Use your favorite appliance to make this Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Breast! You'll love how fast and simple this chicken recipe is and the juiciness of the chicken breast is out of this world. Minimal ingredients for maximum flavor!
We love cooking chicken in the air fryer for two main reasons. The first is that it's FAST and the second is that it's moist and juicy. I no longer have to worry about tough or dry chicken ever when I'm using my new favorite appliance.
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The reason that the Air Fryer has become so popular in my house is that it's such a fast cooking method with an easy clean-up as well. I love being able to cook chicken without having to deal with the mess and the grease! I can cook a low carb keto dinner in no time.
If you're looking for more delicious entrees, check out my Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings as well as my Air Fryer Whole Chicken as well!
Ingredients
Chicken breasts - Make sure to leave the skin on. I also like to use bone-in chicken breasts as well.
Salt & Pepper - I just added some kosher salt and black pepper in the first step. You can add your favorite dry rub seasoning at the point or wait and add your favorite BBQ sauce after air frying - up to you.
How to Make Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Breast
This easy Air Fryer Chicken Breast recipe is so simple to make! It's the perfect fast weeknight meal that everyone is going to love.
Step One: Season the chicken breast. Make sure to coat it well with the ingredients and cover all sides.
Step Two: Add the chicken to the air fryer basket.
Step Three: Cook the chicken until the internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees.
Variations
Changing up recipes can be super fun but don't forget that any type of changes will vary the calorie count and the carb count possibly, too.
Use other types of chicken - Even though I love this BBQ chicken recipe as it's written, you can easily use other pieces of chicken and get a delicious dish. I think that this would be good with chicken thighs, too.
Spices - The spices are the easiest thing to change! You can add some heat by adding cayenne pepper to this recipe or keep it simple and sweet. Smoked paprika is a great addition as well as it gives the chicken a delicious smokey taste!
Barbecue Sauce - Don't forget that you can add your favorite sauce, too! So many great options to change up the flavor. Check out my recipes for keto barbecue sauce. I have recipes for a classic red bbq sauce, a white barbecue sauce, and a yellow mustard-based sauce. Sometimes I make all three and let my kids each pick their favorite to drizzle on the chicken.
Common Questions
Do I have to use Bone-In Skin-On Chicken Breast?
No, but if you decide to use boneless skinless chicken breasts I highly recommend you wrap your chicken breast in bacon! It is delicious and will help it stay moist the same way keeping the bone in and the skin on does.
How do you store leftover barbecue chicken?
You're going to want to store any type of leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This will keep the flavor locked in and should have the chicken last for up to 2 days without issues. Always store leftovers in the fridge and keep them nice and cold.
You can also easily add this simple recipe to the freezer, too. Just wait for the chicken to cool down all the way and then put the meat in a freezer-safe container. It should freeze fine for up to 2 months.
What is the easiest way to make sure the chicken is cooked?
Using a meat thermometer is going to be your best bet. You want to be sure that the meat has an internal temperature of 165 degrees to be considered safe to eat. Make sure you're checking the temperature in the thickest part of the chicken.
The golden skin on top cooked by the air fryer should be the judgment for you to know that the chicken is cooked. Using a meat thermometer is your safest and most accurate tool.
What side dishes pair well with chicken?
Since chicken is so versatile, you'll love that you can pair it with just about any type of side dish. Below are some great options that are delicious.
- Zucchini Salad - A great sub for the typical pasta salad served at parties and barbecues.
- Mashed Cauliflower - I like this even more than mashed potatoes!
- Grilled broccolini - This is a nice choice when you get bored of old standards like green beans and regular broccoli.
- A simple salad - Either a garden salad or Caesar salad.
You can just choose a favorite side and make it! Since this main dish is easy to pair with, have fun! You can even use this dish to meal prep and just add in sides later. This is what makes it one of my favorite air fryer recipes.
Change up the side dish every time you make it to easily make it seem like it's an all-new recipe!
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 bone-in skin-on chicken breasts
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup sugar free barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 and spray the basket with cooking spray.
- Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and place it into the prepared basket. Air fry for 20-25 minutes until the internal temperature is 158-160.
- Remove the chicken from the basket and let it rest to come up to 160. Brush on the barbecue sauce and serve immediately.
Sarah Hardy says
These look delicious, Taryn! I use my air fryer just about every single day!