These Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs are perfectly juicy inside and lightly crispy outside — in just 20 minutes. With just three basic ingredients and a few simple steps, you can have a family favorite on the table fast without turning on the oven - perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or meal prep.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
This is my go-to recipe when I need something healthy, quick, and delicious. It’s gluten-free, beginner-friendly, and way better than takeout. Plus, it goes with so many sides, whether you want a salad or rice.
If you love easy air fryer chicken recipes, make my Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken Thighs or Extra Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings next!
Jump to:
- Why I Love This Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs Recipe
- Ingredients To Make Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
- How To Make Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- Leftover Ideas
- Oven Instructions
- Variations
- Serving Suggestions
- Recipe Tips
- Storage and Reheating
- Recipe FAQ's
- Reader Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- More Easy Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
- Printable Recipe
- Comments
Why I Love This Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs Recipe
- Quick and Easy: Ready in 18 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights.
- Crowd Pleaser: These are a family favorite and also gluten-free.
- Versatile: Great for meal prep and goes with various sides.
- Super Delicious: The spice rub gives the chicken a crispy outside that is full of flavor.
Ingredients To Make Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
See the printable recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
- Chicken Thighs. Use fresh or frozen boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat. You can also use skin-on thighs if you like crispy skin. If using bone-in-thighs, add 5-7 minutes to the cooking time.
- Olive oil. This gives the dry rub something to stick to and makes the thighs extra crispy. Brush it on or use a spray. You can also use avocado oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil.
- Homemade Dry Rub. I used my Homemade Dry Rub For Chicken, the same rub I use in Instant Pot Chicken Legs. It is made with brown sugar, garlic powder, Roasted Garlic and Peppers seasoning, sweet paprika (or smoked paprika), onion powder, chili powder, seasoning salt, and ground black pepper. Feel free to use your favorite seasoning blend or spices, such as Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning, Herbes de Provence, oregano, or lemon-pepper seasoning.
How To Make Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
This is a simple step-by-step guide. For exact instructions, jump to the printable recipe card or watch the video below.
Quick Overview
- Mix up the spice mixture.
- Toss the thighs with olive oil and seasoning.
- Air fry for 12 minutes.
- Flip and air fry for 6 more minutes.
- Serve with your favorite sides.
Prep Chicken Thighs
- Preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Make the rub by combining brown sugar, garlic powder, Roasted Garlic and Peppers seasoning, sweet paprika (or smoked paprika), onion powder, chili powder, seasoning salt, and ground black pepper in a small bowl.
- Use a knife to trim excess fat and dry thighs with a paper towel. Brush olive oil (or avocado oil) all over the chicken thighs, covering all sides.
- Liberally coat the chicken with seasoning. You can even put the chicken in a large bowl or freezer bag and toss until well-coated.
Air Fry Chicken Thighs
- Place boneless chicken thighs in a single layer in the air fryer basket, smooth side up. If using skin-on chicken thighs, place them skin-side down.
- Air-fry chicken thighs for 12 minutes at 380 degrees Fahrenheit. Flip them over and cook for another 6 minutes until golden and crispy. Use an instant read thermometer to ensure the internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165 degrees F.
Pro Tip: Cook smaller thighs for 15 minutes and larger thighs for 20 minutes. Leave space between the thighs so the hot air can circulate.
Leftover Ideas
Chop up air fryer chicken thighs and use them in Chicken Pot Pie With Puff Pastry, White Chicken Chili with Cream Cheese, Olive Garden Asiago Tortelloni Alfredo, or chicken salad.
Oven Instructions
- Prepare the boneless chicken thighs as above.
- Cook chicken in the oven at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.
Variations
- Marinate: Season the chicken thighs and marinate them in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours for extra flavor.
- Add a Glaze: Brush air fryer chicken with BBQ sauce or balsamic glaze in the last few minutes for extra flavor.
- Dipping Sauce: Serve with ranch dressing, honey mustard, buffalo sauce, Sriracha, or hot sauce.
- Low Carb: Make it low-carb or keto-friendly by substituting brown sugar with your favorite sugar substitute.
Related Recipes: Smoked Boneless Chicken Thighs On Pellet Grill and Traeger Smoked Bone-In Chicken Thighs
Serving Suggestions
The flavor of these air fryer chicken thighs pairs beautifully with Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes or Coleslaw With Miracle Whip. They also go great alongside Air Fryer Crispy Potatoes or fresh Cucumber Greek Salad.
For a lighter option, serve alongside Instant Pot Jasmine Rice or steamed brown rice with Air Fryer Green Beans and Air Fryer Broccoli and Cauliflower.
Recipe Tips
- Spray for Crispiness: A light oil spray before and after flipping these boneless chicken thighs will make the outside extra crispy.
- Space for Circulation: Place boneless chicken thighs in the air fryer basket, leaving space between them so hot air can circulate for even cooking. Cook in batches if needed.
- Internal Temperature: Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. The cook time may vary depending on the size of the thighs and how hot your air fryer cooks.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerator: Store leftover cooked thighs in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freezer: Wrap thighs individually in plastic wrap, place in a Ziploc bag, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Reheating: To keep the reheated chicken thighs juicy, sprinkle a few drops of water over them before reheating. Reheat in the air fryer at 380 degrees F for 2-3 minutes until heated through, or use the 'Reheat' function.
Recipe FAQ's
The best temperature for cooking chicken thighs in an air fryer is 380 degrees F.
Cook boneless, skinless chicken thighs until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F when measured in the thickest part of the meat with a meat thermometer. However, because the thighs are dark meat, they can be cooked up to 175 degrees F.
You can cook frozen boneless skinless chicken thighs in the air fryer. To do so, air fry at 360 degrees F for 5 minutes, break them apart, turn the heat to 380 degrees F, and cook for 20-25 minutes until done.
Cook boneless skinless chicken thighs in the air fryer for 18 minutes at 380 degrees F, flipping over after 12 minutes. Cook bone-in chicken thighs for 22-25 minutes, flipping over halfway.
I recommend preheating your air fryer so the exterior crisps up quickly, which will help cook your thighs evenly. It only takes 2-3 minutes for an air fryer to preheat.
For adults, I recommend serving 2-3 thighs per person and 1-2 thighs each for children.
Reader Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"So easy and so good! I am 70 and started to learn to cook about three months ago - I appreciate an easy meal once in awhile. I used Famous Dave's Chicken Rub." - Scott
"This was excellent and easy. My whole family loved it. I’ll be adding this to our rotation for sure!" - Donna
"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." - Gena
Did you make this Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thigh recipe? If you did, can you do me a big favor and leave a rating and review letting me know how you liked it? This helps my website grow so I can continue to publish free recipes. Thank you! 😊
SAVE this recipe and FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok.
Printable Recipe
Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dry chicken rub your favorite chicken rub or make my homemade rub below
Homemade Chicken Rub
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons Roasted Garlic and Peppers Seasoning a Club House seasoning. You can also use the McCormick brand.
- 2 teaspoons paprika or smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 380℉.
- Brush the boneless chicken thighs all over with olive oil.
- Make the chicken rub by combining brown sugar, garlic powder, Roasted Garlic and Peppers seasoning, paprika, onion powder, chili powder, seasoning salt, and ground black pepper in a small bowl.
- Season the thighs generously all over with the dry rub.
- Place chicken thighs in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving some space between them. Air-fry chicken thighs for 12 minutes at 380°F. Flip them over and cook for another 6 minutes at 380°F until golden and crispy.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F. If they are not fully cooked, add another minute or two to the cooking time.
- When done, remove chicken thighs from the air fryer, let them rest for a few minutes, and serve with your favorite sides. Enjoy!
Video
Save This Recipe 💌
Enter your email below and I'll send the recipe straight to your inbox! Plus, you'll get new recipes from me each week!
Notes
- Dry Rub: My Homemade Chicken Rub makes 9 tablespoons. Store the leftover rub in your pantry in a jar and use it the next time you make chicken.
- Marinate: Season the chicken thighs with the dry rub and marinate them in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours for extra flavor.
- Spray for Crispiness: A light spray of oil before and after flipping will make the outside extra crispy.
- Space for Circulation: Leave space between the thighs so the hot air can circulate for even cooking. Cook in batches if needed.
- Adjust as Needed: Cooking times may vary based on the size of the thighs. Use a meat thermometer to check doneness.
- Rest Time: For the juiciest results, let the chicken rest for 3-5 minutes before serving.
- Storage: Store leftover chicken thighs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for 2 months.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Scott says
So easy and so good! I am 70 and started to learn to cook about three months ago. I appreciate an easy meal once in awhile.
I used Famous Dave's Chicken Rub.
Jeri Walker says
It's never too late to start something new, and I'm so impressed that you've taken up cooking at 70! I'm glad you found my Air Fryer Chicken Thighs easy + delicious - after all, that's my goal with this blog! 🙂 Be sure to check out my other air fryer recipes - they are all easy to make. Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about any of my recipes! 🙂 Happy Cooking!
Jeri Walker says
Hi Teya. If your chicken thighs weren't cooked thoroughly, it is possible they were thicker which would require a longer cooking time, so I recommend using a meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Also, different makes and models of air fryers may cook differently, so I suggest following the suggested temperature but use the meat thermometer to check for doneness. I hope this helps!
Spider says
Great Question. And dinner came out great
Jeri Walker says
Awesome! I'm glad you liked it! 🙂
Jeri Walker says
Hi, Robin. It is 18 minutes total, turning after 12 minutes.
Donna says
This was excellent and easy. My whole family loved it. I’ll be adding this to our rotation for sure!
Jeri Walker says
Thanks, Donna! I'm so glad you and your family loved these thighs! 🙂
Barbara Peters says
Can you do skinless drumsticks the same way. Time & temp please
Jeri Walker says
Absolutely! Cook the drumsticks in a single layer for 15 minutes at 400 degrees F, until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F. 🙂
Jared says
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 says
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! 🙂
Jeri says
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 says
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 says
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! 🙂