These Juicy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Are Ready in Half an Hour
Move over KFC, we have chicken thighs at home.
This recipe for air fryer chicken thighs is incredibly simple and quick, delivering big flavor with just five minutes of hands-on prep. Your air fryer is one of the best ways to cook chicken, especially thighs, because it produces crisp golden skin without drying out the interior meat. Plus, it’s much faster than a regular oven. Here’s how to achieve perfectly crispy air fryer chicken thighs every single time.
Why This Recipe Works
To find the best way to make chicken thighs in the air fryer, I tested this recipe using both bone-in and boneless thighs. I found that bone-in, skin-on thighs were the juiciest and most flavorful because the fat in the skin enriched the meat and prevented it from drying out.
I also tried this recipe in both a typical basket-style air fryer and an oven-style air fryer. For me, the Our Place Wonder Oven delivered the best results because it offers plenty of room for crisping (and it helps that it preheats quickly). But you can get great results in any air fryer — our guide to the best air fryers made without PFAS includes several appliances that would work well for this recipe.
Ingredients
Here’s everything you need for air-fried chicken thighs:
Substitutions & Variations
- You can use boneless or skinless thighs if you prefer. Be sure to adjust your timings — without the bone, the chicken will cook in about half the time. Without the skin, you’ll lose some of the flavor and crispiness, but the meat will be leaner. Just be sure to use a drizzle of olive oil to make up for the missing fat.
- You can add any dried seasonings you like. For a bit of a kick, try red pepper flakes or chili powder. Dried herbs like oregano, parsley, and thyme are all delicious on chicken. Or mix things up by adding a sauce like honey mustard, barbecue, or teriyaki.
How to Make Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
STEP 1: Prep
Start by preheating your air fryer to 400°F, if necessary.
While you wait, place the chicken on a cutting board or the baking sheet and pat them dry with paper towels. Once dry, season the chicken on all sides with salt and pepper. If you’re using additional seasoning or a sauce, add it now.
STEP 2: Cook
When the air fryer is hot, place the chicken in the basket or slide the baking sheet into the oven and air fry for 20 to 24 minutes, until the chicken is juicy and the internal temperature reaches 160°F. (Note this timing is specifically for bone-in, skin-on thighs.)
STEP 3: Rest and Serve
Remove the chicken from the air fryer, cover it with aluminum foil, and let it rest for five to 10 minutes before squeezing the lemon juice on top and serving it.
Air Fryer Chicken Thigh Temperature and Cook Time
Cook bone-in chicken thighs at 400°F for 20 to 24 minutes, or boneless thighs for 10 to 12 minutes. According to the USDA, chicken is cooked through and safe to eat when the internal temperature reaches 165°F — but remember that the meat will continue to rise in temperature by a few degrees after you remove it from the oven.
Since chicken thighs are naturally higher in fat than chicken breast, you can cook them for a little longer. In fact, chicken thighs can get even more tender if they cook to 190°F or so.
Tips for the Best Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
- Thoroughly pat the chicken dry on all sides before cooking, as excess moisture will prevent crispiness.
- Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket or baking sheet. The chicken needs air to circulate to crisp up. If you have a smaller model, cook the chicken in batches.
- Cook the chicken skin side up. This way, the hot air will crisp up the surface area better.
- To ensure your chicken is cooked through to a safe temperature, use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh.
- If you’re using skinless chicken thighs, coat the meat in a thin layer of olive oil or another cooking fat. This adds flavor and prevents the meat from drying out.
What to Serve With Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Whether you want a quick weeknight side or you have time for something more elaborate, air fryer chicken thighs are easy to pair with all kinds of accompaniments.
If you’re going for speed and ease, toss together a fresh green salad, steam corn on the cob, or free up another air fryer basket to make a quick air fryer baked potato. If you have more time in the kitchen, serve the chicken with squares of homemade cornbread, a layered ratatouille, or fan-favorite pasta salad.
Nutrition of Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Chicken is a high-protein food. One skin-on chicken thigh packs about 20 grams of protein. The skin adds extra fat, so if you want to reduce the fat content, removing the skin takes you from around 15 grams of fat to 8 grams.
How to Store and Reheat Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Store leftover cooked chicken thighs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. To reheat, pop the chicken back into the air fryer at 375°F for four to five minutes, until the skin is crisp and the meat is warmed through.
You can also freeze fully cooled chicken thighs. Tightly wrap each thigh individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe, airtight container. Freeze for up to three months. Defrost the chicken in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Air Fryer Chicken Thigh FAQs
You don’t need to flip the chicken, as placing the chicken skin side-down will make the skin soggy instead of crispy.
If you forget to thaw your chicken, you can still cook it directly from frozen. Add 10 minutes to the cooking time for bone-in chicken and five minutes for boneless chicken.
If possible, I still always recommend thawing first, because the seasoning adheres better and there’s less moisture in the cooking chamber, which means better crisping.
According to the USDA, chicken is considered safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F. Chicken thighs are quite forgiving and can cook up to 190°F if you want to be on the extra safe side.
Bone-in chicken takes almost twice as long to cook as boneless thighs. If you’re after speed, go for boneless; if you want to prioritize flavor and that crispy texture, use bone-in, skin-on thighs.
If the skin is too wet before cooking, if it’s cooked skin-side down, or if there are too many pieces of chicken in the air fryer at a time, you won’t get the crispiness you’re after.
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