If you're looking for a healthy, easy, and tasty weeknight meal, look no further than Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs. Air frying chicken thighs produces a crispy exterior with juicy and tender meat. With this easy recipe, in just 20 minutes, you will have perfectly crispy chicken thighs that everyone will love. So if you need a weeknight dinner idea, give this delicious recipe a try!
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One of my favorite ways to make a quick meal is by using the air fryer. The air fryer cooks food so quickly and with such great flavor, it amazes me every time I use it!
When chicken is cooked in the air fryer, it always comes out tender and juicy on the inside and lightly crispy on the outside. Plus, no excess oil is used, making it healthier than frying in oil!
Pair these delicious crispy air fryer thighs with a perfect side dish, and you'll have a healthy meal on the table in no time!
Looking for more easy main dish air fryer recipes? Check out Teriyaki Salmon, Tilapia in Air Fryer, Air Fryer Sausage, and these Easy Frozen Shrimp in the Air Fryer!
Looking for more air fryer chicken recipes? Check out a weeknight favorite - Crispy Chicken Tenders in Air Fryer. Or these delicious Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Thighs, Extra Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings, Crispy Chicken Legs, Frozen Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer, or my Bacon-Wrapped Boneless Chicken Breast recipe.
👩🏻🍳 More air fryer recipes
Jump to:
- 👩🏻🍳 More air fryer recipes
- ❤️ Why you will love cooking chicken thighs in the air fryer
- 🍗 Ingredients
- 🍗 How to make air fryer boneless chicken thighs
- 📖 Substitutions
- 📖 Variations
- 🍽 Equipment
- 🌡️ Storage
- 💭 Top tips
- ❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- 🥗 What side dishes to serve with air fryer chicken thighs?
- 👪 More easy recipes you'll love
- 📋 Recipe
- 📑 Food safety
- 💬 Comments
❤️ Why you will love cooking chicken thighs in the air fryer
- They're healthy: air frying chicken thighs is a great way to cook them without adding extra fat. The air fryer uses hot air that circulates around the chicken to make it crispy and uses only a little oil.
- They're easy: this recipe is simple and straightforward and doesn't require any complicated steps. All you need is a few minutes to prep them before air frying.
- They're delicious: the end result is crispy and juicy, with a delicious flavor that everyone will love.
- Chicken thighs are a great food to air fry because they are dark meat and have more flavor than chicken breasts.
- They're great for meal prep. Make a big batch of chicken thighs and reheat for an easy lunch or dinner!
- Easy cleanup. Any grease from the chicken drips down underneath the rack in the air fryer basket. This makes cleanup a breeze!
🍗 Ingredients
To make Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs, you will need:
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I used 4 chicken thighs for 4 people.
- Olive oil.
- Chicken dry rub, or your favorite chicken seasoning or spice mix. I used my homemade chicken rub that tastes amazing on chicken. You could also use lemon pepper or Italian seasoning.
See the recipe card for quantities.
🍗 How to make air fryer boneless chicken thighs
Air fryer chicken thighs are a fantastic, easy weeknight dinner idea.
To make air fryer chicken thighs, start by preheating your air fryer to 380 degrees F.
Next, brush the raw chicken with olive oil.
Then, season the chicken thighs with your favorite chicken rub or desired seasoning.
Next, place chicken thighs in a single layer in the air fryer basket and set the cook time for 12 minutes.
Turn chicken thighs over and cook for another 6 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. The internal temperature of the chicken, in the thickest part, should be 165 degrees F.
Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce or on a plate with your favorite sides.
Enjoy!
📖 Substitutions
- Chicken thighs - I used boneless skinless chicken thighs. You could substitute chicken thighs that have skin on them if you like crispy skin.
- Oil - You can brush on the oil or use an olive oil spray. You could also use avocado oil or canola oil.
- Spice rub - Use your favorite spice rub for chicken. I used my own homemade chicken rub which contains brown sugar, garlic powder, Roasted garlic and pepper seasoning, paprika, chili powder, seasoning salt, onion powder, and black pepper. Salt and pepper are a must, but you can also add in smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, or any other spices that you enjoy. Just be sure to adjust the seasoning amounts to taste. Experiment with different spices to see what you like best!
- Low carb - Make these chicken thighs low carb by omitting the brown sugar from the spice rub.
📖 Variations
Air frying chicken thighs is a great way to enjoy a healthy, easy, and tasty meal. But sometimes, it's fun to mix things up a bit. Here are a few variations on the basic air fryer chicken thigh recipe that you might enjoy:
- Instead of using oil, try marinating the chicken thighs in your favorite sauce or seasoning mixture before air frying.
- Season the chicken with your favorite spices.
- You can also brush the skinless thighs with a delicious sauce before cooking.
- Top the chicken with some delicious toppings, such as cheese, bacon, or avocado.
- Try topping your air fried chicken thighs with your favorite hot sauce or BBQ sauce before serving.
- Serve air fried chicken thighs with a delicious dipping sauce, such as ranch dressing, honey mustard, or BBQ sauce.
By experimenting with different flavors and combinations, you can create a variety of air fryer chicken thigh recipes that everyone will love.
🍽 Equipment
To make this boneless chicken thigh recipe, you will need an air fryer. There are many different models of air fryers, and they all cook differently. Some are hotter and cook faster than others.
I made these chicken thighs in the Instant Pot Vortex Air Fryer, and they cooked pretty quickly in it. However, I also have a Ninja Foodi Air fryer with dual drawers, and it cooks a little slower, so the cooking time needs to be increased slightly.
🌡️ Storage
If you have any leftovers, be sure to store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep for up to 3 days.
Alternatively, you can store air fryer chicken thighs in the freezer for up to 2 months. Simply wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or place them in a freezer-safe bag before freezing.
To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen, then air fry at 380ºF for 4-5 minutes until warm.
💭 Top tips
- Make sure the chicken thighs are a similar size to ensure even cooking.
- When air frying chicken thighs, it's important to make sure that they are coated in a thin layer of oil. This will help them to crisp up and achieve that perfect crunch.
- Preheat your air fryer before adding the chicken.
- Check the internal temperature to make sure it is 165 degrees F before serving.
- All air fryers cook differently, so the cook time may need to be adjusted.
- Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving. This will help ensure that they are nice and juicy!
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The best temperature for cooking chicken thighs in an air fryer is 380 degrees F.
Air fry chicken thighs for about 18 minutes at 380 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cook chicken thighs until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit with a meat thermometer.
Yes, you can cook frozen boneless skinless chicken thighs in the air fryer. Cook them at 380 degrees F for 25-30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
🥗 What side dishes to serve with air fryer chicken thighs?
One great thing about air fryer chicken thighs is that they are versatile and can be paired with various side dishes. Any one of these make the perfect side dish:
- Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus
- Frozen Broccoli in Air Fryer
- Easy Air Fryer Carrots
- Carrot Salad
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Coleslaw
- Ultra Crispy Air Fryer Potatoes
- Oven-Roasted Potatoes - Extra Crispy
- Instant Pot Rice
- Green salad
- Smoked Mac and Cheese
- Smoked Corn on the Cob
- Green beans.
So, if you're looking for a healthy, easy, and tasty weeknight meal, be sure to try this boneless chicken thighs recipe. The chicken will be crispy, juicy, and delicious - perfect for satisfying any appetite. So go ahead and give this easy recipe a try - you won't regret it!
👪 More easy recipes you'll love
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📋 Recipe
Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs boneless, skinless
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dry chicken rub link for homemade rub is down below in the notes
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F.
- Brush the chicken thighs with olive oil all over.
- Season the chicken thighs all over with your favorite chicken rub or desired seasoning.
- Place chicken thighs in a single layer in the air fryer basket and set the cook time for 12 minutes.
- Turn chicken thighs over and cook for another 6 minutes or crispy and golden brown. The internal temperature of the chicken, in the thickest part, should be 165 degrees F.
- Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce or on a plate with your favorite sides.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Make sure the chicken thighs are a similar size to ensure even cooking.
- When air frying chicken thighs, it's important to make sure that they are coated in a thin layer of oil. This will help them to crisp up and achieve that perfect crunch.
- Preheat your air fryer before adding the chicken.
- Check the internal temperature to make sure it is 165 degrees F before serving.
- All air fryers cook differently, so the cooking time may need to be adjusted.
- Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving. This will help ensure that they are nice and juicy!
Nutrition
📑 Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
Barbara Peters
Can you do skinless drumsticks the same way. Time & temp please
Jeri Walker
Absolutely! Cook the drumsticks in a single layer for 15 minutes at 400 degrees F, until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F. 🙂
Jared
I am going to try this recipe in my air fryer. I usually only cook boneless, skinless chicken thighs on the grill outside to cook off all the excess fat on them. How much of the fat do you cut off the chicken thighs before you cook them in the air fryer?
Jeri
Hi, Jared. I cut off any excess fat that may be on the chicken thighs before I air fry them. Let me know how you like the recipe! 🙂
Sheri
What if I just wanted to cook them to use them in a Recipe? Not crispy
Jeri
Hi, Sheri. If you're looking to cook chicken thighs in your air fryer without making them crispy, one option is to coat the chicken in a sauce or marinade before cooking it. This will help keep the meat moist and flavorful. Another option is to cook the chicken at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. This will also help keep the chicken from becoming too crispy. Regardless of which option, make sure to cook the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Personally, if you follow the recipe, the chicken is super moist and juicy and will work to use in a recipe. Hope this helps!
Gena Russell
Oh my gosh!! THE BEST RECIPE EVER!!
Made the dry rub and let marinate couple hours. The best flavor and thigh meat was delicious and moist. This is my new go-to recipe for chicken. Been following meal plan since being diagnosed Type 2 diabetes. Perfect for me. Hubby loved it as well. Thank you so much for this awesome way to air fry chicken thighs.
Jeri
Gena, thank you so much for trying the Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs recipe! I'm so glad you loved the flavor and that it was a hit with your husband too! I'm thrilled that it is now your go-to recipe! Thanks for commenting! 🙂