Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

This Air Fryer Chicken Thighs recipe is so quick, easy, and simple. You only need a few ingredients (bone-in chicken thighs, oil, and seasonings) to cook juicy, crispy chicken in the Air Fryer. Dinner will be ready in under 30 minutes!

What’s in Chicken Thighs in the Air Fryer?

All you need to cook chicken thighs in the air fryer is some oil and seasonings. So quick and easy!

Chicken Thighs: This recipe uses bone-in, skin-on thighs. This is the best option for juicy, crispy chicken!
Oil: Olive oil is used to coat the chicken to help crisp up the skin.
Seasonings: Use a mix of salt, white pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.

Pro Tip: Let the thighs warm to room temperature before putting them in the Air Fryer. I take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before I start cooking dinner so they’re ready to go.

Variations on Air Fryer Bone in Chicken Thighs

I love the simple seasoning mix in this chicken recipe, but there are plenty of other ways to spice things up. And since you’ll want to be making this Air Fryer recipe week after week, a bit of variety will be nice.

Lemon Herb: Add lemon zest and your favorite dried herbs, like rosemary, thyme, mint, or this Italian seasoning blend.
Creole-style: Rub in this creole seasoning for a deliciously savory flavor.
Ranch Chicken: Rub a dry ranch mix into the skin of the chicken.
Buffalo Chicken Thighs: Slather on buffalo sauce before air frying, or just brush it on for serving.
Parmesan: Mix grated Parmesan in with the listed seasonings, and rub on to coat the chicken.
Extra Spicy: Mix in cayenne pepper–the spicier the better!
KFC Thighs: Use the “secret” seasoning mixture from this KFC copycat recipe.

step by step photos for how to make air fryer chicken thighs.

How long do you cook bone-in chicken thighs in the Air Fryer?

These bone-in, skin on chicken thighs will take about 15-20 minutes to cook in the Air Fryer.

Can I use boneless or skinless thighs instead?

Yes you can, just know that skinless thighs won’t get as crispy. Boneless thighs will cook through faster, so check the temperature about 5 minutes earlier.

What temperature should I cook chicken thighs in the air fryer?

Set the air fryer to 400°F. Chicken should be cooked to an internal temp of 165F.

Can I make crispy chicken thighs ahead of time?

These thighs will be at their crispiest if served fresh out of the Air Fryer. If you want to cook them ahead of time, check the storage and reheating info below.

overhead view of 4 air fryer chicken thighs on a white plate.

How to Store and Reheat Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

Store leftover chicken in resealable bags or airtight containers, and keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days. I like to wrap each thigh separately in foil to help keep moisture off the skin.

To reheat, you can warm through in the Air Fryer or oven. Make sure the internal temp reaches 165°F again when reheating.

How to Freeze Air Fryer Bone-in Chicken Thighs

Wrap thighs in foil and place them in a freezer-safe resealable bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

What to Serve with Chicken Thighs in an Air Fryer

These simply-seasoned, crispy thighs make the perfect main dish for any meal. They go well with everything from creamy mashed potatoes and au gratin potatoes, to corn casserole and cheesy broccoli and cauliflower.

They also go well with corn on the cob (air fried), Southern-style cornbread, and garlic Parmesan sweet potato fries.

three-quarters view of 4 air fryer chicken thighs on a white plate, one is partially eaten.

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe

Get the juiciest and crispiest chicken thighs in your air fryer! Rubbed in a simple spice mix, every bite is truly finger licking good!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings thighs

Calories 448kcal

Author Becky Hardin

Equipment

Air Fryer (click for my favorite)

Ingredients

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
4 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Combine the seasonings in a bowl.

½ teaspoon white pepper, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Coat the chicken thighs in olive oil on one side. Rub seasonings on chicken thighs.

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, 4 tablespoons olive oil
Flip the thighs and coat with remaining olive oil and seasonings.
Spray basket with non stick cooking spray.
Place chicken thighs into basket and cook for 15 minutes, skin side up.
Flip chicken thighs and cook 3-4 minutes skin side down, or until internal chicken temperature has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove chicken thighs from the air fryer and serve immediately.

Video

Notes

The thighs should be at room temperature when you put them in the air fryer. I like to take them out of the fridge 30 minutes before I plan to cook them so that they cook through evenly.
Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. If you want to double the recipe, cook the chicken in two batches.
Preheat the fryer before adding the chicken so that it cooks through evenly.

Storage: Store air fryer chicken thighs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.