Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe (2024)

With the help of your air fryer, you can speed up the cook time of a variety of dishes. And once you try this air fryer chicken thighs recipe, you’ll be happy you decided to use your fryer to prepare this delicious main dish! Featuring crispy skin and juicy meat, these air fryer bone-in thighs are sure to be a hit with everyone in your family.

What Do I Need to Make This Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe?

Since you only need a handful of ingredients to prepare this easy air fryer recipe, you can have dinner ready in under 30 minutes! To whip up this easy dinner tonight, you’ll need:

• Chicken thighs with bone in and skin on
• High heat oil, like avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Dried thyme
• Black pepper
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Smoked paprika

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How Do I Cook Chicken Thighs in the Air Fryer?

If you’re wondering how to cook chicken thighs in an air fryer, you’re in luck! Cooking delicious chicken is so simple when you use this amazing appliance! Just follow these two steps to make juicy chicken thighs for dinner with just a few minutes of prep work.

Step One: Season the Chicken Thighs

Start off by preparing the seasoning for the chicken. Add the salt, thyme, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika to a small bowl and mix together. Then, place all your chicken thighs in a large bowl and add the oil. Toss the chicken in the oil until all the chicken pieces are thoroughly covered. Next, sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the chicken thighs. Toss the chicken in the seasoning until each piece is evenly coated.

Step Two: Air Fry the Chicken

Place the seasoned chicken thighs in the basket or tray of your air fryer. Make sure not to overcrowd the basket, keeping the chicken pieces from touching each other. The chicken thighs may need to be cooked in batches, depending on how big your air fryer is. Cook the chicken at 400 degrees for 22 to 24 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, at around the 10-minute mark, remove the basket from the air fryer and flip the chicken.

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Tips & Tricks

Making chicken thighs in the air fryer couldn’t be easier. And with these air fryer tips and tricks, you’ll never want to cook your chicken thighs any other way.

• Use a high heat oil to prevent burning. When cooking your chicken at a high temperature in your air fryer, it’s important to select the right oil. Not all oils can withstand high cooking temperatures, which may cause the skin on your thighs to burn. Oils like avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, canola oil, and peanut oil are all great options for using in your air fryer.
• Never overcrowd your air fryer basket. Placing several chicken thighs in your air fryer basket may seem like a quick way to cook a big batch of chicken. But stacking or layering your chicken in your air fryer basket will lead to your chicken being undercooked. When you allow the chicken pieces to touch or overlap, the air will not circulate properly inside the basket of your air fryer. That means there may be sections of the chicken that don’t cook all the way through. Instead of crowding the thighs in the basket, cook the chicken in batches to prevent undercooking.

What Temperature Do You Cook Chicken Thighs in an Air Fryer?

To get juicy chicken thighs with a crispy skin, it’s a good idea to cook the thighs at a high temperature. Setting your air fryer to cook at 400 degrees is the best way to get delicious bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. At this temperature, your thighs will cook in around 20 minutes.

Can You Put Raw Chicken in an Air Fryer?

While cooking chicken in the oven or skillet are both popular options, there’s no need to discount your air fryer when coming up with your own chicken recipes for dinner. That’s because raw chicken can easily be cooked in the air fryer! When cooking any type of chicken using your air fryer, it’s important to keep a few things in mind:

• Always coat with oil first. To keep your chicken from drying out, it’s a good idea to give your chicken breasts a coating of oil. If you want to keep the fat content low on your dinner, try spraying the chicken with nonstick cooking spray instead of using full-fat oil.
• Check the internal temperature. While following the recipe instructions is a good way to gauge the amount of time it will take for your chicken to be cooked through, it’s always a good idea to check the internal temperature of your chicken before serving it. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature by sticking the thermometer into the center of your chicken, making sure to avoid touching the bone. Chicken should be cooked to at least 165 degrees.