Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
These Air Fryer Chicken Thighs are crispy, juicy and deliciously seasoned! This easy recipe includes cook times for both bone-in and boneless chicken thighs.
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
I love cooking chicken thighs in the air fryer because it’s a quick and easy way to prepare a meal that my whole family loves. Air fryer chicken is juicy and flavorful with the best crispy skin. If you like easy chicken thigh recipes, you are going to love these air fryer chicken thighs!
Like my Air Fryer Fried Chicken and Air Fryer Chicken Legs, these air fryer chicken thighs are seasoned with an irresistible mix of spices and seasonings that give the meat the best flavor. I’ve used common spices, so you likely have all of them in your kitchen already. Try to rub some of the seasoning under the skin for even more flavor.
Serve these air fryer chicken thighs with a side of Air Fryer Asparagus or Sautéed Green Beans and my most-loved Biscuit Recipe for a delicious meal that will be requested again and again. Don’t have an air fryer? You’ll love my crispy Baked Chicken Thighs recipe.
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Recipe Ingredients
Like my Air Fryer Chicken Breast recipe, the ingredient list for air fryer chicken thighs is short and simple.
- Chicken Thighs: I prefer to cook bone in skin on chicken thighs in the air fryer because the bone helps the chicken to stay extra juicy and the skin gets crispy as it cooks. However, you can also use this recipe to make air fryer boneless chicken thighs. I’ve included cook times for both bone-in and boneless thighs in the recipe.
- Olive Oil: Olive oil helps the seasoning rub to stick to the chicken.
- Seasonings: Paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper come together to give the chicken the best flavor! I usually use sweet paprika in this recipe, but you can use smoked paprika for a smoky flavor.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
These air fryer chicken thighs are incredibly easy to make. Here’s an overview of the recipe steps. Find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions below.
- To start, preheat the air fryer to 400° F for 5 minutes. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and then rub them with olive oil.
- Stir together the seasonings in a small bowl and then sprinkle them over the chicken pieces. Rub the seasonings onto the chicken to help them stick. Try to get a little seasoning under the skin for maximum flavor.
- You’ll first air fry the chicken skin side down and then flip it and cook on the other side until it is cooked through. If you are cooking skinless chicken thighs they do not need to be flipped during the cook time.
These are just perfect. Thanks.
Jody
I’m new to the air fryer and this makes me a believer!
How Long to Cook Chicken Thighs in an Air Fryer
The cook time will depend on the size of the chicken pieces, whether or not they have a bone, and could also depend on your model of air fryer. These cook times are estimates. The best way to tell if your chicken is done is to use an instant read thermometer. Chicken should be cooked to 165° F measured at the thickest part, not touching the bone. Chicken thighs are forgiving and will be juicy even if cooked a little past 165 degrees F.
- Air fry bone-in chicken thighs at 400° F for 12 minutes, then flip and cook for 7-12 more minutes.
- Air fry boneless chicken thighs at 400° F for 11-15 minutes total.
Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe Tips
- Arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer in the air fryer basket. You want the hot air to be able to circulate around the pieces so that the skin will crisp as it cooks. Cook the chicken in batches if needed. Want to cook more chicken at once? Try this Instant Pot Chicken Thighs recipe.
- Air fryers can vary so the cook times given are estimates. The nice thing about the air fryer is that it’s easy to open it during the cooking process to check if the chicken is done.
- If your chicken pieces are not all the same size, smaller thighs will cook faster than larger thighs. If some thighs are done before others, remove the pieces that are done first to a clean plate while the rest finish cooking.
- Let the chicken rest for 3-5 minutes before cutting into it. This wait time allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
- If you have extra room in your air fryer, you can air fry a vegetable at the same time as the chicken, as long as everything fits in a single layer. This may be an option if you have a larger air fryer model and are cooking for one or two, rather than a large family.
Serving Suggestions
There are so many side dishes that go well with air fryer chicken thighs! For healthy vegetable sides, try Roasted Broccoli, Air Fryer Zucchini or Roasted Brussels Sprouts. We also like to serve Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Rice or Mashed Potatoes with chicken thighs.
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
Love air fryer recipes? Try these easy favorites next!
Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs, or 6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400° F for 5 minutes.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry. Rub them with the olive oil.
- In a small bowl, combine the seasonings: paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Rub seasonings over chicken thighs.
- Cook chicken in a single layer in the air fryer. (Cook in batches if needed.) Cook chicken thighs at 400° F, skin side down, in the air fryer for 12 minutes. Flip and cook on the second side for 7-12 minutes, until cooked to an internal temperature of 165° F. (If using boneless, skinless chicken thighs, there is no need to flip them. Boneless chicken thighs will take 11-15 minutes total to cook, depending on their size.)
Notes
- Don’t crowd the air fryer basket. The chicken thighs should be in a single layer. You want the air to be able to circulate around the pieces so that the skin will crisp as it cooks. Cook the chicken in batches if needed.
- Air fryers may vary so the cook times given are estimates. Use an instant read thermometer to check that the chicken is cooked to at least 165° F.
Can you use boneless skinless chicken thighs ?
Yes, the recipe includes cook times for both boneless skinless and bone-in chicken thighs.
These are just perfect. Thanks.
I’m new to the air fryer and this makes me a believer!
This is the best chicken ever. Turns out perfectly every time. But how would you suggest from from frozen?
Hi Ruth,
For frozen chicken thighs, I would cook them the full recipe cook time of 24 minutes and then check them with a thermometer. Then add 2-3 more minutes if they are still under 165 degrees F.
Hi Kristine. If you are taking your crispy thighs to a party how do you keep them crisp and from getting soggy?
Hi Jean, Unfortunately, these will lose their crispiness over time. The best way to serve them crispy is to serve them straight from the oven. They are still delicious even when they’ve lost their crispiness, though!
This recipe was so good and delicious!!! The boneless, skinless thighs were so good and tender. The coating on the thighs was great!!! I will definitely make this again!!!
Delicious chicken thighs with bone in and skin on! So easy! Tasted like I spent a lot of time and energy. No pan searing, etc. The skins were so crisp and flavorful, just like the thigh meat.
This is by far the best air fryer chicken. It’s crispy and moist and tastes amazing. My husband who is a picky eater just loves it. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I just purchased a toaster /air fry oven and your recipe worked great thank you!
First time using our air fryer. These came out pretty good! I did mine for 27 minutes total because my thighs were just a hair frozen, probably should have done 24, but oh well. I wouldn’t personally rub the seasonings on if I were to make this again, when I do I usually get the seasonings on my hands rather than the chicken.
Super great- this was my first-time cooking chicken! I used boneless, skinless thighs and they turned out fantastic. Juicy and flavorful meat, and delicious outsides. My boyfriend and his roommates loved them. I didn’t have smoked paprika so I used chipotle powder and it worked really well. I would air fry mine at 400 for 17-18 minutes however, I had to put mine back in for 5 minutes.
Soo good and came out nice and crispy!
These were so good! Crispy on the outside and juicy inside
Loved them!
How long can these be kept refrigerated and frozen after cooked? I’ve made these and they are amazing. But I need to make a head some due to a surgery I have next week.
The USDA recommends storing cooked chicken for no more than 3-4 days in the refrigerator. I have not tried freezing these, but generally it’s best to use frozen food within 3 months. Be sure to store it in an airtight container. Best wishes to you!
This was the easiest way for me to do a batch of chicken thighs! They turned out really well ! I’m going to use them to top off a rice dish so the spices will be a perfect complement! 👍🏼
Seriously delicious, crispy on the outside, moist on the inside.
The thighs come out crispy and tasty
Awesome taste! Perfectly crispy on the outside & tender & juicy on the inside. This is now my go-to recipe for chicken thighs. So easy & quick! My family loves it – thank you!