Of all the kitchen tools used for cooking, the air fryer is easily my favorite and the one we use the most. It’s simple and quick, with easy clean up, and it does a great job of cooking whatever food you are making. It’s become a go-to method for me when I want to cook a simple protein like chicken thighs and I don’t want to heat up the oven. Even in the summer, it can get too hot for the grill, so the air fryer definitely comes in handy! These Air Fryer Chicken Thighs are crispy, spicy, and so delicious! I love cooking chicken thighs in the air fryer because the darker thigh meat cooks up moist and juicy and is less likely to dry out compared to chicken breasts. This easy chicken recipe will give your chicken thighs tons of flavor as well, but you can easily customize it to suit your flavor or spice level preference, or just use the cooking times shared in the recipe below as a guideline for chicken thighs in the air fryer and use a different rub or seasoning blend instead of the one I’m giving here. For more easy Air Fryer recipes perfect for dinner, try my Air Fryer Brats, these Juicy Bison Burgers, or Air Fryer Turkey Breast and Gravy!
Why We Love This Recipe
Use any seasoning on these chicken thighs to suit your preference. You can use any kind of chicken piece for this recipe, but chicken thighs are particularly suited for the air fryer for a super juicy result. Air frying chicken thighs takes less than 20 minutes so it’s great for a quick dinner!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Ingredients
Chicken Thighs – I’ve used bone-in thighs with the skin on for this recipe. Salt & Pepper – Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper will enhance the flavors in the dry rub and can be added to taste after cooking as well. Spices – Use smoked paprika for a smokey flavor, as well as chili powder (mild or hot), chipotle powder, and red pepper flakes for a bit of a spicy kick to this dish! Herbs – Use onion powder, garlic powder, and dried oregano for a great savory flavor.
Equipment:
Air Fryer Parchment Paper
How to Make Chicken Thighs in the Air Fryer
Tips for Success
Make sure to start with the skin side down, then flip halfway through the cooking time. The skin side will crisp up during the second half of cooking. The best way to get crispy chicken is to use skin-on thighs. The fat content in the skin is higher than in the meat itself; it’ll crisp up nicely and still leave the meat tender and juicy! Pat your chicken dry with a paper towel before seasoning it. This will help cook the outside crisp, instead of steaming it in the air fryer. I used a 5-quart air fryer and cooked two chicken thighs at a time. The chicken needs to cook in a single layer with room for the air to circulate around it, so the length of time it will take to cook all your chicken will depend on the size of your air fryer and the size of your chicken thighs.
Substitutions and Variations
Use chicken drumsticks, boneless skinless chicken thighs, chicken wings, or even sliced chicken breasts for this recipe. The cook time may vary for different pieces of chicken, but they can all be done in the air fryer and will all be delicious. Change up the spice level by using hot chili powder instead of mild and adding some cayenne pepper to the mix as well. You can add some drops of hot sauce as well, or serve the thighs with hot sauce on the side. Use Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, all-purpose seasoning, or any other herb and spice combination. The method for cooking will be the same. To cut some of the spice and savoriness of this spice blend, you can add a teaspoon of sugar and omit the red pepper flakes.
More Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes
One Pan Chicken, Green Bean, and Potato Dinner Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole Creamy Apple Cider Chicken Skillet Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo Bruschetta Chicken
Try my Crispy Baked Potato Wedges, some Fluffy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, or these Oven-Baked Greek Feta Fries. Or have it on rice, like my Easy Dirty Rice, or Coconut Rice. You’ll also want some veggies on there, like this Cheesy Corn, my Homemade Coleslaw, or this Cold Broccoli Salad with Bacon.
Stove Top Chicken Thighs
Creamy White Chicken Lasagna
Crispy Roast Duck Recipe
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