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
Yummm!!!! The ingredients look simple, but the chicken turned out so tasty! Tbh I was expecting this to taste boring but the reviews were good. Love that I don’t have to chop up any onions or garlic too! haha. Glad I found this recipe, and its healthy too.
Thanks Nikki! Glad you loved the chicken!
Made these tonight for dinner, along with.a pasta salad. They were amazing! I was very surprised skinless chicken crisped up like that without any breading. Thank you for the recipe! It is a keeper!
Thanks Sandy! Glad you loved the chicken thighs!
Definitely in the rotation! Crispy on the outside is right! I used 375 because I don’t have 380 and timing was just right for us. Thank you so much!
Thanks Dana! Glad you enjoyed the chicken thighs!
Tried this on a whim and couldn’t be happier! I’ll definitely be making these air-fry-thighs again! Ps: my young sons (7&11) loved them.
I’m so glad you and your kids liked the chicken!
Very good! We had mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli with it was perfect. Tender, moist and tasty.
That sounds delicious — I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside! Perfect! I did have to leave in a little while longer – guessing due to air fryer type so be sure to check temp of chicken.
I’m so happy you liked the chicken, Kelly!
Made this tonight with two leftover boneless, skinless thighs I had to use up. So yummy, tasty and delicious! So glad I came across your recipe!
Thanks so much Jody — I’m glad you liked it!
Easy and delicious recipe. I’ve used it many times. Cooking
temp and time are just right.
Thanks for the 5-star rating, Laurie!
I’m new to the air fryer method. My air fryer has a bake and air fryer option. Are you cooking at 380 air fryer mode or baking mode? Thanks!
Hi! Hmm.. mine only has an air fry option so I’d go with that route. Let me know how they turn out!
We are currently in an extended stay hotel with limited space and no stove so the air fryer came to the rescue. This recipe was easy, quick, few ingredients and inexpensive. But it packed a punch with flavor and juiciness. Will add this to the weekly rotation. Thanks for the recipe. Mmmmm
Thanks Sara — I’m glad you liked the chicken thighs!