These Air Fryer Chicken Thighs are perfectly crispy on the outside and extra juicy on the inside! Ready in less than 20 minutes, serve these deliciously seasoned and super flavorful chicken thighs any night of the week with all of your favorite side dish recipes.
Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe
Hands down, the best way to cook chicken thighs is in the air fryer. Quick and easy, you’ll have bone-in skin-on chicken thighs ready in approximately 20 minutes or boneless skinless chicken thighs will be ready in about 16 minutes. Incredibly versatile, cooking chicken thighs in the air fryer allows you to switch up spices for different flavors. And, If you’re a fan of crispy chicken skin, there’s no comparison. So crispy and paper-thin, it practically melts in your mouth. To make it a meal, I often serve these chicken thighs with roasted vegetables, a side salad, rice, or a baked potato. You’ll also love these other air fryer chicken recipes, Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets, Air Fryer Chicken Legs, or Air Fryer Chicken Wings.
How Long to Cook Chicken Thighs in the Air Fryer
With your air fryer preheated to 380°F, it will take approximately:
- 18-22 minutes for bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 16-20 minutes for boneless skinless chicken thighs
Total cooking time varies whenever you cook poultry, so always measure the internal temperature with a digital meat thermometer before serving (it should register 165°F).
What You Need
Chicken Thighs: I used bone-in chicken thighs with the skin on. You can also make this recipe with boneless chicken thighs, keeping in mind that they will cook approximately 2-4 minutes faster.
Oil: I like to use olive oil, but any other oil will work such as avocado oil, canola oil, etc.
Spices: I made my own dry rub for this recipe – so yummy! You’ll need paprika, brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper.
How to Cook Chicken Thighs in the Air Fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels (this helps make the skin extra crispy) and drizzle with olive oil.
- Mix together the paprika, brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper in a small bowl. Season the chicken thighs all over with the prepared dry rub.
- Once the air fryer is preheated, spray the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray and add the chicken thighs in a single layer, skin-side-down.
- Air fry for 10 minutes, flip the chicken thighs over, and continue to cook for an additional 8-12 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Tips for Air Fried Chicken Thighs
- It isn’t necessary to wash the chicken thighs. However, it is encouraged to pat the chicken dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. This helps guarantee even crispier chicken skin.
- Use a dry rub. Marinades add too much moisture making it difficult for the skin to get crispy.
- You only need a little oil. Too much oil and the skin will be soggy.
- Cook in batches. For even cooking and crispy skin, do not overcrowd the air fryer basket. My air fryer fit four chicken thighs comfortably without any overlapping.
Storing and Reheating
Storing: Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheating: You may reheat leftover chicken thighs in the air fryer for 3-4 minutes, or in the microwave.
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes,
- Air Fryer Asparagus
- Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
- Perfect Air Fryer Chicken Breasts (No Breading!)
- Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash
- Air Fryer Butternut Squash
- Air Fryer Salmon
If you try making this Air Fryer Chicken Thigh Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- olive oil cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 380°F.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Transfer the chicken to a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Mix well to coat.
- Combine the paprika, brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper in a small bowl. Mix well. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken thighs with the seasoning mixture.
- Spray the inside basket of the air fryer with non-stick cooking spray. Add the chicken thighs so that they are not overlapping (see notes).
- Cook for 10 minutes at 380°F. Flip the chicken over and continue to cook for an additional 8-12 minutes, or until the internal temperature registers 165° as measured with an instant-read thermometer (cooking time will vary).
Jessica’s Notes
- Some people say that it is better to cook the chicken thighs skin-side-down first. I neither agree nor disagree as I’ve cooked mine both skin-side-up and skin-side-down first and either way, they always turn out fantastic.
- Store leftover chicken thighs in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat in the air fryer, preheat to 380 degrees F and spray the inside basket with a light coat of non-stick cooking spray. Reheat for 2 minutes, or until heated through.
- This recipe was cooked in the Cosori Air Fryer.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
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