Air Fryer Bone In Chicken Thighs
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For the crispiest chicken ever, make air fryer bone-in chicken thighs! This recipe takes very little prep work, and your dinner will be ready to serve in 25 minutes.
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Why This Recipe is a Favorite
You won’t believe how quick and easy it is to make this air fryer chicken thighs recipe!
Chicken thighs are a super flavorful cut of chicken. They have more fat than breast meat, so they’re more budget friendly. They’re great slow cooked, baked, or grilled, and absolutely wonderful when air fried, too!
If you typically cook boneless, skinless cuts of chicken, you are missing out on deliciously crispy skin! I’m going to show you how to make crispy chicken in the air fryer that isn’t greasy like deep fried foods are.
I hope your family loves this air fryer chicken dinner as much as mine does!
Happy Kitchen Secrets
Here are my mom-tested cooking tips for making this recipe! I’ve made this dish countless times to save you from a failed attempt.
- Be sure to preheat your air fryer. If your model doesn’t have a preheat setting, just turn it to the cooking temperature about 5 minutes before you add the food.
- For the best flavor and crispy skin, use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. I highly recommend the pastured-raised chicken from Porter Road!
- To prevent sticking, spray the basket with non-stick high heat approved cooking spray.
- Use long, long silicone-tipped tongs so you don’t burn your wrists or scratch the basket.
- For extra crispiness, set the chicken thighs in the air fryer skin side up.
Ingredient Notes
Best Chicken Thighs for Air Frying
For the most flavor, use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. I highly recommend the pastured-raised chicken from Porter Road!
You can air fry boneless chicken thighs, but they are usually packaged without the skin, so they won’t have a crispy exterior. Also, the cooking time will need to be reduced (see the recipe card for exact cooking time).
- For a different flavor profile, omit all of the seasonings and substitute 2 teaspoons of bbq seasoning, ranch seasoning, Greek seasoning, or Italian seasoning.
How to Make Air Fryer Bone-In Chicken Thighs
This is just a summary of the steps. See the recipe card for full instructions! ⬇️
Jump to RecipeBefore you start prepping the chicken, set the air fryer to 380°F (194°C) so it can preheat. Be sure to spritz a little oil on the air fryer basket before you add the thighs to it.
- Dry off and season the chicken. Use a few paper towels to pat each thigh dry. This allows the oil and seasoning to stick to the skin. Use your hands to turn and rub oil and seasoning on both sides of the chicken thighs.
- Place the chicken thighs in the air fryer skin side up. Leave a little space between each piece so that the air can circulate all the way around. This is the key to creating crispy chicken in the air fryer!
Use long, long silicone-tipped tongs so you don’t burn your wrists or scratch the basket. Also, be sure to set the pieces of chicken in the air fryer basket skin side up.
Close the air fryer and cook the chicken. The total cooking time will depend on the size of the pieces of chicken and the strength of your air fryer.
Cook Times for Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
- Bone-In Chicken Thighs: 18-20 minutes.
- Boneless Chicken Thighs: 12-14 minutes.
Close to the end of cook time, open the air fryer basket and use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meat.
👉 Important: Per the USDA, poultry is safe to eat when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). To accurately take the internal temperature, insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat, without touching the bone.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! To prepare it in advance, rub the chicken with oil and seasonings. Cover it tightly and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook, up to 18 hours in advance.
– Always preheat the air fryer. If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheat setting, simply turn it on and wait about 5 minutes.
– Make sure to leave space between each piece of food to allow air to flow.
– Use a meat thermometer to test the internal temperature of meat. For chicken, it should be 165°F (74°C).
I typically recommend turning food halfway through air frying, but it isn’t necessary in this situation. To ensure even cooking and achieve crispy skin, simply air fry the chicken thighs skin side up.
If your chicken thighs are dry, they’re probably overcooked. Next time, shorten the cook time by a few minutes and remove them from the air fryer basket when the internal temperature reaches 163°F (72°C). Then, allow them to rest for a few minutes. The internal temperature will increase during the rest time.
👉 If you like air frying, be sure to get my free printable Air Frying Cook Times Chart!
I’d love to hear about your experience making this recipe! Please leave a comment and rating below!
Air Fryer Bone-In Chicken Thighs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb. chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon thyme
Video
Instructions
- Mix the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and thyme together in a small dish. Take a few napkins or paper towels and pat each chicken thigh dry on all sides. Drizzle the chicken with the oil, then sprinkle with the seasoning, turning the chicken thighs until they’re coated on all sides.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F (194°C). Once it’s preheated, spray the air fryer basket with a little oil to prevent the chicken from sticking. Carefully set the pieces of chicken into the air fryer skin side up, with a little room between each piece. Close the air fryer and cook the chicken for 18-20 minutes. Close to the end of cook time, open the air fryer basket and use a meat thermometer to check if the internal temperature of the meat has reached 165°F (74°C).Once the chicken is done, carefully remove the chicken and set it on a plate to serve.
Notes
- Use long, plastic-tipped tongs (to prevent burning your wrists or scratching the basket) to move food in and out of the air fryer.
- Leave room between each chicken thigh in the air fryer. This will allow the air to flow and cook the chicken evenly.
- For boneless chicken thighs: Adjust cooking time to 12-14 minutes.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature has reached 165°F (74°C), per USDA by inserting the thermometer into the deepest part of the meat, without touching the bone.
- To prepare the chicken in advance, rub the chicken with oil and seasonings. Cover it tightly and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook, up to 18 hours in advance.
