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These air fryer chicken thighs are succulent and juicy with a flavor-packed coating. Quick, simple, and delicious, these thighs will be a family favorite.
Perfectly seasoned and cooked to juicy perfection, air fryer chicken thighs have minimal prep time. With the air fryer’s convenience, they will also be ready in no time. Plus, this is a versatile dish – ideal for quick weeknight meals or a delicious addition to salads, wraps, or sandwiches!
Table of contents
Watch how to air fry chicken thighs
Ingredients
Here is what you need for chicken thighs in the air fryer.
- Chicken thighs: I use bone-in and skin-on. If you use boneless, you need to reduce the cooking time. If using frozen, you’ll need to cook them longer.
- Olive oil: Or another neutral cooking oil. It will allow the seasoning to adhere to the chicken.
- Seasoning: You can adapt this to your taste, but I use lemon pepper seasoning (or just lemon juice and black pepper), salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, and red chili powder.
How to make chicken thighs in air fryer
Prepare the Air Fryer: If needed, preheat the air fryer to 400ºF/200ºC. Also, spray the basket with cooking spray.
Season the chicken: First, pat dry the thighs with a paper towel and remove any extra skin if preferred. Then, cover the chicken with the spices and oil and rub well to coat it completely.
Air fry the chicken: Place the chicken thighs in the air fryer basket, skin side down. Cook for 25 minutes at 400ºF/200ºC. After the first 15 minutes, flip the chicken and cook for about 10 minutes more. If you want very crispy skin, cook the chicken for a few minutes extra.
The exact cooking time could vary based on the size of the thighs. It’s best to check for doneness using a meat thermometer. Once fully cooked, the internal temperature at the thickest part should be 165ºF/74ºC.
If using frozen chicken thighs: You can use the same method, placing the frozen thighs, seasoned, in the air fryer. They should take around 30 minutes to cook and you can double-check their internal temperature before serving.
Sides for chicken thighs
The options are almost endless but here are my favorite side dishes for crispy air fryer chicken thighs:
- Potatoes, either baked or mashed.
- Nice with rice – I love Jasmine and egg fried rice.
- Veggies galore – try it with my roasted green beans, Mediterranean roasted vegetables, or spiced corn ribs.
- They are also great with green salads or added to sandwiches.
More air fryer chicken recipes
If you try this air fryer chicken thighs recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
Easy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 22.5 oz chicken thighs with skin on (4 medium)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning or juice of 1 lemon and 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp red chili powder (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF/200ºC if needed. Spray the basket with cooking spray.
- Pat dry the thighs with kitchen paper and remove any extra skin if preferred. Cover the chicken with the spices and oil and rub well to completely coat it.Then place the chicken thighs skin side down in the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 25 minutes at 400ºF/200ºC. After the first 15 minutes, flip the chicken and cook for about 10 minutes more. If you want very crispy skin, cook the chicken for a few minutes extra.The exact cooking time of the air fryer chicken thighs could vary based on the size of the thighs. It's best to check for doneness using a thermometer. Once fully cooked, the internal temperature at the thickest part should be 165ºF/74ºC.
Storage instructions
- Store: Keep the cooked chicken thighs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat: You can reheat them in the air fryer for about 5 minutes. Freeze: Let the chicken thighs cool completely before freezing. Arrange them on a baking sheet so they're not touching. Place in the freezer for at least 2 hours to flash freeze them, then place in a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
