Air Fryer Chicken Thighs with Barbecue Sauce

Name: Air Fryer Chicken Thighs with Barbecue Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Chicken drumsticks 4; Barbecue sauce to taste; Smoked paprika 1 spoonful; Black pepper to taste; Fine salt 1 tsp; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Coarse salt to taste; Mayonnaise 4 tbsp; Apple cider vinegar 1 tsp; Mustard 1 tsp; Black pepper to taste; Garlic powder 1 pinch; Mustard 1 tsp

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Average

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PRESENTATION

Air fryer BBQ chicken thighs deliver exactly what the name promises: a juicy interior and a deeply golden exterior glazed with smoky-sweet barbecue sauce. A smoked paprika marinade does the heavy lifting on flavor and color, giving the skin that caramelized, lacquered finish before the sauce even goes on. Air Fryer Chicken Thighs with Barbecue Sauce is the kind of main course that looks and tastes like far more effort than it actually takes, which is part of what makes it such a reliable weeknight dinner.

Alabama White Sauce rounds out the plate in the best possible way. The American condiment—built from mayonnaise, vinegar, and mustard—is creamy and just sharp enough to cut through the richness of the glazed chicken. That contrast between the smoky, sticky barbecue glaze coating the thighs and the cool, tangy white sauce served alongside is what gives the whole dish its character. Plate everything up with roast potatoes or seasonal vegetables and you have a full, flavor-packed dinner on the table with minimal fuss.

INGREDIENTS

Chicken drumsticks 4

Barbecue sauce to taste

Smoked paprika 1 spoonful

Black pepper to taste

Fine salt 1 tsp

Extra virgin olive oil to taste

Coarse salt to taste

For the Alabama White Sauce: Mayonnaise 4 tbsp (60 g); Apple cider vinegar 1 tsp; Mustard 1 tsp; Black pepper to taste; Garlic powder 1 pinch; Mustard 1 tsp

Preparation

How to prepare Air Fryer Chicken Thighs with Barbecue Sauce

To prepare the air fryer chicken thighs with barbecue sauce, first pat the meat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture 1. With a sharp knife, make fairly deep cuts in the meatiest part of the thighs so the seasoning penetrates better and the meat cooks more evenly 2. Transfer the thighs to a large bowl and add the smoked paprika 3.

Drizzle with a little oil and season with black pepper 4 and salt 5. Mix thoroughly with your hands, massaging the seasoning into the meat and making sure it reaches inside the cuts 6.

Arrange the thighs in the air fryer basket without overlapping 7, and cook at 374°F for about 20–25 minutes, turning them halfway through 8. Cooking times may vary depending on the thickness of the meat. Meanwhile, prepare the Alabama White Sauce to serve with the chicken. Pour the vinegar into the mayonnaise 9.

Add the mustard 10, season with black pepper 11 and add the garlic powder. Stir well with a teaspoon until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous sauce 12, then set aside.

When the thighs are cooked, brush them generously with classic barbecue sauce 13. Return them to the air fryer and continue cooking for another 6 minutes, turning them halfway through and brushing the other side with more barbecue sauce. At the end they should be well glazed and slightly caramelized on the surface 14. Serve the chicken thighs piping hot, finishing with a pinch of coarse salt and sesame seeds, and accompany them with Roasted potatoes 15.

Storage

You can store cooked chicken thighs in the refrigerator for 2–3 days in an airtight container. Store the Alabama White Sauce separately, also in the refrigerator, for one day.

Tip

Alternatively, you can bake the thighs in the oven at 392°F for about 35–40 minutes, turning them halfway through. After brushing them with barbecue sauce, continue cooking for another 10 minutes, turning halfway and adding more sauce to the other side.

The Alabama White Sauce is a white barbecue sauce based on mayonnaise. It has a fluid consistency and a tangy, piquant, slightly spiced flavor profile—ideal for keeping chicken meat juicy.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.

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