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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
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 5-6 boneless skinless chicken thighs patted dry; see notes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon 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.
Karen says
Easy recipe for crispy chicken thighs! We didn’t have boneless, but they came out really great! I will be making these again and looking for more recipes! Thanks!
Erin says
Thanks Karen, happy to hear you liked the chicken!
Peter says
5 star..followed recipe but eyeballing the ingredients ,might have added a a little too much honey Dinamite recipe. We had reques for seconds. Thank you.
Erin says
Thanks Peter, I'm glad you enjoyed the chicken!
Brenda says
Perfect every time!!
Julie McCann says
So great! Thought I had boneless, skinless chicken thighs but turned out they had bone in. Luckily you accounted for that in the instructions so it went off without a hitch. Delicious, crispy & easy! Making again tonight, just trying to get the 2 thighs to thaw in time. Thnx for a super easy recipe!
Laurina says
Just wondering, do you use the air fry or bake setting on your air fryer?
Kelly says
Delicious!! I made them exactly as you suggested. I only had to cook them the original 12 minutes and they were perfectly cooked.
Erin says
Thanks for the 5-star rating, Kelly -- I'm glad you enjoyed the chicken!
CHAR says
Absolutely delicious!!! Followed your recipe exactly and it turned out perfect. Thanks so much for this fast and easy recipe. I moved it up to #1 on my favorites list.
Erin says
That's amazing! I'm so happy you enjoyed the chicken 🙂
Shine Kay says
I never comment on recipes but ohmygosh. delicious easy and no fuss. 5 stars.
Erin says
Thanks so much for the positive rating -- I'm glad you enjoyed the chicken!
HR says
I made this tonight exactly as instructed but got a burn error around 7 minutes in. Any idea what might have happened and moreover, any advice on how to correct it? I googled so much but I cannot find any info on getting a burn error on the air fryer. (I finished it off in a pan b/c I didn't know how to fix it, and it was great - would love to finish in air fryer next time!) Thanks!
Erin says
Hmmm.. I've never had that happen with the air fryer before. Did you spray nonstick spray in it before adding the chicken? That's the only thing I can think of. I'm sorry that happened!
Melissa E. says
I’ve made this chicken for a few years now thanks to this incredible recipe! This is in my rotation for easy, delicious weeknight meals!This chicken turns out perfect every time! Thank you!
Erin says
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment -- I'm so happy this has become a go-to recipe for you!
Patricia Falsetti says
I used he spices but dipped them in flour first. Came out delicious
Orlando says
Amazing chicken, make it at least once a week
Melanie says
So good and it was so easy.
Tracey says
I don’t cook. Amen. Your recipe was easy to follow and these came out delicious! Thank you!
Nikki says
My first chicken in my new airfryer! And my first ever mixing my own seasoning! Simple & Soooo Yummy, thank you!!! 😍 😋
Erin says
I'm glad you liked it! It's our go-to way to make chicken 🙂
Liam says
Super easy to make, perfectly juicy!
Erin says
Thanks for the positive review!
Chris David says
I did exactly what this recipe said to do and am so happy to report it was the most delicious moist and tender chicken breast I’ve ever had. Thank you and please visit us: https://www.beckandbulow.com
Patricia B says
Delicious
Gina Santana says
So easy, crispy and delicious. It is a weeknight favorite!
Erin says
Thanks for the 5-star rating!
WillyGee says
This is my go-to recipe to accompany garlic noodles. Tonight I will be trying them in a bottle of alfredo sauce. Thank you so much. I was wondering if there is a benefit to allow them to marinate for an hour or so?
Erin says
I'm so glad you like the recipe! If you're using a wet marinade (vs. a dry rub), then yes, marinating for at least 30 minutes will help enhance the flavor.
Jane Dufrene says
easy and delicious. I have made it over and over!!!!!!!!
Erin says
Thanks Jane -- I'm so happy this has become a favorite!
jt says
Chicken was perfect! I read through comments and reduced time to 4 minutes after turning. Chicken was juicy and tasty Will be my go to timing for chicken. Thank you!