Air Fryer Hawaiian BBQ

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5 from 1 vote

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Total Time30

Course: Air Fryer

Cuisine: American, Hawaiian

Keyword: hawaiian bbq, hawaiian bbq chicken

Servings:

Calories: 950kcal

Ingredients

3 lbs Chicken Thighs about 8 pieces
1/2 cup BBQ Sauce
1 cup Pineapple Juice
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Brown Sugar packed
2 tbsp Sesame Oil
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Ground Ginger

Instructions

In a large saucepan, whisk together bbq sauce, pineapple juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic powder until fully combined and the sugar is slightly dissolved.
Bring sauce to a boil, cooking for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken as it reduces. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl, the sauce will continue to thicken as it sits.
Place your chicken thighs on a tray and use a pastry brush to coat all sides of the chicken thighs evenly.
Place half of the thighs into the air fryer basket (cook in two batches to avoid crowding) and cook at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
Pull out the basket, flip the thighs and brush on more sauce, add the pineapples to the basket and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Then, repeat with the second half of the batch.
Sprinkle diced green onions over the top if desired and serve with a scoop of rice and Hawaiian macaroni salad.

Notes

Storage Notes

Store in a ziplock baggie or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. If you make Hawaiian chicken in large batches, it may also be frozen for up to three months. Thaw out the frozen chicken before reheating. Reheat in the microwave for 2 minutes.

FAQs

Should I marinate the Hawaiian-style bbq chicken overnight?

You can. I found that it didn’t really make any difference to marinate these ahead of time versus brushing on the sauce while cooking. But if you want to, I recommend doubling the sauce recipe. Then marinate the chicken in half the sauce and brush on the other half as you grill.

Do I really need to cook the sauce on the stovetop?

Yes, you do. The sauce is very thin and runny and doesn’t really stick to and glaze the chicken unless you reduce it first and allow it to thicken.

What does Hawaiian BBQ taste like?

It is a delicious combination of sweet and savory, but in many ways is similar to a traditional bbq sauce. The pineapple juice, soy sauce, and ginger infuse the sauce with the unique flavors found in many Hawaiian recipes.

Nutrition