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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.
Ana says
I made this several times with my previous air fryer & loved it. I tried it with the new air fryer oven I got that apparently cooks top & bottom at the same time. The first time I made this in my new air fryer, I forgot about that fact & flipping it caused it to overcook a bit lol. So now I just cook it for 12 minutes & it's good to go! Definitely one of our go to meals!
Pam says
This is the best recipe I ever had for boneless chicken thighs. Has anyone tried this recipe for grilled boneless thighs?
Erin says
Wow, thanks for the compliment! I also have a separate recipe for boneless grilled chicken thighs if you search on my site 🙂
Paula says
Delicious. I used skin on boneless thighs. Put the spices under the skin and on top. Crispy, juicy and so flavorful. Everyone loved these. Great recipe
Erin says
Thanks so much Paula -- I'm happy the chicken was a hit!
Alissa says
I’m not one to take time and leave a comment but these were the BEST chicken thighs I’ve ever ate in my life. I went exactly by directions
Erin says
Wow that's quite the compliment -- thanks so much Alissa! I'm glad you liked the chicken 🙂
Karen says
So tasty and so easy! Two of my favorite things in a recipe.
Erin says
You and me both, Karen -- so happy you liked the chicken!
Sylvia says
Used your recommended cooking temperature and times and the chicken came out great! I like my chicken spicy so I seasoned it differently using "Slap Ya Mama" and garlic powder. Thanks for your tips. 🙂
Liz says
Delicious and easy
Erin says
Thanks so much, Liz -- I'm glad you liked the chicken!
Jonny says
This is SO good!!! Thank you, it's now got a place in my meal plan.
Have a great weekend. 🙏🏼
Erin says
Thanks for the 5-star rating, Jonny!
Valerie says
This was sooooo good. I’m very new to air frying. The chicken was moist inside but crispy on the outside and the flavor was excellent! Thank you!
Erin says
Yay, thanks Valerie -- I'm happy to hear the chicken was a hit!
Carolyn says
Question, when the chicken is flipped over after cooking for 12 minutes, do I need to spray the other side with oil too?
Erin says
You can but you don't have to!
soij says
Easy and delicious.
CJ says
I used this method for chicken wings and they turned out fantastic. I also removed as much of the skin as possible. Yes, skinned the little wings lol. The basic recipe is so easy and delicious.
Erin says
That sounds delicious!
Anne Buckmasge says
Made these tonight,,, delicious! Thank you Erin!
Erin says
So happy you liked the chicken, Anne!
Ellen says
Love this spice combination. Delicious and easy
Erin says
Thanks for the 5-star rating, Ellen!
R says
This is a great recipe due to its flavor of course, but also, it is almost foolproof, simple prep, and a great time saver. Thanks!
Erin says
So glad you liked it!
Brenda says
These are delicious everytime. My husband balked at thighs but now requests them. Thumbs up.
Polly says
Have made this numerous times - absolutely delicious. I sometimes add Panko breadcrumbs to the spices to give a crispy texture
Erin says
YUM that sounds delicious -- so glad you've been loving this recipe!
K says
Quick, easy and delicious. I have made this a few times.
Erin says
Thanks for the 5-star rating!
A says
I just purchased an air fryer and ready to try it out. Can I use fresh garlic in this recipe or will it burn in an air fryer?
Erin says
I'd stick to garlic powder just to play it safe
Carol Asalon says
This recipe turned out as it had claimed - the chicken was very tender on the inside. I added a cajun spices which gave it a wonderful flavor. This recipe was easy and absolutely scrumptious! This will be my go to recipe for chicken thighs!
Erin says
Thanks for the positive review, Carol!