Air Fryer Chicken Thighs with BBQ Glaze
Tender chicken thighs glazed with smoky BBQ sauce, cooked quickly in the air fryer.
Steps
- 1
Preheat the air fryer to 190°C (375°F).
- 2
Mix salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, and black pepper.
- 3
Rub the chicken thighs with the spice mixture.
- 4
Place the thighs in the basket in a single layer and cook for 10 minutes, turning halfway.
- 5
Brush the thighs with BBQ sauce and cook for another 2-4 minutes until internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F).
- 6
Serve immediately.
Shopping list
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, 1 tsp salt, 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
Recipe story
BBQ glazed chicken thighs are a modern twist on the American tradition of grilling meat with sweet and tangy sauces. Originating in the southern United States, this technique has been adapted for the air fryer, preserving the characteristic smoky flavor.
Ingredient Secrets
Black pepper
Known as 'black gold' in antiquity, pepper was so valuable that it served as currency and tribute. In the Middle Ages, Venetian merchants controlled the pepper trade, and individual peppercorns were often counted. Legend has it that when Alaric, king of the Visigoths, demanded tribute from Rome, he included 3,000 pounds of pepper.
Sea salt
Sea salt, extracted from ocean waters by evaporation, was one of the most precious goods of antiquity, used both as food and as currency. In ancient Rome, soldiers were paid with salt, which is the origin of the word 'salary'. Salt roads connected entire civilizations, and in the Middle Ages, salt was so valuable it was called 'white gold'.
Paprika
Paprika, a emblematic spice brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus from the New World. Although associated with Hungarian cuisine, its origins are in Central America, where it was used by the Aztecs.
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