Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Who knew boneless, skinless chicken could be so crispy?! Air Fryer Chicken Thighs are crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and ready in under 25 minutes!
If you haven’t made chicken in the air fryer yet, what are you waiting for?! I realized the other day that I don’t have a ton of chicken recipes on my site. There’s my sun-dried tomato chicken skillet and my whole30 chicken salad, but I definitely have way more tofu/salmon/beef recipes, and I felt like that needed to change.
Making air fryer chicken thighs is incredibly simple, and it’s an easy way to get chicken to crisp up nicely on the outside, while still being juice on the inside.
Recipe features
- Crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside
- Super flavorful, and ready in under 30 minutes
- Can easily use your own favorite spice blend, if you prefer
Ingredient notes:
Chicken thighs – Boneless, skinless. I tested the recipe both ways though, so if you want to use bone-in chicken thighs, see the “notes” section in the recipe card.
Spices – Garlic powder, smoked paprika and oregano.
Nonstick spray – This is a *key* ingredient if you want the chicken to be crispy on the outside. You can use typical nonstick spray, though I tend to prefer either olive oil spray or avocado oil spray.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Dry the chicken. Place chicken onto a plate, then use a paper towel to pat it dry before transferring the chicken to a large bowl.
Step 2: Add the spices. Combine the garlic, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper, then pour the spices over the chicken and use your hands to coat the chicken.
Step 3. Air fry the chicken. Make sure you preheat your air fryer, then add the chicken, spray them with nonstick spray and fry them for 12 minutes on the first side, then 8-10 minutes on the second side.
Expert tips and FAQs
- Use kitchen tongs to easily flip the chicken
- Feel free to cook the chicken for 2 additional minutes if you really want it to be crispy, but be careful not to over-cook it; otherwise, the chicken might be too dry
- If you don’t have nonstick/olive oil/avocado oil spray, you can brush the chicken with a little bit of olive oil instead
What should I serve this with?
This air fryer chicken pairs perfectly with my Instant Pot Spanish rice, easy fried brussels sprouts, feta harissa roasted carrots, and/or my skillet roasted potatoes.
Can I use bone-in chicken thighs with skin instead?
Yep! I tested this recipe both ways, so if you’re going to use bone-in chicken, I’d air fry the chicken on the first side for 15 minutes, and on the second side for 12. Again, it depends on the size of your chicken thighs, too, but generally bone-in chicken takes a little longer to cook than boneless chicken.
More easy dinner recipes
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Video
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 5-6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, patted dry; see notes
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Pat chicken thighs dry with a paper towel, then transfer to a bowl.
- Combine all the seasonings together in a bowl, then pour them into the bowl with the chicken and use your hands to coat the chicken with the spices.
- Preheat your air fryer to 380° (mine took 3 minutes to preheat). Then, place chicken smooth side down into the air fryer, spray with nonstick spray/olive oil spray, and cook at 380° for 12 minutes. NOTE: every air fryer is different, so cook times may vary.
- Once the air fryer beeps, use kitchen tongs to flip the chicken over, and cook for an additional 6-8 minutes on the second side, or until chicken is cooked through.
Notes
Nutrition
Super simple and super delicious, everything all recipes should be. The chicken thighs were tender and juicy and perfectly cooked. The seasoning mix smelled great and tasted amazing
Thanks so much Diana! Glad you enjoyed the chicken thighs!
I cooked chicken thighs by this method last night and they came out very tasty!
Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much Jimmy! Glad you enjoyed the chicken thighs!
I was looking for a way to add some protein to my lunch salad – BINGO!! And it’s beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoy the chicken!
Made these last night for a quick dinner solution and they were simply delicious! I doubled the seasoning and used a little less salt. Will definitely make again!
Thanks Marsha! Can never have too much seasoning!
Wow this was super good and easy! I used half the salt. Will be repeating for sure!
I really enjoyed these chicken thighs! I’m a big fan of seasoning and doubled the seasoning for 4 thighs. Absolutely delicious and easy to make!
Thanks so much! Glad you love the chicken thighs!
I didn’t make these yet but They look phenomenal. Only thing is….. before finding your recipe I started marinating the chicken thighs in buttermilk because I heard that makes the thighs very tender. Do I have to throw out my chicken and start over or do you have any advise. Thank you. Kim
I made this for dinner tonight and it was phenomenal! Thank you for the recipe!
I’m so happy you liked it!
I haven’t cooked this yet, but it sounds like exactly what I want. I do have a question. I’m a single senior and like to cook ahead when I cook to put in the freezer. How do you think these will do cooked, frozen then reheated? Smoked paprika is my new favorite spice, so this is perfect!!
Great question! I think they’ll freeze well, but you may want to pop them back in the air fryer for 2 minutes or so to reheat.
Have used this several times My husband loves this on chicken thighs that it’s the best recipe I have used it is very good
Thanks Billie! Glad you like the chicken thighs!
Excellent and easy. Will do this again
Thanks so much Gary! Glad you liked the chicken thighs so much!