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!
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs – We use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. You can use bone-in, skin-on thighs as well, but the cooking time will vary.
- Oil – We use avocado oil, but you can use an oil of your choice (e.g. olive oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, etc.)
- Salt – Enhances the overall flavor of the chicken thighs. Adjust to taste.
- Garlic powder – For extra flavor. You can also use granulated garlic.
- Paprika – For extra flavor and color. We use regular mild paprika, but you can use smoked paprika if you like the taste.
- Black pepper – For a hint of spice.
Recipe Tips
- For this recipe, we use boneless skinless chicken thighs. The cooking time will be slightly longer if your chicken thighs are bone-in and/or skin-on.
- We seasoned our chicken thighs with a simple seasoning blend (salt, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper). You can modify the seasoning to suit your personal preference.
- 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 and your air fryer (some cook hotter than others) can affect cooking time. Be sure to cook the chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Let the chicken thighs rest for a couple of minutes after cooking to allow some of the juices to re-absorb.
- If you have frozen chicken, you can also make air fryer frozen chicken thighs, too!
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Step by Step Instructions
For instructions with visuals on how to make air fryer boneless chicken thighs, you can follow the recipe process photos in this section.
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 the thighs might not cook evenly!
Cook the chicken thighs at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 8 minutes.
Flip the thighs over and cook for another 4-7 minutes, or until fully cooked through and slightly crispy on the outside.
The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
The exact cooking time can vary depending on your air fryer, the thickness of the chicken thighs, and whether they have skin.
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 can serve them as part of a classic meal with baked potatoes, carrots, or even turnip fries.
You can also use them as an ingredient in other dishes like salads, wraps, or bowls. Eric really likes them cut up in homemade chicken Caesar wraps.
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.
You can reheat these chicken thighs in the air fryer if you want. Just keep an eye on them so they don’t overcook and dry out.
Related Recipes
If you are looking for more chicken recipes for the air fryer, check out these creations using fresh (not frozen) chicken:
- Air Fryer Chicken Breast
- Air Fried BBQ Chicken Thighs
- 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 oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 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 evenly coated.1 pound chicken thighs, 2 teaspoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- When the air fryer is preheated, add the chicken thighs in one even layer. Be sure there is no overlap or the thighs may not cook evenly.
- Cook the chicken thighs at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 8 minutes, then flip and cook for another 4-7 minutes, or until fully cooked through and slightly crispy on the outside. The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit. The exact cooking time can vary depending on your air fryer, the thickness of the chicken thighs, whether they have skin.
- When done, remove the cooked chicken thighs from the air fryer and allow them to rest for a couple of minutes. Then serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- We used boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs will likely take a little bit longer to cook.
- 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.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer. The chicken thighs should fit into the air fryer in one layer. Otherwise, they might not cook evenly.
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!