Air Fryer Chicken Thighs are juicy on the inside with chicken skin that has such incredible crispiness that you’ll feel like your eating deep fried chicken thighs. Chicken thigh recipes in the air fryer takes less than 25 minutes to prepare and is absolutely delicious.
Suitable for low carb, keto, gluten free, and Whole30 diets. Post includes Weight Watchers points.
Bone in and skin on chicken thighs are one of the most economical chicken cuts. Chicken thighs are affordable and, when cooked right, can also be immensely satisfying. Thanks to the process of cooking chicken thighs in air fryer, you can enjoy budget-friendly protein without sacrificing quality and flavor.
You get unbelievably juicy chicken when you cook chicken thighs in air fryer. The quick, flavorful marinade adds to the delicious flavor, and the skin on the bone in chicken thigh turns out so crispy you’ll do a double-take.
You will love this amazingly delicious chicken recipe, and your family will be begging you to make air fryer chicken thighs every week. And since it’s so to serve up a delicious meal of air fry chicken thigh recipes, you can!
You will also like these Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs.
Why Make This Recipe
- Just 6 Ingredients – All you need is chicken thighs, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and olive oil and you likely have everything you need on hand.
- Easy Clean Up – Air fryer chicken thighs have crispy, crunchy chicken thighs skin without having oil splattered all over your kitchen.
- Flavorful – These air fryer chicken thighs are so flavorful your family will request this recipe over and over again.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken – select bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs that are similar in size.
- Seasonings – smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and olive oil combine to make for perfectly seasoned air fry chicken thighs.
- Olive Oil – Use olive oil or any light, neutral-flavored oil.
How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Get full ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F / 200 degrees C.
- In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and olive oil to form a paste.
- Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and mix until the chicken is fully coated in the seasoning.
- Place the chicken thighs skin side down into the air fryer basket so they are not touching.
- Cook air fryer chicken thighs for 12-16 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken thighs. Check for doneness with a meat thermometer.
Note: Always check air fryer chicken thighs for doneness with a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C when inserted into the thickest part of the bone in chicken thighs.
How Long To Cook Chicken Thighs In Air Fryer
Air fryer chicken thighs should be thoroughly cooked before consumption, so this recipe should serve as a guide. Many things can affect the final cooking time, including the brand of your air fryer and the size of your chicken thighs. Small to medium chicken thighs can cook fully in 12-16 minutes.
For larger chicken thighs, you may need to cook for 15-20 minutes. Always use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature when cooking chicken. Air fryer chicken thighs must be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C.
Chicken thighs are so juicy so they can usually handle air frying a little longer without drying out, so you can cook a minute or two longer to get that perfectly cooked super crispy skin.
Tips For Success
- Bring chicken thighs to room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking for faster, more even cooking.
- Select chicken thighs that are similar in size for even cooking.
- Pat with a paper towel to make the chicken thighs dry. This helps the marinade to stick to the chicken and will also ensure crispy skin on the cooked chicken.
- Rub both sides of the chicken with marinade, even rubbing some under the skin.
- Don’t overcrowd the chicken thighs in the air fryer. Leaving space around each chicken thigh will allow the air fryer to circulate air more efficiently. This will lead to crispy chicken thighs.
- Place the chicken skin side down in the air fryer basket, then flip so the chicken is skin side up.
- Let the air fryer chicken thighs rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute.
- Check for doneness with a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature is 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C.
Variations
- Swap the Seasonings – You can easily change the flavor of air fryer chicken thighs by coating them in a different seasoning blend. or just use your favorite herbs and spices, like garlic powder, onion powder, and some good kosher salt.
- Add A Sauce – Chicken was made to be dipped and dunked, and that’s easy to do when you serve the crispy chicken thighs with a dipping sauce.
- Use Boneless Chicken Thighs – If you have boneless skinless thighs on hand you can still make this chicken thighs recipe. All that’s needed is to reduce the cooking time.
Budget-Friendly Tips
- Buy Bone In Chicken Thighs In Bulk – Purchase chicken thighs in bulk or when they are on sale and freeze them for up to 6 months.
- Plan For Leftovers – Use leftover meat in salads, soups, or as a simple make-ahead lunch option.
- Make It A Meal – Add your favorite side dish, like mashed potatoes, to make this a complete meal.
Prep Ahead And Storage
- Prep Ahead – You can marinate the air fryer chicken thighs for up to 24 hours before cooking, or you can cook it right away.
- Store – Store leftover chicken thighs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze – Freeze chicken thighs in a freezer-safe storage bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen chicken thighs overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat – Reheat chicken thighs in a 350 degrees F / 176 degrees C air fryer for 4-5 minutes or until warmed through and crispy. Note: the skin will not be quite as crispy when reheating.
Meal Prep
- Enjoy for dinner, then eat the leftovers for 4 more days.
- Pack leftover cold chicken thighs for a quick and flavorful lunch.
- Use the leftover meat in salads and sandwiches.
FAQs
Air fryer chicken thighs are so juicy that you can get away without using a lengthy marinade time. I regularly make this recipe and marinade and cook the chicken right away, and it is delicious every time. You can marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours if you have the time, but you don’t need to.
This recipe would work well with any bone in, skin on chicken pieces such as chicken breast, drumsticks, and even wings. You will need to adjust the cooking times accordingly and check for doneness with a meat thermometer.
Yes. You can make this air fryer chicken recipe with boneless skinless chicken thighs. You will need to reduce the cooking time for boneless chicken thighs in air fryer to about 6-8 minutes and then check for doneness with a meat thermometer.
More Chicken Thigh Recipes You May Like
- Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs.
- Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs.
- Easy Rosemary Instant Pot Chicken Thighs.
- Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs.
Serving Suggestions
Weight Watchers Points
There are 9 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.
Get The Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe:
Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs bone in and skin on
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoons garlic powder
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F / 200 degrees C.
- In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and olive oil to form a paste.
- Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and mix until the chicken is fully coated in the seasoning.
- Place the chicken thighs into the air fryer basket so they are not touching.
- Cook for 12-16 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken thighs. Check for doneness with a meat thermometer.
Notes
- Bring chicken thighs to room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking for faster, more even cooking.
- Select chicken thighs that are similar in size for even cooking.
- Pat with a paper towel to make the chicken thighs dry. This helps the marinade to stick to the chicken and will also ensure crispy skin on the cooked chicken.
- Rub both sides of the chicken with marinade, even rubbing some under the skin.
- Don’t overcrowd the chicken thighs in the air fryer. Leaving space around each chicken thigh will allow the air fryer to circulate air more efficiently. This will lead to crispy chicken thighs.
- Place the chicken skin side down to air fry, then flip so the chicken is skin side up.
- Let the air fryer chicken thighs rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute.
- Check for doneness with a meat thermometer.
- There are 9 WW Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.
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