Name: Air Fryer Barbecue Chicken Kabobs
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1/3 cup honey; 1/3 cup ketchup; 2 Tbsp olive oil; 2 Tbsp lime juice; 1 heaping Tbsp light or dark brown sugar; 1 Tbsp ground chipotle pepper; 1/2 Tbsp dark chili powder; 1 tsp seasoned salt; 1/2 tsp granulated garlic; 1/2 tsp onion powder; 4 8 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes); 8 wooden skewers soaked in water; lime wedges and cilantro for serving

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This recipe for juicy Air Fryer Barbecue Chicken Kabobs is made in minutes using an air fryer. They cook in no time with the bonus of easy clean-up to boot. I’ve included grilling instructions as well, and either way you choose to cook these barbecue chicken kabobs they’re sure to become a family favorite.

Easy Air Fryer Barbecue Chicken Kabobs Recipe

I have really come to love my air fryer and find that my teenagers gravitate to it as well. It’s not only terrific for making and frying foods with less oil, but it’s easy to clean after use. To make this chicken kabobs recipe you’ll need an air fryer, mixing and measuring tools, a Ziploc bag or bowl for marinating, and a thermometer to check for doneness at the end of cooking. You’ll also need bamboo skewers soaked for a few minutes in water prior to assembling the chicken kabobs. How to make Air Fryer Barbecue Chicken Kabobs: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)

Marinade – Whisk together honey, ketchup, olive oil, lime juice, brown sugar, chipotle powder, chili powder, seasoned salt, garlic and onion powder.
Chicken – Toss chicken with marinade coating thoroughly. Let marinate for 30 minutes.
Prepare Air Fryer – Preheat the air fryer to 380°F. Spray basket with cooking spray to prevent the skewers from sticking.
Assemble Skewers – Thread chicken onto skewers and place in air fryer basket leaving room between for air to circulate.
Cook – Cook per the recipe flipping the skewers halfway through. (Chicken will be done when the core temperature reads 165°F on a meat thermometer.)
Let Rest – Plate skewers and let rest for 5 minutes. Squeeze a little lime juice on each skewer, top with chopped cilantro and extra lime wedges on the side. Enjoy with dipping sauce.
Sauce – In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup prepared Ranch dressing, 2 tablespoons lime juice with 1 teaspoon lime zest and 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro. Refrigerate until serving, then serve with chicken kabobs for dipping.

How to Make the Best Air Fryer Barbecue Chicken Kabobs Recipe

When cooking chicken in an air fryer, once cooked allow the chicken kabobs to rest for 5 minutes before serving. This will give the cooking juices time to redistribute and make the chicken moist and tender on the inside.

Ingredients you’ll need to make these homemade Barbecue Chicken Kabobs: Honey, ketchup, olive oil or grapeseed oil, lime juice or you could replace this with lemon juice. You can use fresh or frozen concentrate will work for this recipe. You’ll also need dark chili powder, dried chipotle powder or ancho chile powder, seasoned salt, granulated garlic, onion powder, boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs and lime wedges for serving.
You’ll note the chicken only needs around 30 minutes to marinate. Because of the citrus, if you marinate too long the lime juice could make the chicken too tough.
While the chicken marinades soak the bamboo skewers in water. You’ll need to do this for both the air fryer and grilling.
You can serve also these chicken kabobs as an appetizer, dividing the chicken pieces into smaller portions using one or two on each bamboo skewer.
You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. They may take a bit longer to cook so be sure they register 165°F on the meat thermometer.
Bonus recipe for dipping sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup prepared Ranch dressing, 2 tablespoons lime juice with 1 teaspoon lime zest and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro. Refrigerate until serving, then serve with chicken kabobs for dipping.
Store leftover barbecue chicken kabobs chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the microwave to prevent drying out.

How to Make Easy Barbecue Chicken Kabobs on the Grill

As promised, I’m including instructions for making these juicy barbecue chicken kabobs on the grill. This is what you do:

In a medium size mixing bowl whisk together honey, ketchup, olive oil, lime juice, brown sugar, chipotle powder, chili powder, seasoned salt, garlic and onion powder.
Toss chicken in marinade and coat thoroughly. Let marinate for 30 minutes.
Prep the grill by heating it to a medium high temperature (mine was at 400 degrees F).
Skewer the chicken and then place on the grill. Cook on each side for 4 minutes turning as needed.
Chicken will be done when the core temperature reads 165°F on a meat thermometer.
Plate skewers and squeeze a little lime juice on each skewer. Top with finely chopped fresh cilantro and extra lime wedges on the side. Enjoy!

More Southern Style Chicken Recipes to the Make

Chicken is always in my freezer in many forms. Boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken wings, chicken drumsticks, bone-in chicken and a whole chicken for roasting. More easy chicken recipes you may like to try:

Roast vegetables alongside this recipe for Lemon Rosemary Roast Chicken for a complete meal.
Family pleasing Chicken and Rice Casserole is just like the one I grew up eating.
Crispy Air Fryer Southern Fried Chicken recipe let’s you enjoy fried chicken without the guilt.
Bourbon Chicken served over rice is better than takeout.
Moist and tender Air Fryer Chicken Thighs are marinated in Greek yogurt.
Chicken Burgers from Will Cook for Smiles.

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