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two bone-in skin-on split chicken breast halves with broad breast-meat shapes and a thin dark-red barbecue glaze over browned skin on an ordinary platter, with no drumsticks or wings
Melissa Hart

Air Fryer BBQ Chicken

Bone-in split breasts stay juicy under a barbecue glaze when the sauce goes on near the end instead of burning through the whole cook. Dry and season the skin first so most of the cooking happens before the sweet sauce appears, then a few hotter minutes make the thin coating tacky. Check the meat close to the rib bones and let it rest before carving, because the thick upper part of a split breast takes longer than its browned edges suggest.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 bone-in skin-on split chicken breasts about 1 1/2 lbs total
  • 2 tsp neutral oil
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/3 cup thick barbecue sauce
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Method
 

  1. Preheat an 8-quart air fryer to 360°F for 3 minutes. Pat chicken dry and rub with oil, salt, paprika, garlic powder and pepper.
  2. Arrange breasts skin-side up with space between them. Air fry for 20 minutes, then turn skin-side down for 10 minutes.
  3. Mix barbecue sauce and vinegar. Turn chicken skin-side up and brush with half the sauce, reserving the rest in a clean bowl.
  4. Increase heat to 390°F and cook for 5 to 10 minutes until the skin coating is tacky and the thickest breast reaches at least 165°F. Brush with remaining sauce during the last 2 minutes.
  5. Rest for 5 minutes, remove meat from the bones and cut each breast into 2 portions.