Chicken thighs are a dinner staple in my house, and my absolute favorite way of cooking them is air frying (did you guess? 😉).
Air fried chicken thighs have become my go-to meal for busy weeknights. Cooking them in the air fryer is incredibly quick and easy compared to pan frying or oven baking (fast, hands-off, etc). They make a fantastic family-friendly meal ideal for any night when you want something tasty without spending hours in the kitchen.
If you want to make a whole meal in one go you can even air fry chicken thighs and potatoes at the same time. Check out air fryer chicken thighs and potatoes for deets.
What do you need?
- Chicken thighs. I use skinless boneless chicken thighs for this recipe. You can also use boneless or bone-in chicken thighs for this recipe, but the cooking times will be longer. See more details here: Air Fryer Bone-in Chicken Thighs.
- Seasoning. The seasoning for this recipe is my go-to homemade all-purpose seasoning rub, made from paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, and salt. However, you can use any spices or seasoning rub that you like to use with chicken, or simply salt and pepper.
- Oil. The recipe below uses light olive oil, but you can substitute another cooking oil with a high smoke point. Vegetable oil, avocado oil, or canola oil are good options.
You can also use an olive oil spray if you want to reduce the amount of oil used. Though be sure to choose the type that spritzes as the propellant in aerosol sprays can damage the non-stick coating of your air fryer.
Let’s cook these chicken thighs in the air fryer!
1
Preheat.
Preheat the air fryer to 180°C/ 360°F. Preheating is important for this recipe because the air frying time is relatively short, and so you want it to be up to temperature when you put the thighs in.
If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheat mode, just set it to air fry for 3-4 minutes.
2
Prepare.
Pat the chicken thighs dry. Mix the seasoning and oil in a large bowl, then add the chicken thighs and toss to coat evenly in the seasoning.
3
Pop them in the basket.
Place chicken thighs in the air fryer basket or tray in a single layer. Try to ensure they are not overlapping so that the hot air can reach all sides and they will cook evenly.
4
Air fry.
Air fry the chicken thighs at 180°C/ 360°F for 12-15 minutes, flipping once during cooking, until they are cooked through.
The thighs are cooked when they have reached at least 74°C/ 165°F in the center of the thickest part. If required cook for additional 3-4 minute intervals until they are done.
5
Rest.
Rest the chicken. When cooking is finished, place chicken thighs on a plate, cover with foil, and leave to rest for 5 minutes. This allows the juices to reabsorb into the meat so it stays succulent and juicy!
A note on cooking times
The exact time required to air fry chicken thighs will depend on a few factors. But for medium-sized boneless chicken thighs, it should take around 15 minutes (as per the recipe below).
To ensure your chicken thighs are cooked safely you should always check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Chicken needs to be cooked until it reaches 74°C/ 165°F or higher all the way through.
Serving ideas to make a meal
- Keep things simple and serve them with a side of fries, and a green salad
- Slice and serve over rice and steamed vegetables drizzled with teriyaki sauce or hoisin sauce
- Serve with mashed potatoes smothered in gravy
- Slice chicken thighs and serve in tacos with salad, sour cream and salsa
Storing and reheating
Store any leftover chicken thighs in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and use them within three days.
You can reheat the chicken thighs in the air fryer – air fry at 180°C/ 360°F for 3-4 minutes until they have reached 74°C/ 165°F in the center of the thickest part.
Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken thighs skinless, boneless
- 2 tablespoon light olive oil
Seasoning mix [Note 1]
- 2 teaspoons paprika smoked, sweet, or hot
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 180°C/ 360°F.
- Pat chicken thighs dry, place in a bowl, and drizzle with oil. Mix the seasoning ingredients together in a small bowl, then sprinkle over the chicken thighs and toss to coat thoroughly.
- Place chicken thighs in air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Air fry chicken thighs for 12-15 minutes, flipping once during cooking, until they are cooked through. The thighs are cooked when they have reached at least 74°C/ 165°F in the center of the thickest part [Note 2]. If required, cook for additional 2-3 minute intervals until they are done.
- Remove thighs from the air fryer, cover with foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Or substitute 2 tablespoons of your favorite dry rub.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature in the center of the thickest part of the largest thighs has reached at least 74°C/ 165°F.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and provided for informational purposes only.
You can air fry your side dish too!
Pre-cook the side dish for 5 minutes less than the cooking time, then pop it back in the air fryer to finish cooking for 5 minutes while the chicken thighs are resting!
Try air fryer roast potatoes, air fryer sweet potato fries, air fryer broccoli, or air fryer frozen chips.
