Made with boneless chicken breasts wrapped in bacon, brushed with your favorite BBQ sauce and sprinkle a little brown sugar on top, this recipe for Air Fryer BBQ Chicken is ready in 10 minutes!
The chicken is juicy and flavorful, and the bacon adds a delicious crispy texture. This recipe is perfect for dinner or a late night snack!
Grab the FREE Air Fryer Cooking Times printable available to help you cook everything to the right temperature all the time.
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This delicious recipe for air fryer BBQ chicken wrapped in bacon is sure to be a hit with the whole family. The chicken is juicy and flavorful, and the bacon provides a crispy, savory counterpoint.
It's easy to make and only takes a few minutes to cook, so you can enjoy a delicious, Family Favorite Chicken Recipe that's a stress-free meal any night of the week. It's also great for snacking.
Make sure you check out the oven baking instructions included at the bottom of the post if you do not have an air fryer!
Looking for a larger portion of chicken for dinner tonight? Try my Air Fryer Chicken Wrapped in Bacon that uses a full chicken breast per serving.
Table of Contents
- New to Air Frying?
- Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Breast
- Is air fried chicken healthy?
- What should the internal temperature of chicken be?
- 🛒Helpful Kitchen Tools
- 📋Ingredients
- Substitutions and Variations
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Air Fryer Cooking Instructions
- How do I know when my Chicken is Done?
- LOVE this recipe? SAVE it for Later!
- Make it a Meal
- Storage Tips
- Freezing Tips
- How long do you cook bbq chicken in the oven?
- Can I cook frozen chicken in the air fryer?
- 🌟Try these recipes next...
- 📖 Recipe Card
- 💬 Comments
New to Air Frying?
If you're just getting started with air frying, check out all the tips and tricks included in my Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners digital cookbook.
Included is everything you need to make delicious, crispy food without all the hassle.
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Breast
The flavor is so intense with this recipe and yet the chicken is incredibly tender and juicy. Using the air fryer does not dry chicken out. Which is what I thought would happen.
This recipe is very similar to my Bacon Wrapped Crock Pot Chicken, only it's ready fast. The recipe takes about five minutes to assemble and then ten minutes of cooking in the air fryer. You can have dinner or a family snack ready in 15 minutes following this recipe.
Is air fried chicken healthy?
Cooking anything in the air fryer requires less oil than if you were going to fry foods traditionally, which right away makes the food healthier. Using an air fryer to cook chicken and other foods can help you cut calories by not using the added fat from oil.
What should the internal temperature of chicken be?
The USDA recommends cooking chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure that it is safe to eat. This temperature will kill any harmful bacteria that may be present in the meat.
When cooking chicken, be sure to use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, away from bone, and wait until the reading stabilizes.
Then, remove the chicken from the heat and let it rest for three to four minutes before cutting into it. This will help to ensure that the juices stay in the meat, making it more juicy and flavorful.
🛒Helpful Kitchen Tools
📋Ingredients
Here's a quick overview of the ingredients for this recipe. Find the exact amounts and click the Instacart button to easily add them to your cart – all in the printable recipe card below!
Substitutions and Variations
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts - you can also use chicken tenders.
- Barbecue sauce - your favorite brand. I like this bbq BBQ sauce. It's our favorite brand or try my Homemade Barbecue Sauce that's made with only three ingredients.
- Brown sugar - I used light brown sugar, but you can use dark brown sugar if that's what you have in your pantry.
- Salt and pepper to taste - I love using my Homemade Salt, Pepper Garlic seasoning blend.
- No need for toothpicks! The bacon stays put without them!
- You can prepare this air fryer recipe using a traditional oven by following the preparation steps above only place the chicken bites on a baking sheet that's been lined with parchment paper.
- Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Slice the boneless chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper or use my Seasoning Salt Blend.
Step 2: Next, slice the bacon strips in half. Wrap a half of bacon slice around each piece of chicken and place on a clean plate. Use a pastry brush to spread the barbecue sauce over both sides of the chicken.
Step 3: Sprinkle the brown sugar on top of the chicken pieces. If you're trying to watch your sugar intake, you can skip this step.
Step 4: Allow the chicken to sit for a few minutes while you preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
Airware Reusable Air Fryer LinersMore InformationAir Fryer Parchment Liner SheetsMore InformationNon Stick Parchment Paper, RoundMore InformationAir Fryer Three Stackable RacksMore Information
Air Fryer Cooking Instructions
Step 5: Place the chicken into the air fryer basket that's been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Close the tray and bake for 5 minutes
Step 6: Open the air fryer and flip the chicken pieces. Close the air fryer and cook the chicken for the remaining 5 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reads 165°F.
How do I know when my Chicken is Done?
Make sure you use a Digital Meat Thermometer to accurately test if the chicken is fully cooked. As you can see from the photo above, the chicken is reading at 168°F. It's cooked perfect!
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Make it a Meal
These chicken bites are perfect for a snack served with my favorite dipping sauces. You can also make them into a meal by adding one of these delicious side dishes:
- Twice Baked Potatoes - my son's favorite potato recipe.
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes - prep-ahead directions!
- A tossed salad with homemade ranch salad dressing is always nice too.
Storage Tips
- Allow the chicken to cool completely to room temperature before transferring them to an airtight container.
- It is important to wait until they are no longer warm in order to prevent any potential bacteria growth.
- Then, place the container in the fridge and consume within two to five days of storing.
Freezing Tips
- You can also freeze your leftovers in a sealed freezer bag or container for up to three months.
- Make sure to thaw the pieces overnight before reheating them when ready to eat!
How long do you cook bbq chicken in the oven?
Prepare the chicken that's been seasoned and spread with your favorite bbq sauce on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil (sprayed with non-stick cooking spray). Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Can I cook frozen chicken in the air fryer?
You can cook frozen chicken breasts or tenderloins in the air fryer for 15 minutes at 360 degrees stopping halfway through to flip the chicken breasts.
🌟Try these recipes next...
📖 Recipe Card
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wrapped in Bacon
Video
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 7 slices of bacon; sliced in half lengthwise
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoon light brown sugar
Method
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees while you prepare the chicken.
- Prepare the chicken by slicing each chicken breast into 7 even strips, so you have 14 pieces total.
- Wrap each piece of chicken with one of the strips of bacon.
- Brush the chicken with the barbecue sauce.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar on top of the chicken.
- Place the chicken into the air fryer basket that's been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
- Close the tray and bake for 5 minutes in the 400 degrees preheated air fryer.
- Open the air fryer and flip the chicken pieces. Close the air fryer and cook the chicken for the remaining 5 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reads 165 degrees.
Nutrition
Notes
Oven Baking Instructions:
If you do not have an air fryer and would like to try this recipe, here are easy baking instructions for you:- Prepare the chicken as instructed above.
- Then place the chicken bites on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil (sprayed with non-stick cooking spray).
- Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!This recipe has been updated since it first appeared in 2020 with new information. I hope you enjoy the updates as much as I enjoyed working on them!
Patricia says
So delicious.
amy says
Yum! I needed a new air fryer recipe and these will definately be a hit! Thanks for sharing!
Lois says
Hope you get the air fryer soon! Thanks for visiting.
frannie says
what are the sauces?
Lois says
The sauces are honey mustard and homemade ranch dressing. You can find them here in this post: https://walkingonsunshinerecipes.com/easy-homemade-pizza-dipping-sauce/
Julie Briones says
Thank you so much for sharing your bacon-wrapped chicken at Tuesday Turn About... so happy to be featuring you this week (I may have commented already, but got interrupted and I can't remember... feel free to delete one!)
Dale Ann Luzzi says
I don't have an air fryer. Can I bake them? what temp and how long? Thanks
Lois says
Instructions for baking the chicken are now included. Thanks Dale Ann!
Elizabeth says
Oven Baking Instructions:
If you do not have an air fryer and would like to try this recipe, here are easy baking instructions for you:
Prepare the chicken as instructed above.
Then place the chicken bites on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil (sprayed with non-stick cooking spray).
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Lois says
Thank you Elizabeth. I did email Dale Ann as well and she has the baking instructions! Hope you enjoy the recipe.
Jeremy@ThirstyDaddy says
That looks amazing!
Lois says
Thanks Jeremy!
Beverly says
Lois,
OMG these look so yummy and there is bacon too. What more can you ask.
Congratulations, you are being featured at happiness Is Homemade! I hope you will stop by.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Hugs,
Bev
Lois says
Thanks for the feature!!!