Looking for a chicken side for your next dinner? Air fryer chicken thighs are a great idea!
Seasoned with a simple spice blend, these juicy chicken thighs can be enjoyed with lots of different veggies and carbs!
Recipe Tips
Before you make chicken thighs in the air fryer, quickly read through these recipe tips so that you achieve the best results!
- For this recipe, we used boneless skinless chicken thighs. If your chicken thighs are bone-in and/or skin-on, the cooking time can vary slightly.
- We seasoned our chicken thighs with a simple spice blend (salt, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper). You can modify the seasonings to suit your personal preferences.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer. The chicken thighs should fit into the air fryer in one layer – otherwise they might not cook evenly.
- The size of the chicken thighs as well as your air fryer (some cook hotter than others) can affect cooking time. Always make sure to cook the chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Let the chicken thighs sit for a couple of minutes after cooking so that some of the juices can re-absorb.
- If you have frozen chicken, you can also make air fryer frozen chicken thighs, too!
We use this air fryer for our recipes and it has been great.
Step by Step Instructions
For the complete instructions for how to make air fryer boneless chicken thighs, you can follow the recipe process photos in this section.
That way, you see exactly how we made our chicken thighs!
If you are feeling confident and want to skip the visuals, you can find the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
First, preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Meanwhile, add the chicken thighs to a bowl. Drizzle oil on top, then sprinkle them with salt, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper.
Toss the thighs or gently mix with tongs until everything is evenly coated.
When the air fryer is preheated, add the chicken thighs into the air fryer in one even layer.
Make sure there is no overlap or else the thighs might not cook evenly/thoroughly!
Cook the chicken thighs at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 16-20 minutes until fully cooked through and slightly crispy on the outside.
Flip the thighs halfway through cooking time.
The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
The exact cooking time varies by thickness of the chicken thighs and whether they have skin.
Your air fryer can also affect cooking time (some air fryers cook hotter than others).
When done, remove the cooked chicken thighs from the air fryer and let them sit for a couple of minutes. Then serve and enjoy!
You could serve them as part of a classic meal with baked potatoes, carrots, or even turnip fries!
Storage Tips
If you have leftover cooked chicken thighs, you can store them in a sealed container in the fridge. Properly stored, they’ll last for 3-4 days in the fridge.
You can reheat these chicken thighs in the air fryer if you want. Just keep an eye on them so that they don’t overcook and dry out.
Related Recipes
If you are searching for more air fryer chicken recipes, be sure to check out these creations using fresh (not frozen) chicken:
- Air Fryer Chicken Breast
- Air Fried Chicken Drumsticks
- Air Fryer Homemade Chicken Wings
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings
- Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken thighs, boneless skinless (approximately 4-6; see notes)
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add the chicken thighs to a bowl. Drizzle oil on top, then sprinkle them with salt, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper. Toss the thighs or gently mix with tongs until everything is evenly coated.
- When the air fryer is preheated, add the chicken thighs into the air fryer in one even layer. Make sure there is no overlap or else the thighs might not cook evenly/thoroughly!
- Cook the chicken thighs at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 16-20 minutes until fully cooked through and slightly crispy on the outside. Flip the thighs halfway through cooking time. The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit. The exact cooking time varies by thickness of the chicken thighs, whether they have skin and your air fryer.
- When done, remove the cooked chicken thighs from the air fryer and let them sit for a couple of minutes. Then serve and enjoy!
Notes
- We used boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Chicken thighs with bone-in and skin-on will likely take a little bit longer to cook.
- Also, the size of the chicken thighs can affect cooking time. Don't consume chicken that is not fully cooked. The internal temperature should be at 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
I used this recipe as a base for my chicken thighs dinner. I had to reduce the heat to 370 at the halfway mark and reduce the time by 2 minutes. It turned out great. tested at 179 degrees, with crispy skin and perfectly cooked, juicy meat. Total cooking time was 18 minutes, flipping the meat at 13 minutes and again at 9, when I reduced the temperature. I’ve had my air fryer less than a week and am getting used to it. Thank you for the recipe! P.S. I did the spaghetti squash yesterday and it was fabulous!
Thanks for sharing, Karin! I’m glad your chicken thighs turned out well and you enjoyed the spaghetti squash. Every air fryer cooks slightly differently so it’s great that you kept a close eye on the meat and adjusted the time and temp accordingly!