBQ chicken breast

You can find the full ingredients, directions and video below.

1. Stir together paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Sprinkle of chicken breasts and rub the seasoning all over the chicken.
2. Spray the air fryer basket with olive oil. I like using an oil mister. Do not use aerosol spray like Pam because it could damage the basket.
3. Place chicken in the basket. Do not overlap.
4. Cook at 380 degrees for 7 minutes, flip and cook another 7-8 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Since chicken breasts vary in size, the cook time might vary.
5. Brush BBQ sauce over chicken and cook another 1-2 minutes to warm up the sauce.
6. Let chicken rest for 4-5 minutes before slicing.

How long should you cook BBQ chicken in the air fryer?

Cook a small chicken breast at 380 degrees for a total of 18-20 minutes. Larger, thicker chicken might take a little longer to cook through. The key is to make sure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches at least 165 degrees F.

Recipe tips

If your chicken is thick, I recommend pounding them to a more even thickness so that they cook evenly. Also note that if you have thicker chicken, it might require a few extra minutes of cook time.

Don’t forget to spray the basket with olive oil. I like using this mister. Be sure not to use aerosol spray because it could damage the fryer basket.

I can typically fit 2-4 chicken breasts in my air fryer depending on size. Try not to overlap or stack them so that they cook evenly.

Make sure to cook the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

Air fryer BBQ chicken FAQ’s

How to serve

Try serving this main dish with some of your favorite sides like:

• Corn on the cob
• Corn salad
• Red cabbage slaw
• Roasted potatoes
• Pea salad
• Sweet potato fries

How to store leftovers

Place leftover BBQ chicken in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. Make sure they have completely cooled before storing. The chicken will last for 3-4 days.

More air fryer chicken recipes

• Air fryer chicken drumsticks
• Air fryer rotisserie chicken
• Air fryer chicken strips
• Air fryer chicken breasts
• Air fryer chicken thighs

Make this air fryer chicken? Let me know how it turned out in the comments.