Air Fryer Alabama White BBQ Chicken Bites

AF-200 Crew BBQ Recipe

Air Fryer Alabama White BBQ Chicken Bites

Forget sticky red sauce for a minute. Down in northern Alabama, they do things differently. Smoky chicken gets coated in a rich, tangy white BBQ sauce made with mayonnaise, vinegar, black pepper, and a kick of horseradish. The result is juicy chicken with crispy caramelised edges and a creamy finish that's completely addictive. This is proper backyard BBQ food that gets people asking, "What's that sauce?"

Air Fryer Alabama White BBQ Chicken Bites
Air Fryer Alabama White BBQ Chicken Bites preparation stage

You’ll Need

For the Chicken
600g chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper

For the Alabama White BBQ Sauce
120ml mayonnaise
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp prepared horseradish
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp cracked black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Optional but dangerous
Dill pickle slices
Spring onions
Crispy bacon bits
Extra cracked black pepper
Potato wedges

Method

Preheat your air fryer to 200°C.

Add the chicken to a bowl with the olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper.

Toss until every piece is evenly coated.

Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket.

Air fry for 12–14 minutes, shaking halfway through, until cooked through with crisp, lightly charred edges.

While the chicken cooks, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, horseradish,

Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne and lemon juice until smooth.

Transfer the hot chicken to a large bowl and pour over most of the white BBQ sauce. Toss until every piece is

coated.

Return the chicken to the air fryer for 2 minutes at 190°C, just long enough for the sauce to warm and cling to

the chicken without splitting.

Transfer to a serving platter and drizzle over the remaining white BBQ sauce.

Finish with spring onions, pickle slices, crispy bacon bits and another crack of black pepper if using.

Serve immediately with potato wedges, corn on the cob or a crisp slaw.

Lad Tip: Don't cook the mayonnaise-based sauce for too long. It isn't supposed to bake into the chicken like traditional BBQ sauce—it should stay creamy, tangy and just warm enough to coat every bite. That's what makes Alabama White BBQ completely different from everything else on the grill.

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