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BBQ Chicken Bites are juicy, tender, and coated in a sticky, caramelized BBQ glaze that delivers bold comfort-food flavor in every bite. Made with just five simple ingredients and cooked in the air fryer, this recipe gives you fast, flavorful results without breading, frying, or firing up the grill. They’re perfect for easy weeknight dinners any time of year.
This is the kind of recipe that brings people to the table and keeps them coming back for seconds.
Whether you’re serving it as a simple family meal, adding it to a casual spread for game night, or letting everyone grab bites as they go, these BBQ chicken bites are easy to share and easy to love.
Why This Recipe Is Always a Win
- Less than 5 ingredients: Including my homemade BBQ dry rub, so you get bold flavor without a long prep list.
- The air fryer works its magic: Juicy chicken with a sticky, caramelized BBQ coating, no breading and no frying.
- BBQ flavor anytime: All the BBQ goodness you want, without firing up the grill or waiting for summer.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make these BBQ chicken bites. Grab the exact amounts from the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Chicken breasts (boneless, skinless): Cut into 1–1½ inch pieces so they cook quickly and stay juicy.
- BBQ seasoning: This builds the base flavor. I use my homemade BBQ dry rub for a smoky, slightly sweet kick. Typically, I make a large jar of this so it’s ready anytime I’m craving Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Tenders, Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs, or Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings
- Avocado oil (or olive oil): Helps the seasoning stick and keeps the chicken cooking evenly.
- BBQ sauce: Hickory or Kansas City–style sauces work best here, giving you that classic sweet-and-smoky finish that caramelizes in the air fryer.
How to Make Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Bites
These BBQ chicken bites come together quickly, and the step-by-step photos below show you exactly what to look for at each stage.
Prep & Season
Start by preheating your air fryer so everything cooks evenly. Pat the chicken dry, then toss it with avocado oil and BBQ seasoning until every piece is well coated. This is where the flavor starts building.
Air Fry & Sauce
Arrange the chicken in a single layer so it cooks evenly instead of steaming. Air fry until the pieces are mostly cooked, then flip and brush with BBQ sauce.
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Finish & Serve
Brush on a little extra BBQ sauce before serving for maximum flavor. Add a sprinkle of parsley or cilantro if you like, then serve warm while the chicken is juicy and the sauce is sticky.
Helpful Tips Before You Start
A few small details make a big difference with this recipe, especially when you want juicy chicken and perfectly caramelized BBQ sauce:
- Give the chicken space: Arrange the pieces in a single layer so they brown instead of steaming. Cook in batches if needed.
- Add the sauce halfway through: Brushing on the BBQ sauce during the last 5 minutes of cooking prevents the sauce from burning and helps it caramelize.
- Flip once and let it cook: One quick flip is enough. Too much turning can slow browning and knock off seasoning.
- Finish with a light sauce brush: A final quick coat right before serving adds shine and extra flavor without overpowering the chicken.
Swaps & Variations
This recipe is easy to adapt, so you can make it work with what you have and how you like to eat. A few simple ways to switch things up:
- Protein swaps: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are a great option if you want richer flavor. I usually double the cook time and flip once or twice to get a firmer, well-caramelized bite.
- Veggie options: Cauliflower florets or thick-cut zucchini work well for a BBQ-style veggie version. Keep pieces similar in size so they cook evenly. You can also add the vegetables with the chicken bites like I do in air fryer chicken kabobs.
- Budget-friendly tip: Family packs of chicken are often the best deal. This recipe works with most boneless cuts, so use what’s on sale.
- Low-carb option: The BBQ dry rub works with regular sugar or a sugar substitute, and you can pair it with my sugar-free BBQ sauce for a fully low-carb version.
- Honey BBQ twist: Stir a little honey or hot honey into your BBQ sauce before brushing it on for a sticky honey BBQ finish.
What to Serve With This
If you’re turning these BBQ chicken bites into a full meal or building out a casual spread, these are a few recipes I love pairing with them.
They keep the flavors cohesive, add variety to the table, and make serving easy, whether it’s a weeknight dinner or a laid-back get-together.
- Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings
- Bacon Wrapped BBQ Chicken Kabobs
- Creamed Spinach Recipe
- Best Keto Coleslaw Recipe
- Almond Flour Cornbread Recipe
Frequently Asked Questions
These are some of the most common questions that come up when making honey BBQ boneless chicken bites in the air fryer. Use these quick answers to adjust cook time, swap proteins, and get the best results every time.
I like to preheat the air fryer to 400°F, then arrange the chicken bites in a single layer so they cook evenly. Air fry for 8–10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Brush on the BBQ sauce near the end so it warms through and caramelizes without burning.
In this recipe, chicken bites cook best in 8–10 minutes at 400°F. Keeping the pieces similar in size and flipping once halfway through helps them cook evenly and stay juicy.
If you’re using chicken thighs instead of breasts, plan to double the cook time for a firmer, well-cooked bite.
BBQ chicken bites cook quickly at 400°F, usually in 8–10 minutes total. I recommend adding the BBQ sauce during the last few minutes so it gets sticky and flavorful without scorching.
Chicken thighs will need extra time, about twice as long, to fully cook and caramelize.
Frozen Tyson honey BBQ boneless chicken bites typically take a little longer than homemade. Cook them at 400°F for about 10–12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until hot and evenly cooked.
Storage & Reheating
- Store: Keep leftover BBQ chicken bites in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: You can freeze these once cooled, but the texture won’t be quite as good after thawing. For best results, freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
- Reheat: The air fryer is best for reviving the flavor—reheat at 350°F for 3–4 minutes until warmed through. The microwave works if you’re short on time, but the chicken will be softer and less caramelized.
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Bites
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Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.25 lbs Chicken Breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into cut into 1–1½ inch pieces
- 3 tbsp BBQ Seasoning, click for my homemade seasoning recipe
- 2 tbsp Avocado oil, or olive oil
- ½ cup BBQ Sauce, I use hickory or Kansas City style
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F and lightly grease the basket.
- Pat chicken pieces dry and place in a bowl. Drizzle with avocado oil, then top with BBQ seasoning.
- Toss until evenly coated.
- Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving space between pieces. Air fry for 5 minutes
- Flip the chicken bites & brush on some of the bbq sauce
- Air fry: for 4-5 minutes more until cooked through & to caramelize the bbq sauce
- Brush with more sauce before serving
- Optional: top with parsley or cilantro as a garnish
SAVE THIS RECIPE
I’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Recipe Notes
- Give the chicken space: Arrange the pieces in a single layer so they brown instead of steaming. Cook in batches if needed.
- Add the sauce halfway through: Brushing on the BBQ sauce during the last 5 minutes of cooking prevents the sauce from burning and helps it caramelize.
- Flip once and let it cook: One quick flip is enough. Too much turning can slow browning and knock off seasoning.
- Finish with a light sauce brush: A final quick coat right before serving adds shine and extra flavor without overpowering the chicken.
- Low-carb option: The BBQ dry rub works with regular sugar or a sugar substitute, and you can pair it with my sugar-free BBQ sauce for a fully low-carb version.
- Honey BBQ twist: Stir a little honey or hot honey into your BBQ sauce before brushing it on for a sticky honey BBQ finish.
Nutrition Details
The nutrition facts come from entering the recipe ingredients into Spoonacular API, a database of food ingredients. They may vary for any recipe based on the exact product used.
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