🔥 Hot Honey BBQ Chicken Thighs (Air Fryer Recipe!)

Hot Honey BBQ Chicken Thighs are sweet, spicy, and smoky right in your air fryer! Juicy, flavorful, and slathered with a homemade hot honey BBQ sauce—perfect for weeknight dinners or summer cookouts.

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You’ll Love This Recipe Because…

• It’s quick, easy, and perfect for the air fryer.
  
• The homemade hot honey BBQ sauce is sweet, spicy, and totally addictive.
  
• Ideal for weeknight dinners, meal prep, or backyard cookouts.
  
• The outside gets crispy and caramelized while the inside stays juicy.
  

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What Are Hot Honey BBQ Chicken Thighs?

These chicken thighs are seasoned generously with BBQ spices, air fried to juicy perfection, and then slathered in a sweet-meets-spicy hot honey BBQ sauce. The sauce is a blend of your favorite BBQ base, a drizzle of hot honey, and an extra hit of seasoning for bold flavor in every bite. They’re finger-licking good and ready in under 30 minutes!

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Chicken:

• 6 Chicken Thighs
  
• 3 TBS BBQ Seasoning
  (Try Carolina Brewery’s rub or McCormick’s Smokehouse Maple.)
  

For the Hot Honey BBQ Sauce:

• 2/3 cup Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce
  
• 1/3 cup Hot Honey
  
• 2 TBS BBQ Seasoning
  (Use the same as above for consistent flavor.)
  

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Instructions

1. Season the Chicken:
   Sprinkle BBQ seasoning on both sides of the chicken thighs. Let them sit while your air fryer preheats.
   
2. Preheat the Air Fryer:
   Heat to 400˚F for 3 minutes.
   
3. First Cook:
   Spray the air fryer basket. Place chicken in a single layer. Air fry for 20 minutes at 400˚F.
   
4. Make the Sauce:
   While the chicken cooks, whisk together BBQ sauce, hot honey, and more seasoning. Pour half into a bowl for basting and reserve the rest for dipping.
   
5. Sauce & Flip:
   After 20 minutes, baste the top of each thigh with sauce, flip them over, and baste the other side.
   
6. Final Cook:
   Air fry for another 10 minutes at 400˚F.
   
7. Serve:
   Let rest for a few minutes before serving with extra sauce and your favorite BBQ sides!
   

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Tips & Tricks

• Want it spicier? Use extra hot honey or add a dash of cayenne to the sauce.
• Don’t like spicy? Use regular honey or leave it out!
  
• Crispier skin? Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket.
  
• No hot honey? Mix regular honey with a squirt of hot sauce.
  
• Make it ahead: Sauce can be prepped and refrigerated up to a week in advance.
  

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What to Serve With Hot Honey BBQ Chicken

These chicken thighs pair perfectly with:

• Easy Coleslaw with Homemade Dressing
  
• The BEST Jiffy Cornbread
  
• Old Fashioned Macaroni and Cheese
  
• Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole
  

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Tools & Equipment

• Air Fryer
  
• Mixing Bowls
  
• Basting Brush
  
• Tongs
  

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FAQ

Can I use chicken breasts instead?
Yes! Adjust cooking time to avoid drying out—try 16–18 minutes total.

Can I grill these instead of air frying?
Absolutely! Grill over medium heat, flipping and basting until the internal temp reaches 165°F.

Can I use a different BBQ sauce?
Totally—any thick, sweet-style BBQ sauce works well here.

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📌 Save this Recipe!

Don’t forget to pin or print this recipe for your next BBQ night. Whether you’re cooking for a crowd or just craving something spicy-sweet, these Hot Honey BBQ Chicken Thighs are always a hit.

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