Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

This Air Fryer Chicken Thighs recipe is a delicious and quick way to cook chicken thighs. It's the perfect easy chicken recipe to make on busy nights! The bone-in chicken thighs are so tender and juicy on the inside and crispy skin on the outside. It's also gluten-free, low carb, and keto-friendly!

If you have recently purchased an air fryer and don't know what to cook with it, try this Air Fryer Chicken Thighs recipe!

This quick chicken dinner recipe is perfect for a stress-free weeknight meal. It's a family-friendly dish, so hearty and comforting.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe:
• The Ingredients:
• What to Serve with:
• How to Cook Chicken Thighs in an Air Fryer:
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Why You'll Love This Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe:

• Simple and quick. The chicken thighs cook faster in the air fryer than in the oven and the result is quite amazing! These chicken thighs only need about 18-25 minutes of cooking time at 400°F. In addition, an air fryer preheats quicker than the conventional oven. You will save a lot of time in the kitchen!

• No marinating required. The key is on the perfect chicken seasoning blend! Just rub the chicken with a simple spice blend and oil before cooking and you will have the most tender and flavorful meat!
• Super Cheap Meal. Chicken thighs are very good meat and more affordable than chicken breasts. I bought the air-chilled Kirkland chicken thighs (bone-in and skin on) for $0.99 per pound at Costco in my area.

The Ingredients:

Chicken Thighs: They are cheaper and easier to cook than chicken breasts. In this recipe, I used 2 pounds of skin-on and bone-in chicken thighs (7 small pieces) and seasoned with the homemade rub.

The homemade chicken seasoning blend consists of a combination of ground paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, olive oil, freshly crushed black peppercorn, thyme, oregano, rosemary, and kosher salt.

This combination of spices really goes well with chicken! It's a keeper!

What to Serve with:

• ROASTED YELLOW SQUASH WITH PARMESAN CHEESE AND HERBS
• SUMMER SQUASH CASSEROLE | CHEESY AND HEALTHY – WITH RECIPE VIDEO 🎥
• BUTTERNUT SQUASH GRATIN
• HASSELBACK BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH BROWN BUTTER SAGE
• INSTANT POT MASHED SWEET POTATOES
• ROASTED BABY POTATOES WITH ROSEMARY AND GARLIC

How to Cook Chicken Thighs in an Air Fryer:

The cooking process is very simple. So here are some important steps to follow from preparation to cooking the chicken thighs in an air fryer.

• First, pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Set aside.

• Second, in a small bowl, add ground paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, olive oil, freshly crushed black peppercorn, thyme, oregano, rosemary, and kosher salt. Mix until combined.

• Third, rub the seasoning blend all over the chicken thighs. Don't forget to rub under the skin.
• Fourth, follow the owner's manual on how to preheat the air fryer. Set the temperature to 400°F.
• Next, place chicken thighs in the air fryer basket in a single layer, skin-side up.
• After that, cook for about 18-25 minutes or until fully cooked. Please note that cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the meat, and the type or brand of air fryer you are using. Therefore, always make sure that the internal temperature reaches 165°F regardless of cooking method and cooking temperature before serving.
• Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Product used in this recipe: Ninja^® Foodi^™ Digital Air Fry Oven.

Check out more chicken recipes:

• CHINESE ROASTED CHICKEN
• COQ AU VIN (FRENCH CHICKEN IN WINE SAUCE)
• ROASTED HALF CHICKEN
• LEMON PEPPER CHICKEN THIGHS
• HEALTHY BAKED CHICKEN TENDERS (AKA CHICKEN STRIPS)
• CHICKEN SHAWARMA (OVEN-ROASTED + INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS) – WITH VIDEO 🎥
• OVEN-BAKED CHICKEN BREAST (SO TENDER AND JUICY!)
• HARISSA CHICKEN RECIPE – WITH RECIPE VIDEO 🎥
• CREAMY CHICKEN MARSALA
• MEDITERRANEAN ROAST CHICKEN WITH VEGGIES
• INSTANT POT GARLIC PARMESAN CHICKEN WINGS (NINJA FOODI + OVEN-BAKED INSTRUCTIONS)
• DRY RUB CHICKEN WINGS (OVEN-BAKED/INSTANT POT/NINJA FOODI)
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📖 Recipe