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Air fryer chicken thighs are a delicious and easy dinner option that gets extra crispy bone-in chicken thighs on the table in 30 minutes. It's a family favorite weeknight dinner!
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Why You'll Love My Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe
- Easy Preparation: The quick and easy 5-minute prep keeps your hands and your kitchen clean.
- Quick-Cooking: The air fryer cooks chicken thighs in 20 minutes and the circulating air makes them perfectly crispy. This also locks in the juices and makes them extra flavorful.
- Versatile: Serve these chicken thighs for family dinner or game day with various sides.
- Budget-Friendly: Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs are a cost-effective way to make a protein-packed chicken dinner for your small army.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Bone-In Skin-on Chicken Thighs
- Olive Oil
- Paprika
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Salt
- Black Pepper
How To Cook Chicken Thighs In An Air Fryer
- Rest chicken thighs at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F.
- Season chicken thighs with the seasoning mixture: olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Air fry skin side down for 10 minutes.
- Use tongs to flip and air fry for another 10 minutes until they're 165°F internally and crispy to your liking. If you want the best damn air fryer chicken thighs, let them cook a little longer to make the skin extra crispy.
- Transfer to a plate, loosely cover, and rest for 5 minutes. Serve warm.
Yum! Look at these crispy chicken thighs!
Recipe Tips
- Choose thighs that are similar in size for consistent cooking times.
- Resting the chicken thighs at room temperature, or tempering, removes the chill and promotes even, quicker cooking.
- Save time by keeping my homemade chicken seasoning on hand. It's so easy and versatile.
- When placing chicken thighs the an air fryer, ensure they're not touching for optimal air-fried results.
- Unlike lean chicken breasts, the thighs can go above 165°F without drying out. For extra crispy skin, cook them until the skin is crispy to your liking.
- Don't skip the resting step after air frying the chicken thighs. Resting allows the juices to redistribute, making the thighs more tender and flavorful.
- Reheating: Place leftover thighs in a preheated 350°F air fryer for 5-7 minutes, flipping as needed to fully heat through and crisp the skin.
Recipe Variations
- Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or chili powder to the seasoning mix for a spicy kick. Or use Cajun seasoning for a Creole twist.
- Add thyme, rosemary, oregano, or a convenient Italian seasoning for distinct herb flavors.
- Use a premade lemon pepper seasoning for a zingy, familiar flavor that everyone loves.
What to serve with your air fried chicken thighs
Popular sides include roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, orzo salad, or veggies like green beans or Brussels sprouts. Who doesn't love dunking chicken into a homemade Ranch or bbq sauce?! Pro tip: use the drippings from the air fryer tray to make a classic pan-dripping gravy.
More Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Chicken Legs
- How To Cook Whole Chicken In The Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin
- Air Fryer Sausage
📖 Recipe
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
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Note about scaling
When scaling (2x or 3x), the light gray ingredient amount doesn’t scale. Please adjust those accordingly.
Ingredients
- 4 Bone-In Chicken Thighs, about 2 pounds
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- Rest the CHICKEN THIGHS at room temperature for 30 minutes to remove the chill.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the OLIVE OIL, PAPRIKA, GARLIC POWDER, ONION POWDER, SALT, and BLACK PEPPER.
- Add the CHICKEN THIGHS to the bowl and use tongs to toss and coat them evenly with the seasoning mixture.
- Place the CHICKEN THIGHS in the air fryer basket, skin side down, leaving enough space to not touch each other.
- Air fry for 10 minutes.
- Use tongs to flip the CHICKEN THIGHS over, skin side up.
- Continue to air fry for another 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the skin is crispy to your liking. If you prefer extra crispy skin, continue air frying in 1-minute intervals to reach your desired outcome.
- Transfer the CHICKEN THIGHS to a plate, loosely cover with foil, and let them rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve warm with your favorite sides.
- To store, cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on brands, ingredients, and portions.
It's not required, but it does keep the cooking time under 30 minutes.
Yes, oil helps prevent any surface of the chicken thighs from drying out in the air fryer.
Yes, flipping halfway through ensures even cooking and crispy skin on all sides.
Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs take 20 minutes at 400°F with one flip halfway through.
It's best to thaw them first to ensure they cook evenly and reach the proper internal temperature.
Let the air fryer cool completely, then remove the basket and wash it with warm, soapy water. For stuck-on bits, soak the basket before scrubbing gently.
Janet says
I have an air-fryer oven...can I use the same recipe?
Traci Antonovich says
I don't see why not! Unless your oven’s manual says it cooks differently than a standard air fryer, you should be good to go. Let me know if you have more questions—and enjoy!
TJ says
Cooking sausage in the air fryer is absolute game changer! Why haven’t I always been doing this?! It's hands-free, easy cleanup, and juicy AF! Thanks for sharing another winner KG! 10/10
Traci says
Yes, couldn't agree more! I felt the same way the first time I air fried them too – and every time for that matter LOL. So glad you're enjoying them! Thanks!
DK says
The best part of this air fryer chicken thigh recipe is how crispy the skin turns out! Crispy in the outside, so juicy and tender on the inside - it was perfect!
Traci says
Yesss! You said it better than I did LOL. And it's so effortless to get them to be that good! Thanks for the feedback. Enjoy!
Angela says
Love this recipe. The seasoning is spot on and the chicken was so moist and tender. Will be making this again.
Traci says
Yayyyy!! I'm so glad you're enjoying the recipe. You can never go wrong with chicken thighs in the air fryer. Thanks for the comment!
Mahy says
Chicken thighs are my favorite! I can never say no to a great recipe like this. Delicious!
Traci says
I'm with you!! They win every time! So glad you're enjoying the recipe. Thanks!
Beth says
I love the seasonings you used, and air frying it is such a great way to get nice crispy skin without a bunch of oil.
Traci says
Yesss! Couldn't agree more! So glad you're enjoying the recipe. Thanks!
Paula says
Oooh this chicken was so crispy and delish! Loved it
Traci says
Yayyy! So glad you enjoyed it as much as we do. Thank you!
TJ says
Chicken thighs in the air fryer are game-changer! Super quick, easy, and devoured by my people!! Absolutely perf for those crazy busy weeknights.