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With minimal prep and only a 15 minute cooking time, these air fryer chicken thighs are perfect for an easy family weeknight meal. Chicken thighs can take a long time to cook on the stove top and may require the oven sometimes. This method is faster, easier and results in the crispiest and juiciest chicken every single time!
How do you cook chicken thighs in the air fryer
Mix together the spices and oil in a bowl and add the chicken thighs to it. Rub the mixture all over the thighs so that they are coated.
Place the thighs in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook. Flip the thighs over halfway through cooking. You can test one with a thermometer to make sure that the internal temperature is 165°F before serving.
Tips for making air fryer chicken thighs
- Use chicken thighs with skin on it for extra crispy edges. We prefer chicken thighs without skin, but if you have chicken thighs with skin on, you will have the crispiest texture on the outside and extremely juicy on the inside!
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towel before adding to the spice mix. This will guarantee really crispy chicken. If they have too much moisture, they will steam and not get crispy.
- Use an instant read thermometer to perfectly cook the chicken. It should register at 165ºF. Undercooked chicken can be dangerous to eat and overcooked chicken can be dry, although because thighs contain more fat, they are harder to overcook.
Frequently asked questions
These chicken thighs are a great protein to serve alongside a salad, veggie or potato side for a well balanced meal. Try them with:
Healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Avocado Fries
Classic Caesar Salad
Garlic Roasted Potatoes
I like to serve these thighs as soon as they cooked so they are wonderfully juicy. If you have leftovers, let them cool and they will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can enjoy them shredded cold on top of a salad or you can reheat them in the air fryer to get them nice and crispy again.
The air fryer is my go-to way to cook chicken thighs! It’s so effortless, practically hands off and so much quicker than on the stovetop or oven. They come out so wonderfully crispy every single time, they never let me down!
These air fryer thighs are now a permanent fixture on my weekly meal rotation. So quick and easy and I’m already planning on using different combinations of spices and flavors!
More Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Breaded Air Fryer Chicken
- Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs
- Air Fryer Salmon
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
- Air Fryer Fish and Chips
If you try this healthy-ish feel good Air Fryer Chicken Thighs recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then please come back to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 3-4 chicken thighs skinless, boneless
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Pat the chicken thighs with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
- In a small bowl, combine the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, cumin and olive oil. Add the chicken thighs to the seasoning mixture and rub the chicken thighs with it on both sides.
- Arrange a single layer of the chicken thighs in the air fryer basket. Cook for 15 minutes, flipping halfway, until cooked through, crispy and golden or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Serve immediately with a salad or a side of your choice.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
This was AMAZING!! As a busy SAHM of 2 under 5, Im always looking for easy wholesome recipes for my kiddos. THIS was just that! So good and so easy
Thank you so much, Shirley! I am so glad you liked the chicken thighs! I can relate to you for sure, my kids are a little older now, but I remember trying to cook when they were little. Speed and efficiency for the win! If you like the Air Fryer, another kid-friendly and quick recipe I’d love for you to try is my Air Fryer French Toast!
Yumma is my all time favorite blogger. She’s never made a recipe I didn’t love, this is my go to chicken for meal prep and it makes eating throughout the busy week so easy & delicious! Thank you!!
That is so kind of you to say! Thank you so, so much!
Second time making this chicken and I have to say it was even more delicious this time around! Super easy to put together for this busy mama of two. I adjusted recommended air fryer temp to 350 for 12 minutes since my air fryer can easily over cook things, the chicken was crispy and juicy. I really love this recipe!!
I love that! That’s perfect. Yay!!